Hobart and William Smith Colleges

19 June 2014 Moloney 13, MAT14 Teaching in Singapore

Kathryn Moloney 13, MAT14 will begin her career in education beginning this August as a first grade teacher at Stamford American International School in Singapore (SAIS).

I think children need to be taught by someone who can connect with them in and outside of the classroom, regardless of our upbringing, Moloney says. I cant wait to teach in Singapore so that I can not only teach, but learn from every student.

Through her experiences as a student in the Education Department, study abroad and student teaching opportunities in Geneva, Moloneys passion for education and aspirations to become a teacher grew throughout her time at the Colleges.

During her senior year, Moloney was one of the initial group of eight HWS students that paved the way for the HWS Teacher Education Program. The program also received funding from the Mellon Presidential Discretionary Grant for the digital pedagogy project, Increasing Mindful Practices Among Classroom Teachers (IMPACT).

Through the program, Moloney was able to teach a class at West Street Elementary School and gain feedback from an online group of peer teachers, which was created by the programs new implementation of technology in the mindful teaching technique.

In the HWS Teacher Education Program I learned that I am meant to be a teacher, she says. I loved the days spent in different classrooms learning from the fabulous educators around the area. Studying abroad in Auckland, New Zealand, I learned that I can relate to kids from all over the world.

At HWS, Moloney says both her undergraduate and graduate years helped prepare her to be confident in her decision to move across the world. Moloney says that the Salisbury Center for Career Services and Professional Development also helped her along the way. In addition to her passion for education, she also was a student-athlete at the Colleges.

An award-winning HWS sailing team member, Moloney placed in countless Division Regattas, and was awarded the Classes of 94 Sailing Award for extraordinary commitment to the sport and team.

Four years on the sailing team prepared me to become a leader while also teaching me the value of hard work and dedication, she says. If sailing on Seneca Lake during February snowstorms doesnt teach you that I dont know what will.

HWS also gave Moloney confidence and the ability to connect to the SAIS teaching position. Director of Elementary Education/Coordinator of Student Supervision Jen Harris of the HWS Education Department also helped Moloney practice responses to possible interview questions for the job with SAIS, which she says helped tremendously in the process.

HWS provided me with the opportunities I needed to become confident in my abilities, she says. The professors that I worked with helped me find my strength. My liberal arts education provides a well-rounded education that will help me in my future endeavors.

Moloney says shes inspired by the moment when a student finally understands a concept thats being taught.

That moment of understanding, when I can see a switch flip in his or her mind, is why I love teaching children, she says. The teaching program at HWS is great because HWS students gain experience in the classroom before we even begin student teaching. I spent so much time in the classroom before student teaching that I was completely certain in my decision to be a teacher. In my student teaching I taught students from different backgrounds and found I was able to relate to them.

Moloney received a B.A. in economics with a minor in education, and was a member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society. She also received a Master of Arts in teaching. She earned her New York State Teacher Certification, specializing in Childhood Education and Teaching Students with Disabilities (1- through 6-year-olds).