HWS News
29 April 2026 • Alums Finding Her Voice in the Classroom
Ashley Yang ’11, MAT ’12 draws on early inspiration and HWS values to foster curiosity, critical thinking and respectful dialogue among her students.
For many educators, experiences with their own teachers inspire them to follow the same professional path. For Ashley Yang ’11, MAT ’12, that inspiration came relatively early.
“I absolutely adored my sixth-grade math teacher and admired how she could put me at ease in a subject I typically disliked,” Yang says. “I was also inspired by my ninth-grade global history teacher, who persuaded me to join Model United Nations.”
Yang’s interest in history and politics led to her current position at Webster Thomas High School in Webster, N.Y., where she teaches AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Psychology, 10th-grade Global History and advises the Model United Nations club.
Yang had her sights set on teaching before starting college, choosing Hobart and William Smith for the reputation of its one-year Master of Arts in Teaching program. Her formal training began with observations in Penn Yan, Seneca Falls, Romulus and Geneva, and culminated in a 12th-grade student teaching position at Waterloo High School.
Her experiences at HWS — inside and outside the classroom — shaped her approach to teaching and learning. Courses with Associate Professor of History Laura Free, Professor of Psychological Science Julie Kingery and the late Professor of Dance Cadence Whittier left a lasting impression, as did her participation in the Koshare (now Kinetic) Dance Collective and writing for The Martini. “HWS was where I found my voice — the same one that I use to advocate for my students and colleagues,” Yang says.
As she neared the end of her MAT program, her mentor, Professor of Education Sherry Gibbons, emphasized the importance of patience. “She told me it would take five years to really get good at this job,” Yang recalls. “She was 100 percent right. The first five years were grueling, with many late nights at the kitchen table. Some lessons went poorly, and I wasn’t even sure why.” Patience also proved essential as Yang navigated the job market. “I spent a year as a day-to-day substitute in my home district, teaching everything from elementary school to orchestra — and one very memorable day in auto shop,” she says.
Two enduring HWS values influence her teaching: the importance of personal relationships and the necessity of respectful dialogue across differences.
Interpersonal connections are increasingly vital, as is the ability to discern bias in algorithm-driven social media. “Students love to come in to talk about the news they see on TikTok, and I invite them to share what they find,” she says. “But at the beginning of the year, we focus on how to recognize the inherent bias in information sources.” (Yang and her students use the Ad Fontes Media Bias Curve to guide their analysis.)
The class takes time to study each source and how biases might influence individuals’ opinions. “The exercise resonates with students because they want to know what’s true,” she says, adding, “A student’s willingness to consider opposing viewpoints is a personal decision, but cultivating an air of mutual respect is a good starting point.”
Dialogue across differences encourages students to reveal their true selves instead of restating what they’ve seen online. The honest discussions that follow have led Yang to view some generalizations — such as short attention spans and heightened anxiety —through a different lens.
“My students tend to be deeply inquisitive about the world around them. Unfortunately, that exposure to the world and its problems often manifests as anxiety,” Yang says. “They’re concerned about their ability to support themselves in a future world that may not look the same as the one they have grown up in.”
Yang considers the moments when her students are sharing openly to be the reward for years of preparation. “When a lesson is going really well, and students are authentically engaged, there’s an energy in the room,” she says.
She encourages students interested in teaching to explore a field she has found personally rewarding. “I advise them to be patient and to get comfortable with the idea that they will make mistakes,” Yang says. “I encourage them to extend the same forgiveness to themselves as they extend to students. The next day is always an opportunity to start fresh.”
At top: Ashley Yang '11, MAT'12 at Webster Thomas High School in Webster, N.Y.
