The Milan News-Leader
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Meet the teacher: Cindy Hasselbring
Hasselbring is homegrown
PUBLISHED: April 3, 2008
Name: Cindy Hasselbring
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Age: 34
Family: None
Education: Bachelor's degree from Cedarville University in 1995 and master's degree from Eastern Michigan University in 2001.
Native of: Milan
Teaching experience: 12 years.
School you teach at: Milan High School.
Grade/subject you teach: I teach mostly 10th-graders, but I do teach all grades. I teach geometry and Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry, or FST.
Favorite subject: All my math classes, U.S. history and geography.
Least favorite subject: Art
Something people would be surprised to known about you: My No. 1 professional goal is to be an astronaut. I applied for the program in 2003 and made the top 100 out of 1,600 teacher applicants.
I was told that to better my chances, I should get my scuba certification and my private pilot's license. As of Feb. 16, I now have both.
I absolutely love to fly and take any chance I can to get up in the air. I also played women's professional football for one year as a quarterback.
Most influential person in your life: My parents, Ron and Jan Hasselbring, continue to be the most influential people in my life. I attended Milan schools from kindergarten through 12th grade and felt I had a great education. However, two teachers, Greg Cowgill and Steve Porter, were the most influential.
Quote to live by: Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."
What do you like least about teaching?
The hardest part about teaching is not having enough time to plan things I would like to do in my classroom. Sometimes the paperwork and staying organized can be a challenge.
What is the most challenging part about teaching?
My greatest challenge is trying to meet the needs of all students. I need to be able to challenge all students, but at their own individual levels. That can be very diverse, even though students are taking the same class. My other challenge is motivating students to turn in all their homework.
What are some of the goals you set for students?
I want to see each student work to his or her own individual potential. I have told my students it's important to do well in high school so you have more options when you graduate.
They shouldn't cut themselves short on what they can do in life.
How do you handle a disruptive student?
Handling disruptive students depends on the situation and depends on the student. I try to address them on an individual basis first.
For students who don't focus well, I try to get them involved, whether that be to involve them in a demonstration, pass out papers, ask them a question, utilize technology, etcetera.
What do you tell parents about being involved in their children's education?
It's so important for parents to be involved in their kids' education, even at the high school level. We (the teacher, parent and student) need to work as a team to benefit the studentand maximize their education. We need to communicate concerns to each other.
Are students feeling more pressure to succeed today?
Students are feeling more pressure to succeed, but I think they need to. Our economy in Michigan is changing and we need to prepare these students for jobs that may not evenexist yet. They need a well-balanced education so they are prepared to be successful in a global society. They will have to compete when they get out in the real world for jobs. It's so important that they do what they can now to prepare for their future.
I would recommend to any parent to read "The World is Flat" by Tom Friedman to better understand the future our kids are facing.
Describe your typical day: I usually get up at 6 a.m. and get to school by 7 a.m. After school, I go to cross country or track practice until 5 or 5:30 p.m. I go home, run and end up waving to many people beeping at me. I have dinner around 7 p.m., then do school-related work until 10:30 p.m. I try to get to bed by 11 or 11:30 p.m.
How has your job changed over the years?
I have taken on a lot more responsibility now that I have been teaching longer. I enjoy giving presentations at various conferences, being involved in committee work at various levels. I find these challenging, but rewarding.
At school, we are held more accountable by the state and federal governments, so we are making more adaptations for students with various needs than ever before.
What do you like most about teaching in Milan?
I am a K-12 Milan education product. I love my community and it has truly supported me my entire life. I want to give back as much as I can to it. The students, parents and education family are great to work with and I could not ask for a better place to work.
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