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Washington State University
College of Education

Getting to Know You: Alysa Tucker

Alysa Tucker – Elementary Education with Special Education Endorsement

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Year: Junior

Why did you choose WSU?
It’s close to Spokane, but far. I just love Pullman, though. Now that I’m here I understand the community. Especially that you always find your way back home.

Why do you want to become a teacher?
I have always been someone who loves kids and hanging out with kids. Realizing that I can educate them and hang out with them is a huge factor. I have always been babysitting and trying to find creative ways to educate and teach them. I had the best teacher ever in elementary school and she made everything fun and I still know things to this day because of her. I want to do that with my kids.

What are you most passionate about when it comes to being a teacher?
I am most passionate about students realizing their potential. Some students think they are not smart enough or creative enough. That is how I felt in elementary school and there is no one route to learning something. I want to make sure other students don’t feel the same way I did.

Where do you hope to go after graduation?
I am hoping to go into the peace corp. I have been thinking about it since high school, but now that I have experience in education I want to teach. I want to travel and teach. I have looked into it, and there are some opportunities for teaching special education abroad and I really want to pursue that.

What is your favorite part of this program?
I like that all of the same people are in my classes because we are all going through the same struggles and successes together. I have all of the same classes with my roommate and we do our homework and have our classes together.

Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
I have given this advice to other girls in my sorority, but I would tell them to reach out to professors as much as possible and get to know them as people rather than just your professor, but it establishes a relationship with them where they may want to help you.