Teaching During a Pandemic–Alumni Credits SCC Education Program for His Success

Published: 04/29/2020

Ryan Montgomery wanted to become an educator, and as a St. Peters native, he knew St. Charles Community College was a great place to begin his career.

“The staff helped me create the foundation upon which I design my classes and lessons around,” said Montgomery, an SCC alum, “The education professors at SCC truly care about the success of their program and their students.”

Ryan Montgomery teaching abroad in China while attending UMSL

SCC supports two career paths in the field of education – certified teachers and paraprofessional educators, with six different degree or certificate options.

“Students gain real life, practical classroom experience in PreK-12 classroom settings and have the opportunity to transfer to four-year education programs with junior standing,” said Dr. Nicole Nunn-Faron, SCC education professor. “They never have to repeat any coursework or take additional coursework from the freshman and sophomore year.”

Even after his transfer and eventual graduation, Montgomery’s professors at SCC were still willing to be a resource and “offer a lending hand” whenever he needed it. “The connections I made at SCC were a vital part of my career,” he said, “I landed my first two jobs in education because of the contacts I had in the Education Department at SCC.”

Using a variety of effective instructional strategies, current technology and a supportive environment, the Education Program at St. Charles Community College aims to prepare students to become future educators.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way educators reach their students, they are relying on technology now more than ever.

“The Tech for Teachers class at SCC introduced me to the amount of technology that is available to teachers and how to go about applying it in our classrooms,” said Montgomery. “While technology can be overwhelming at times, that class showed me how to slow things down and apply it in small doses.”

Though the challenges we are faced with during the pandemic are unexpected, educators like Montgomery are quickly adapting and putting the needs of their students above all else.

He is finishing up his first year at Fort Zumwalt East High School and just recently accepted a job at Fort Zumwalt Middle School. He makes it known that he attributes much of his success to the SCC Education Program. Several of his students have plans to attend SCC after high school.

“I am a proud alumni of SCC,” he said. “If it weren't for SCC, I would not be where I am today.”

For more information on SCC’s Education Program, contact Nicole Nunn-Faron at 636-922-8242 or visit stchas.edu/education.