Learning life skills

The skills Tyler Kelley ‘22 learned as a student-athlete at Mount Mercy University translated directly to his career after graduation.

The squeak of shoes on the floor. Countless huddles around a whiteboard. Working together to accomplish a common goal.

That was a big part of Tyler’s experience as a student-athlete at Mount Mercy, and it’s a lot like life in the classroom as Tyler begins his career as a math and science teacher at Excelsior Middle School and the Assistant Coach for sophomore boys’ basketball at Linn Mar High School.

“The Mount Mercy education program and the basketball team taught me real life skills that translated directly into the real world,” said Tyler.

Tyler explored which subjects and age ranges he was most interested in teaching during his time on the Hill. He began as an all-science elementary education major. After some time, he discovered a passion for math.

“I really enjoyed my math classes at Mount Mercy,” said Tyler. “That’s when I switched to elementary education with a middle school endorsement in math and science.”

Tyler appreciated the amount of field experience he received as part of his program. These opportunities helped Tyler feel comfortable when the time came for him to start student teaching.

“My student teaching experience was awesome,” Tyler shared.

Tyler’s first placement was in a fourth-grade classroom at Kenwood Leadership Academy.

“The placement taught me a lot about patience and being able to control the learning environment for young learners of all different backgrounds,” said Tyler.

During this time, Tyler worked with 20 students for the entire day. Tyler’s second placement showed him a different side of education. He was in a seventh-grade math class at Excelsior Middle School with 120 rotating students.

“I learned a lot of classroom management strategies, differentiation strategies, and learner engagement strategies in this placement,” said Tyler.

The differences in Tyler’s experiences equipped him with a variety of skills he can use in his own teaching career. He’ll work alongside his cooperating teacher at Excelsior Middle School this year.

The relationships Tyler built during his time on the Hill helped him secure a job he was excited about after graduation.

“I made a lot of connections with coaches, players, classmates, and professors during my time at Mount Mercy,” said Tyler. “These connections are crucial to be able to step foot in the real world without feeling totally lost.”

In addition to building strong connections, Tyler’s professors, coaches, and teammates helped him balance being a student and an athlete, helping him excel in both areas.

Tyler started his Mount Mercy basketball career playing JV and practicing varsity. By his junior and senior years, he was starting almost every game for the varsity team.

“My advisor, Lisa Smith, was always willing to help when it came to scheduling my classes around a very tough and long basketball schedule,” said Tyler. “Also, the Mount Mercy basketball staff, including Aaron Jennings, were always willing to work with my class schedule.”

The flexibility and support Tyler received from the Mount Mercy community made it possible for him to pursue his two passions at the same time. Tyler will now be able to use his love of education and basketball in his career every day.