Gail Romig
’01 B.S. Elementary Education Teacher State College Area School District As a senior at Penn State, Gail had the privilege of being chosen as a full-year intern in the Penn State-State College Area School District’s Professional Development School (PSU-SCASD PDS). The experience taught her how to reflect on her methods and practices in the classroom and how to use inquiry to deepen her understanding of how children learn. Since that time, she has given back to the PSU-SCASD PDS as a co-instructor of MATHED 420. In addition, Gail has been an educator in the State College Area School District for more than 10 years. She taught sixth grade at Mount Nittany Middle School for one year and taught third and fourth grade at Park Forest Elementary School for nine years. She is currently a third-grade teacher at Easterly Parkway Elementary School. In 2001, she won the Outstanding New Educator Award given by the Penn State College of Education Alumni Society Board of Directors. In 2010, she was one of 85 teachers nationwide to receive a Presidential Teacher Award. Her next step is to return to school to earn a master’s degree in math education and/ or educational leadership.
“My career is more than a job. To me, it is a calling. The key to answering that calling is to be a lifelong learner. When I enter a classroom, I am a participant in the learning experience. Sometimes I learn from children, and other times I learn from adults. Keeping an open mind to new experiences and seeing the value in stretching yourself as an educator and a learner is essential if you want to reach others and make a difference in this world. Throughout my years at Penn State, I gained the experiences, expertise, and confidence that have enabled me to be the educator I am today.” 24
Alumni Feature