By: Cathy Padilla | July 29, 2022 | | Red Bank
FEATURED PHOTO CREDIT: Melissa Amorelli
CM: What does being named the Monmouth County Teacher of the Year mean to you?
Alyssa: I see this honor as a testament to my love for teaching and my commitment to my students. It also means that I’ve been guided and mentored along the way by tremendous peers and colleagues. I hope to use this platform to lift and connect educators. There are many outstanding teachers throughout Monmouth County who are equally as deserving, if not more deserving, of recognition. I’d like to shed some light on their collective efforts, and the contributions they bring to their communities and students.
CM: Why did you choose education and specifically your discipline?
Alyssa: I grew up in a family of many teachers, so I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be an educator. I have always valued learning and genuinely loved helping people. I was the kid who played ‘school’ and I also spent a lot of time reading and writing my own stories, so it was a natural move to become an English Language Arts teacher. The motivation to provide equity and access as a special educator was largely imprinted through my relationship with one of my siblings who has an auditory processing disorder.
CM: Why are you passionate about teaching?
Alyssa: I love encouraging students to read and write diverse stories in order to help foster empathy, self-advocacy, and finding value in their identities. I’m also really interested in the science behind reading and gathering the perfect blend of curriculum, interventions, and accommodations for the students I serve. I love that much of my work is individualized; it changes from year to year, student to student. It’s motivating and rewarding when the puzzle pieces come together, and the ‘lightbulb’ moment happens for students.
PHOTO: Monmouth County Commissioner Ross Licitra recognizes Alyssa Geary as Monmouth County Teacher of the Year.
CM: Why did you choose Red Bank Middle School, and what about the town is special to you?
Alyssa: Prior to teaching at Red Bank Middle School, I taught at middle schools in Brooklyn, NY and in Bayonne, NJ. I value my time in those positions, and so much of who I am as an educator holds roots there. However, there’s a saying, ‘It takes a village’ when raising a child and when my husband and I bought a home in Monmouth County, I knew I also wanted to find a position nearby that would allow me to build my career and my family in tandem. What I’ve found working at Red Bank Middle School has been so much more than I could have envisioned. It’s such a vibrant district, with camaraderie, support, and community. Each district and school have a certain pulse, and I’ve found the heartbeat of our school has a deep level of care and commitment to the good of the whole and to the success of the students.
CM: What sets you apart from other teachers?
Alyssa: I welcome change, feedback, and risk-taking over adamancy. I’m consistent in my dedication to my students, but I’m not complacent in my practice. I’ve had many dynamic experiences as an honors English teacher, resource English teacher, in-class support teacher for grades 6-8 English classes and co-teacher within ESL (English as a Second Language) integrated classes. I love the challenge of teaching diverse learners and shaking up what I do from year to year. I also put myself out there often. I have tried to invest myself into spaces that allow me to nourish my relationships and contribute some goodness to my school’s culture and climate. I am an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) site team member, district DREAM team member, former 2nd vice president, and current maternity leave chair of the Red Bank Borough Education Association, former 8th grade team leader, and student council advisor. In each of these uniquely different roles, I’ve been reflective and responsive of my strengths and areas of growth — and act on them.
CM: What is the most rewarding part of your career?
Alyssa: Relationships — they are often what fuel our ‘why’ as educators and become our most important work. I have relationships with students and colleagues that extend beyond the classroom walls and a single academic year. I love when students return to visit or send an email to share something they’re proud of, or just to say hi. Nothing beats that human-to-human connection.
PHOTO: Alyssa Geary with her students at their recent 8th grade graduation.
CM: What will you be working on next?
Alyssa: This upcoming year I will be transitioning to a new position as a special education instructional coach within Red Bank Middle and Primary Schools. This is a position that has never existed before in my district, so I’m sort of in uncharted territory, but the untapped potential is thrilling. The teachers in my district are outstanding at their craft and I’m excited to get to know many of them better and to work closely with them on a daily basis and on a professional level. There is so much knowledge I want to impart to our newest teaching staff as support, but I’m equally ready to learn from, and share in, our collective knowledge.
CM: What is the most challenging part of teaching for you?
Alyssa: I think to the everyday person, teaching children and adolescents seems like a breeze — school holidays, half days, summer’s off — but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Teachers wear many hats, and it can be difficult to juggle all our responsibilities at once while also trying to do right by our students. While the reward of being able to impact student lives and the surrounding community outweighs any challenges tenfold, I still believe it’s crucial to recognize educators as professionals. Teacher burnout is real, as is declining retention and recruitment. There is no doubt in my mind that education is one of the best career paths out there, but I worry that we will lose some of the best teachers to professions with better pay and more respect.
CM: Who has most influenced your career?
Alyssa: My family centers me, and grounds me, but also pushes me to be a version of myself of which they would be proud. I have the great benefit of my husband also being an English teacher. He understands firsthand that education is both a profession and a passion. I never have to explain the time and energy outside of the school day that is put into supporting my students. He gets it because he lives it, too.
CM: What do you do when you’re not working?
Alyssa: Most of my free time is spent with my family and friends. But I also enjoy gardening with my son, Finn (we’ve finally got tomatoes and strawberries figured out). I have recently been persuaded by my future sister-in-law to try my hand at crocheting — I’m not very good, yet.
CM: What is your best life tip to share?
Alyssa: You don’t have to try to tackle everything on your own. Being driven and independent doesn’t mean you have to be isolated. Find your people. Having a network of support helps to grow both professionally and personally.
CM: What is your favorite quote?
Alyssa: “…someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” – C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
PHOTO: The Geary Family – Pete, Finn, Sean and Alyssa.
Murphy Geary, their fourteen-year-old pitbull.
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