In Room 150A, right off the main hallway, a new teacher works to make her mark on her students’ lives. Although relatively new to the community, Colleen Eddy is familiar with teaching. She has worked in many different educational positions in the FCPS area, from being the Assistant Principal at Oakton High School to being the K-12 Coordinator for FCPS Social Studies. Now, she brings new insight to the English department through her deep knowledge of the resources that are available to students and teachers in FCPS.

After spending 12 years in administration, Eddy finds that there are major differences between the responsibilities required of her previously and those required of her now as a teacher. 

“As a teacher, I am focused on students’ development as readers, writers, thinkers and communicators through learning experiences in English classes,” Eddy said. “As an administrator in various roles, I had responsibilities across a variety of programs and content areas, and I worked with people of varied expertise, ages, backgrounds and roles.” 

Instead of focusing more broadly on helping students all over FCPS succeed in different fields, Eddy uses her skills to teach more personally and dive into in-depth topics with her students. Although she enjoys being able to interact with students face-to-face, she finds herself more pressed for time.

“Right now, it feels a little like being a new teacher all over again because I am teaching different grade levels and courses than I did in 2013,” Eddy said. “This means that my planning periods are most dedicated to instructional planning, and all of the grading of student writing comes home with me for nights and weekends. While I did often work at home as an administrator, the work of grading is more persistently present in my home.”

This pressure for time is not something she felt as much in her previous positions, but she doesn’t find it exceedingly stressful as a teacher. 

Eddy also explained how the COVID-19 quarantine impacted her career as the K-12 Coordinator for FCPS Social Studies. 

“[My] team was responsible for developing weekly print materials early in the pandemic, which were sent home in packets across grade levels to provide continuity of learning,” Eddy said. “We were a small team, so the work was fast, demanding and meaningful. During this time, I took on additional responsibilities to coordinate these efforts across secondary content areas, and I also participated in a state task force to provide guidance for pandemic recovery. I was juggling a lot, just as many families were at the time.” 

Eddy’s leadership experience in education has given her motivation to integrate Portrait of a Graduate (POG) skills within the curriculum in her lessons. 

“My teaching needs to provide opportunities for students to be creative, to think critically, to collaborate and to grow as ethical citizens who are ready and willing to contribute their talents to our world.” Eddy said. “We know that learning is a consequence of thinking and that learning occurs at the point of challenge, so I try to develop opportunities for students to think and be challenged in a variety of ways.”

She believes that balancing learning POG with the English curriculum will allow students to both find class more interesting and develop crucial skills that they will need for the future. In order to help students learn to the best of their ability, she knows she will use the expertise and knowledge that she gained through being an administrator. 

“From learning how to use various technology tools to connecting with strategies and resources for critical thinking and environmental stewardship, the Instructional Services Department is so knowledgeable and willing to help,” Eddy said. “I also have had the opportunity to connect with amazing educators outside of the classroom such as those at the Smithsonian museums, regional historical sites, the Library of Congress and more. I now have the opportunity to make connections to what I’m teaching in ways that I did not know existed earlier in my career.”

With this hard-earned wisdom, Eddy is looking forward to the school year and the opportunity to inspire students. She is thrilled to be working at Madison High School. 

“It’s a joyful profession,” Eddy said.