Melanie Marques, first year teacher at Sayreville War Memorial High School, started teaching during the 2023-2024 school year. So far, she is enjoying her career, her students, and doesn’t regret her decision to become a teacher.
¨I really like teaching so far because of the fact that the students are very respectful and able to complete their work on their own. Also, the teachers actually want me in their classes which helps,¨ Marques said.
She majored in English but at this point in time she is an in-class support teacher in both English and Spanish classrooms. Although it’s inconvenient, she likes having two different classrooms in order to see different atmospheres and to use as future reference for when she is in charge of her own classroom.
Marques said, ¨I like having other teachers with me my first year in order to help me and eventually when I have my own class I have the ability to consider their classroom management styles.¨
The majority of her students are currently freshmen. She enjoys teaching this grade level because they are supposed to be responsible for themselves and their own work.
Marques attended Union County College for two years before switching to Kean University for another four and a half years. She then went on to student teaching before becoming a teacher in Sayreville.
¨I enjoyed my time student teaching due to the fact that the kids paid attention when I thought they wouldn’t. Also, my cooperating teacher helped me prepare and was very supportive during the experience,¨ she said.
The majority of her life she wanted to be a teacher. However, before she knew she wanted to teach she either wanted to be a nurse or a police officer. Marques decided when she was in third grade that she wanted to be just like her third grade teacher and teach as well.
Marques recommends teaching considering that it could change someone’s perspective and positively impact a student’s life. She is very grateful she got to pursue this career and doesn’t ever plan on switching to something else.
