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SMYRNA, Del. —
Skyler Konicki is one of the many new teachers at Smyrna High School this year. Teaching 10th grade English, Konicki loves her first job as an educator. Konicki recently took time to explain to the Sun-Times what led to a career in teaching and what she likes about working in Smyrna.
Q What inspired you to be a teacher?
A Moving around frequently as a child and an adolescent (my father was in the Air Force) and continually encountering positive, welcoming teachers who went out of their way to include me in the school culture.
Q What, so far, do you enjoy about teaching in the Smyrna School District?
A My students are wonderful. Even though Smyrna is a fairly small community, they have incredibly diverse backgrounds and are just fascinating people. I love teaching 10th grade because they are just coming into adulthood and are moving from kids dependent upon their parents to 16-year-olds, and are learning to drive and getting jobs! It is an intense period of their lives, and I enjoy watching them grow and change.
Q What is most challenging as a teacher? Why?
A It can be difficult to balance being a new teacher with being a daughter, sister, friend, and all of the other hats I wear in my personal life. I plan to be a classroom teacher for a very long time, so I try hard to balance giving my all to my students while preventing myself from burning out.
Q What’s been your most memorable moment so far?
A The SHS Homecoming pep rally was a lot of fun. I didn’t have much school spirit in high school because my family kept moving and I kept enrolling at new schools, so I never felt like I belonged to any one school enough to have pride in it. Smyrna High was a school that I really wanted to work for (it was my first choice when I was interviewing for jobs), and since getting hired here everyone has been so welcoming, so I am bursting with Eagle pride.
Q What qualities do you feel make up a good teacher?
A A good teacher must be patient but persistent.
Email Jennifer Dailey at jennifer.dailey@doverpost.com.
Skyler Konicki is one of the many new teachers at Smyrna High School this year. Teaching 10th grade English, Konicki loves her first job as an educator. Konicki recently took time to explain to the Sun-Times what led to a career in teaching and what she likes about working in Smyrna.
Q What inspired you to be a teacher?
A Moving around frequently as a child and an adolescent (my father was in the Air Force) and continually encountering positive, welcoming teachers who went out of their way to include me in the school culture.
Q What, so far, do you enjoy about teaching in the Smyrna School District?
A My students are wonderful. Even though Smyrna is a fairly small community, they have incredibly diverse backgrounds and are just fascinating people. I love teaching 10th grade because they are just coming into adulthood and are moving from kids dependent upon their parents to 16-year-olds, and are learning to drive and getting jobs! It is an intense period of their lives, and I enjoy watching them grow and change.
Q What is most challenging as a teacher? Why?
A It can be difficult to balance being a new teacher with being a daughter, sister, friend, and all of the other hats I wear in my personal life. I plan to be a classroom teacher for a very long time, so I try hard to balance giving my all to my students while preventing myself from burning out.
Q What’s been your most memorable moment so far?
A The SHS Homecoming pep rally was a lot of fun. I didn’t have much school spirit in high school because my family kept moving and I kept enrolling at new schools, so I never felt like I belonged to any one school enough to have pride in it. Smyrna High was a school that I really wanted to work for (it was my first choice when I was interviewing for jobs), and since getting hired here everyone has been so welcoming, so I am bursting with Eagle pride.
Q What qualities do you feel make up a good teacher?
A A good teacher must be patient but persistent.
Email Jennifer Dailey at jennifer.dailey@doverpost.com.
