Master Teacher in the Making

Mia Schlaak’s journey towards nobility

You can’t help but feel the excitement and beauty as you walk into Mrs. Schlaak’s classroom. Mrs. Schlaak started as a first-year teacher at Phoenix Christian in 2018-19. You can imagine what that was like, a first-year teacher in a pandemic. That caused her serious doubt as she struggled to orient to teaching, learn the curriculum and teach online for two months. She reflected back to those days, “I remember thinking, what have I done? I could have gone into a million other careers, but I chose teaching.” She thought back to an impactful podcast she listened to during those days of struggle. The topic was false humility; feeling as though you are “above” what you’re doing. “When I’m asked what I do for a living and I say I’m a teacher, most people respond with, ‘bless your heart.’ They feel bad for me. I asked myself at that moment, what else would I want to be doing? I’m going to be a part of childhood memories; I’m going to help shape

their future. Not everyone gets to do that! Teaching is a noble thing to do. And I realized, I do not deserve this responsibility!” And that responsibility, Mrs. Schlaak does not take lightly. She believes that her classroom should be academically rigorous and as fun as it is rigorous. She emphasizes the need to teach children how to think critically, to challenge each one to their greatest potential. With each When I’m asked lesson plan, she asks herself how she can what I do for a make it fun and living and I say I’m a teacher, imaginative. The children should be smiling, excited to most people learn the next thing, respond with, even if it is difficult. It seems in the later ‘bless your heart’. years of elementary, many students lose - MIA SCHLAAK their love for school. When she notices that in a student, it becomes her goal for that student to LOVE school again. She spends an extraordinary amount of time, creating this environment in her classroom. Principal Ruth Zappe shared, “Mia Schlaak has grown tremendously as a teacher from when I first arrived at PC! She is deeply committed and spends countless hours is preparation for each

subject. She is a Master teacher in the making!” Mrs. Schlaak is concerned for this generation growing up too quickly. If she could give a little advice, she would encourage parents to slow down life; spend time with your children doing things like baking, taking a walk, talking about a movie. “And most important, read the Bible with your children. Children love spending time with their parents, don’t let the time pass you by.”

Mia wanted nothing to do with education during her youth. She became a Christian when she was eighteen and decided to pray about her future. She believes the Holy Spirit spoke loud and clear, “be a teacher.”