Sara Nelson

Happy “Where Do You Work?” Wednesday! This week meet alumna Maideli Garcia (BA ’15 Elementary Education, reading endorsement).

Garcia is a second-grade homeroom teacher at Cheongna Dalton School, an international school located in Incheon, South Korea. This is her first-year teaching in South Korea. Prior to moving overseas, Garcia taught for two years in the dual language program in West Liberty, Iowa. 

“The thing that I love most about my work is the fact that I am learning and growing everyday along with my students. I love being a part of something greater than myself and knowing that my influence has a ripple effect in my student’s lives,” says Garcia. “The most rewarding experience is challenging them and then watching as they fall in love with a concept and become passionate about what they are learning.”

Garcia is grateful to the UI College of Education for allowing her to gain a global outlook on education through the India Winterim course and student teaching in Costa Rica.

“These endeavors eventually paved the way to the work I do now in South Korea. Since the moment I stepped foot on campus being a Hawkeye has taught me how to steer away from my comfort zone,” says Garcia. “The professors I had in the College of Education were passionate about teaching, and through their pedagogy and philosophies, I was able to derive and continue to mold a teaching philosophy of my own. 

Want to be the next “Where Do You Work Wednesday?” or nominate someone? Message us on Facebook, tag them with #HawkeyeTeachers, or email us at educationatiowa@uiowa.edu.