Austin Taylor

Background

About Austin Taylor

I've spent a few summers working in Parks and Recreation for the Henrietta Department of Public Works. Maintaining our public parks, working on landscaping projects, and setting up the town's 4th of July celebration each year was a challenge, but somehow we always got the job done. This experience showed me the value of working with a diverse team of individuals from different backgrounds, trades, and values. After graduating from Geneseo in 2017, I began working as a Preschool Teacher at the Children's Center of Brighton. Spending my days with the youngest members of our community provided me with a unique perspective on the world. Being a preschool teacher showed me the importance of social and emotional learning and how our experiences early in life shape the type of person we become. I learned to listen, how to practice patience, and how to effectively communicate with my classroom families. Helping my students navigate the challenges of life during a pandemic was an unexpected but formative experience as well. When my lessons about space, nature, and culture brought my kids to ask questions like 'What is gravity?' and 'Why do animals eat each other?' I had to reframe how I thought about science. Explaining science concepts like the water cycle to a three-year-old was a welcome challenge! It was always entertaining when parents would tell me how their child had been explaining what germination was at dinner time. Teaching these young minds further instilled my belief that everyone is capable of learning; educators just need to figure out how each student learns. While I was teaching preschool, I also earned my second degree in education to become a Secondary Science teacher. In the late winter of 2022, I had the opportunity to join seasoned science educators at Wheatland-Chili as a student teacher for 12 weeks. Working with and teaching science to High School students was an amazing learning experience. Writing lesson plans, teaching classes, and helping students with a range of learning needs solidified my desire to be a professional educator. There wasn't a day where I didn't look forward to working with my students. My mentor teacher also provided me with a wealth of practical advice and knowledge about teaching that can only be gained through years of experience. At the end of my placement, my students lamented my teaching coming to an end, and I couldn't understand how three months had flown by so fast. The relationships I had built with my students and the difference I felt I made in their lives made it clear that my work really mattered.