Amanda Agnello

When I went off to college, I expected to move from studying literature as an undergrad on to doctoral coursework and into professorship. I loved Modernist literature and I was thrilled with the idea of lecturing and writing for a living. Then, I began tutoring at the Penn State Writing Center. I love Penn State and, as much as it is a football school, it is also a strongly academic university. What I found in the Writing Center blew me away: I was tutoring students who could barely string together a sentence, let alone an entire essay. The students who came to me were there as a last resort, and it showed. They were not, however, dumb jocks or in remedial English courses, they were typical students; barely literate. It was too late to change my major, but I realigned my goals. Instead of heading to a doctoral literature program, I moved to Los Angeles and just tried to survive. I had graduated from Penn State in 2008 with a degree in English and a passion to shake things up. As I grew more desperate for employment, I finally found a job, amidst the phishers and scammers, on Craigslist. The job was posted in the education listings and my interview left me glowing. I got the job and was placed in the kindergarten classroom, a profound example of grace that has brought me many headaches, but much joy. Outside of teaching, I am a newlywed just getting ready to celebrate three months of married life. My husband is a film editor and game designer who is constantly challenging me to create more fun and engaging lessons for my current and future students. As I begin my guided practice, I will no doubt lean on both my husband and my personal experiences to enrich my teaching.

Posts by Amanda Agnello