Alumni Spotlight: Marcella Laws

Marcella Laws, M.A.T. Middle Grades ‘21, is an enthusiastic Chicago Public School (CPS) science teacher serving middle school students at George M. Pullman Elementary School. Only a seven minute commute, she is thrilled to be working in a school so close to home and within her own community. 

Marcella was not always a teacher. Previously, she worked as a pharmacist for sixteen years; but when her husband decided to go back to school for his Ph.D., Marcella decided to scale back on her busy life: “There was no way my husband would commute, go to school, and for me to work full-time with our children. I decided to stay home.” 

When her husband was close to graduating, Marcella realized she was looking for a career that complimented her home life, a job where she would be fulfilled, but also have time for her children afterwards. She decided to go back to school to learn how to be a classroom teacher. 

She consulted her own children’s principal about this decision and that principal suggested she enroll in National Louis University. “I chose middle grades because the principal at my children’s school said that’s what they were lacking and I wanted to fill that need.” 

Marcella’s dream of becoming a teacher was made possible due to the National College of Education. She decided to enroll in the M.A.T. Year Long Internship program to fulfill her practicum and student teaching field experience. As to why, Marcella said, “I wanted hands-on experience in the teaching field. I was changing my career and I really wanted to be prepared for my new role and career. I was ready to jump in because I knew I would eventually be on my own in the classroom.” 

Marcella was just visiting classrooms when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. She was not only transitioning into a new career, but also into a new way to teach remotely that was affecting the whole country. She was hired by Distinctive Schools at their CICS Bucktown campus and felt that the teachers there were extremely kind and accommodating with remote learning. “I had the opportunity to work with seasoned, veteran teachers. They welcomed me into their classroom, listened to my ideas, and even gave me the chance to substitute in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes. I saw teachers buckling down and getting students ready to graduate during remote learning and the general stress during the pandemic. I enjoyed seeing the difference those teachers made in the lives of their students.” 

Marcella now takes what she learned through her NLU coursework and internship experience into her own classroom. She learned the connection between pedagogy and practice and also aims to bring empathy to her students everyday, especially since middle school students typically go through a lot with school work loads and body changes. She said, “I want my students to feel that I want them in school. I try to make my science class fun because I don’t always know what my students are dealing with outside of the classroom.” She feels confident to teach and lead her students in the sciences. Thanks to being a year-long intern, Marcella was able to not only see the growth of the students she observed, but she was also able to grow as an educator. She was offered a job in her school before they even posted the job position online. 

As far as what she would suggest for aspiring educators, Marcella suggested visualizing their career and being open to opportunities. “Before I enrolled at NLU, I kept thinking about where I wanted to be after the program. I thought about that on day one and each day after. It can be tough going back to school and balancing everything, but I knew the program would end and I’d be where I wanted to be.”