Ms. Erin: The Exit Interview

After she finishes out this school year, the Middle School’s beloved English, science, and reflections teacher, Ms. Erin Coonrod will not be returning for the 2019-2020 school year. Witherly Heights interviews Ms. Erin for some last thoughts she has to share with the Alsion community.

WH: How did you end up at Alsion?  How did you find this job?

Ms. E: Umm . . . I transitioned to Alsion because Mr. Carter and Ms. Jen both attended the Houston Montessori Center and where we all became friends. They lived in my house while completing the training, and I lived in Mr. Carter’s house while I was being trained, and we have been friends for eight years I think? A lot of people don’t know that. Ms. Jen continues to be my friend.

WH: Was Alsion your first teaching job?

Ms. E: It was not. Umm, my first teaching job was at Stanford’s Summer Book Camp. I was an aid for a girl who was paraplegic, and I really loved the dining hall’s macaroni and broccoli. My first Montessori job was at the esteemed School of the Woods in Houston where I was trained and is one of the pilot adolescent programs in the country.

WH: How long have you been teaching at Alsion and in general?

Ms. E: I have been teaching or rather I’ve enjoyed teaching at Alsion for three years I think. In general, I believe it’s ten years.

WH: What is your favorite memory from your last three years here at Alsion?

Ms. E: Oh, I have so many good memories. Um . . . I think a highlight for me would be traveling with my students in our black Suburbans in Death Valley because that’s where I got to know some of my students the best.

WH: What do you like and dislike about teaching at Alsion?

Ms. E:  My favorite thing about Alsion is obviously the students; I appreciate how thoughtful they are, and I feel like they exhibit a lot of agency, and I have a lot of respect for their academic diligence and I enjoy coming to work and spending time with them. I probably dislike that Fremont is not very walkable.

WH: What have you learned from teaching at our school?

Ms. E: Oh my goodness. So many things. Well, while I’ve been at Alsion, it’s been a real honor to teach the ninth graders — it was my first time teaching ninth graders, and I loved seeing the growth from the seventh to the ninth grade.

WH: What will you miss about teaching this age group?

Ms. E: I will still be teaching seventh and eighth graders and I will miss not being able to see [the current seventh and eighth graders] mature into ninth grade.

WH: What are you most excited about as you continue to your next school?

Ms. E: I’d love to build some bridges between both the Montessori communities–well, between Montessori adolescent communities at large. I’d like for us to have gatherings, for example, a dance.

WH: Can you tell us a little about your new job? You’ve told us that you look forward to staying connected with Alsion and having our future ninth graders do their internships with you.

Ms. E: Mhmm. I am very excited to continue teaching in a Montessori community and I’m looking forward to working with my new coworker Nanet who will be covering science and math and most importantly interacting with my new Montessori students.

WH: Is there anything you would like the students to know about you that we haven’t asked you?

Ms. E: I think my students read me fairly well and I would like to remind them to stay in their heart when making decisions and keep reading good books! A fun fact, let’s see . . . uhh . . . I am saving to buy a trailer to take me and my cat camping across the U.S. because that was one of my favorite memories as a child–camping across America as a child with my family.