Teaching the Next Generation

When Ann (Lammers) Wooldridge ’87 has student teachers in her building, she is always reminded of her own student-teaching experience and her time on the Hill.

“Mount Mercy is unlike other schools in that we were in the classroom as early as sophomore year, so when it came time for me to student-teach, I wasn’t nervous and felt very prepared.”

“I student-taught at Arthur Elementary,” said Ann. “Mount Mercy is unlike other schools in that we were in the classroom as early as sophomore year, so when it came time for me to student-teach, I wasn’t nervous and felt very prepared.”

Now, Ann and her Center Point-Urbana Elementary School play an active role in preparing Mount Mercy students for their teaching career.

"We were asked to be a part of the Professional Development School (PDS) model,” said Ann. “We were the first site when they started the PDS program. That’s been a fantastic partnership for myself, our teachers, and the Mount Mercy students. It’s a great way to give back.”

The Professional Development School (PDS) model is a collaborative partnership between university teacher education programs and P-12 schools, focused on preparing future educators and providing current educators with ongoing professional development.

Ann was drawn to administration because of the wide impact she could have on her students, teachers, and the school. In her role, Ann enjoys getting to interact with nearly 400 students, and she says no two days are the same. As an administrator, giving back and paying it forward are a part of her leadership philosophy.

“When you’re in administration in any career, you’re really a person of service, and that was
something I learned from my parents and from Mount Mercy,” said Ann