2019 Rising Alumni: Emily Kedrowski
Emily Kedrowski has a master’s in special education/deaf and hard of hearing, as well as two administrative licenses. She is an itinerant teacher for students who are deaf and hard of hearing for Saint Paul Public Schools, and works with more than 20 students in kindergarten through high school who have hearing loss. She teaches academic subjects, compensatory skills for hearing loss, and transition-related skills, as well as provides vital social-emotional and communication support. Emily is a mentor for newly hired teachers, and writes a monthly newsletter for general education teachers to learn more about hearing loss and how it impacts students in the classroom. She also has advanced the SPPS captioning initiative, and collaborates with teachers to ensure that the videos they use are captioned.
Employer
Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, St. Paul Public Schools
CEHD Degree
MEd Special Education Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 2006
K-12 Principal's license, 2015
Director of Special Education license, 2016
Please list any professional accomplishments you wish to mention.
I have presented at the statewide Deaf and Hard of Hearing Symposium, Region 11 MetroECSU, Minnesota Hands and Voices, and Charting the C’s conference.
Volunteer activities
I have been a Girl Scout leader for my daughters’ troops, coach youth basketball, and volunteer for various school activities.
What is your favorite memory from the University of Minnesota?
I do not have one particular memory that is my favorite. I really enjoyed my time at the U of M as a student.
What professor(s) or course(s) were most influential during your time in CEHD?
Renee Corneille was a very influential instructor for me. I really enjoyed her course and learned a lot about being a better teacher and future administrator. Mary Schultz was an excellent instructor. She is very knowledgeable about deaf and hard of hearing strategies and tools and I learned a lot with her as my professor and student teacher mentor.
What was the impact and benefit of your educational experience in CEHD?
I learned how to be a better teacher for my students and the importance of continuing to grow and learn from others.
Who has inspired you the most during your career?
My students inspire me every day to be the best teacher and advocate that I can be. My daughters inspire me to be caring, compassionate, and understanding. My colleagues inspire me to keep learning and sharing my skills with others.
What skills are important to succeed as an emerging professional today?
Some of the most important skills needed to succeed are listening, patience, inquisitiveness, flexibility, and kindness. It is also important to always be growing and learning both professionally and personally.
When you have 30 minutes of free time, what do you do?
In my free time, I like to do fun activities with my children, exercise, and read.
How do others describe you?
Others describe me as a strong advocate for the needs of children and that I go above and beyond to meet the needs of students.
How do you describe yourself?
I describe myself as a work in progress.
What's a good book you'd recommend to others?
I would recommend Strawberry Spring by Stephen King. I taught that short story to a high school English class. One of the hardest to reach students in that class was shocked because no teacher had ever given him Stephen King to read.
If you could have coffee with anyone from history, who would it be?
I would have coffee with Ida B. Wells.
What gets you excited about work?
I really enjoy my teaching position. I am excited every day to work with the students and to interact and learn from them as well as them learning from me.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was growing up, I wanted to be an animator for Walt Disney. I loved to draw animated characters.
Outside of your job, how do you grow professionally?
I grow professionally by connecting with other professionals in my field, researching and presenting at regional and statewide conferences, and reading a variety of materials and information.
What is a "fun fact" about you?
My summer job is teaching GED test preparation to inmates at a county jail.