久久视频 invites you to meet our faculty — Gina Oellig!聽
Early Childhood Studies faculty member, Gina Oellig, has known she wanted to be a teacher since the 3rd grade. Her passion for literacy comes through in everything she does. In fact, if she had a superpower, it would to bestow literacy on every child.聽
What is your name? Gina Oellig
Where are you from? I鈥檓 originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, but I was raised in (and currently reside) Colorado Springs.
Who lives at home with you? I live with my husband of 29 years (Mike) and my 15-year-old daughter, Zia.
What do you teach (for what program)? I teach in the School of Education. I work with students attaining their Associates in Early Childhood Studies or Bachelor鈥檚 degrees in Early Childhood Studies. I鈥檓 also a full-time instructional coach at an elementary school in Colorado Springs and have been with them for 17 years.聽
What are some of your favorite hobbies? I absolutely love reading. I also enjoy hiking and just being in the mountains (especially reading) in general (and at the beach reading, whenever I make it back to Florida).聽
What inspires you? My daughter and my students (both adults and children) inspire me. I constantly reflect on how I can impact them and set an example for how to be a good person as well as a teacher.聽
Which superpower would you like to have and why? Hopefully, this doesn鈥檛 sound cheesy, but I wish I had the power to make every child be able to read (and easily). I told you it probably sounded cheesy. 馃檪
I鈥檝e seen so many children struggle in school and then in life because of their lack of ability to read, which then has repercussions with their writing as well. I see it in my adult students. It impacts their self-esteem immensely. I watched my sister-in-law not even want to read to my daughter when she was just two years old because of her abilities. Our prison system is filled with people who have reading issues (Dyslexia). I could go on with many stories.聽
What鈥檚 your professional and educational background? Where did you go to school? I started out working in a preschool/daycare while in high school. I was also able to attend Pikes Peak Community College during that time. I began as an aide then moved on to teacher, assistant director, and finally director within the same company. I eventually transferred to the University of Southern Colorado (now called Colorado State University-Pueblo), earning my Bachelor鈥檚 degree. After my first year in elementary education, I decided to work for my Master鈥檚 degree and decided on an online program. My major was Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in…you might have guessed it 鈥� Literacy!
Share an 鈥渁ha!鈥� moment that you鈥檝e had within your discipline that made you feel passionate about your field? I鈥檝e been in my field for 30 years, and luckily I鈥檝e always had a passion for early childhood education. I do think though that one of my defining moments was after my first year in teaching elementary. I began in Kindergarten. Watching students come in who couldn鈥檛 write their name, nor recognize letters, numbers (let alone the concept of what those numbers mean), and then seeing them attain all of that knowledge in 170 days of instruction is mindblowing and oh-so rewarding. And when those students come back to visit you once they鈥檙e in high school or college? Well, that makes all those exhausting (and challenging) times our profession has, completely worth it.聽
How did you get your start in teaching? I鈥檝e known since I was in 3rd grade that I wanted to be an educator. My teacher provided me the refuge, structure, and consistency that I needed to succeed. It wasn鈥檛 just about the academics.聽
What do you enjoy about teaching at 久久视频? I genuinely enjoy the relationships that I鈥檝e been able to build with so many students. I鈥檝e learned so much from them! I also love learning about educational cultures around the world.聽
What makes 久久视频 students unique? 久久视频 students work hard. So many of them are working and attending school while also having families to take care of. I鈥檝e worked with many single parents who are just trying to juggle it all. It鈥檚 very humbling.聽
What should a student expect when enrolling in your course(s)? When enrolling in my courses, students should expect to build relationships, hopefully with their peers and myself. They should expect a caring teacher who has their best interests at heart. They should expect to work hard, as I do have high expectations. The early childhood profession doesn鈥檛 always get looked at as being just that 鈥� a profession. Many think that teachers are glorified babysitters. They don鈥檛 realize the full impact that our educators have on children. This is part of the reason why I have those high expectations of my students. We have to prove that we are 鈥渨orthy鈥� of being looked at as professionals.
If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all of your human needs 鈥� such as food and water 鈥� were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you? I would want books, books, and more books! Is that one item? I would also require a solar-powered SM/Sirius radio (since I wouldn鈥檛 have electricity). I need my 70鈥檚 and 80鈥檚 music!
Gina Oellig and our other teachers are outstanding educators 鈥� committed, compassionate, and knowledgeable. Get to know some of our faculty members up close and personal.聽