#WhyIChoseEducation: Jade Smith

As part of Celebrating 90 Years of NC State Education, we asked you to share your stories of why you chose education and why you love the NC State College of Education. Below is one of the many stories we received demonstrating how we’re leading the way in education in North Carolina and beyond.

Name: Jade Smith
Graduation Year: 2013
Program: Middle Grades ELA and SS
Career Role & Responsibilities: As of this year, I’m at stay at home mom. Previously, I worked for Davie County Schools at Ellis Middle as an 8th grade ELA teacher. I was also the student leadership team sponsor and the ELA department chair.

Why did you enter the field of education?
Kids have always been my passion. I love all ages of kids but I fell in love with the middle grades age during my time at State in the program. I also love reading and teaching reading. When a student who doesn’t like to read says that they’re really into the book we’re reading or when they ask if we can read a little longer, that makes all the hard work worth it. Kids also need strong, positive role models in their lives and teaching let me be that role model. I was often known as the “warm” teacher on our hallway. I wanted to be the teacher students could come to when they didn’t necessarily feel safe going to others or dealing with a problem on their own. Education is about relationships and I love building those with my students.

Why did you choose to earn your degree from the NC State College of Education?
I actually transferred in after my freshman year from another state school. In short, I fell in love with the campus. I really liked that the middle grades ed program was small and tight-knit. I also really loved Raleigh.