Finding My Vocational

Identity
Paige Hanson
 My Communities
Regardless of the size of these communities, each of
them 'need' my support/acceptance and a commonality.

• Family and friends

• My hometown/rural community
• My Coworkers
• Female
• Classmates and peers
• The Loras Community
oMath Community
 What I bring to my communities

Support Loyalty Acceptance Compassion

My own
Respect Empathy
perspective
 My values

Integrity and Accountability Hard Working Family/Friends/Community Education and Knowledge

Acceptance and Belonging Respect Trust and Honesty

My 'vocation'
Or so I thought. . .
.
Vocation is a
career?
• Since the 1st grade, I wanted to be a pharmacist.
• The word 'vocation' was strange when I was introduced to
it, accepted it as one's 'dream job'
Significant Experiences
Challenging High school courses

AP CHEMISTRY ALGEBRA II
HARD, but kind of mandatory The first time I REALLY struggled with math, did
for Pharmacy not have good connection with teacher
Coming to Loras
• Joined the Loras Community
• Wasn't sure what I would be doing, but explored courses under
Criminal Justice and Biology Major... was not in love
• Weird 1st year with COVID – moved home and considered
transferring
• Made strong connections my 2nd year & became an RA my 3rd
year
• JOINED the Loras Community -> now my younger brother is
here!
Becoming a Math & education Major
• QR GEN ED Fulfillment: MAT 115 Statistics with Dr. Kohlhaas
oMy #1 course of my fall semester
o'Reconnected with math'
• Growth mindset and Productive Struggle
• Special Methods and Differentiated Instruction courses
oEngaging and fun ways to teach math
oCreating lessons to serve all students
• Finding ways to be there for students
 Interviewing a
teacher
• Assigned in my Spiritual Memoirs course to explore vocation
• Interviewed my high school English teacher, Ms. Houselog
• Biggest takeaways:
o Seeing the student for who they are, not what their grades are
o Many approaches to cover a standard, find what is best for your
students
o "An insider look at the people who are going to change the world"
My seminar project – Sona
Sand Drawings
• The BIG research project & the exploration of it
• Increased connection to the community of math
researchers and explorers
• PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE
o Getting into the project
o The ERROR in the proof for Theorem #1
 Experiences within
classrooms
• Observations of Washington Teachers
oMrs. Rothert and Mrs. Digmann
• My Clinical Experience
oReturning to the nightmare of Algebra II.. Except it wasn't all that
bad?
oWorking 1 on 1 with students – the AH-HA! moment

In Reflection...
the following have significantly impacted the
development of my vocation
• The way my parents raised me and where I grew
up
• The experience from classes I have taken and the
connection I had with teachers and professors
• The opportunities of observation and clinical
experience with teaching
• The feeling of achievement and overall feel-good
effect of helping others
• COLLEGE
My (Revised) Vocation
 Vocation: More than just a career

To serve my students beyond teaching

the curriculum, create good Support students through their math
Generally, I want to help others -
connections with them and leave an journey and help them find their
'Helpers and Healers'
impact beyond "She was my math place
teacher..."
 "Your vocation in life is where your
greatest joy meets your greatest need"
-Frederick Buechner
 GOALS for the future....
• To be the best teacher that I can be – creating connections &
teaching content – the teacher I once needed
• Supporting others to become the best versions of themselves
In the future.... To continue growth....
• Keep an open mind
• Allow my purpose to alter or grow as I do
• Find support within my communities