Jackie Kapustka
Sterling Heights High School
Macomb Math, Science & Technology Center in Warren
Jackie Kapustka recently graduated from SVSU’s Teacher Education program in Communication & Theatre, after having served as the coach of the Forensics & Debate team. Her time as coach inspired her honors thesis project, which was a study of her professional development in the role.
Jackie undertook her thesis project with the help and direction of her advisor, Professor Amy Pierce. The thesis is titled, “An Autoethnographic Study of the Duties, Triumphs, and Challenges of Coaching a Collegiate Forensics Team.”
“The idea for my thesis began when I was taking a class on ‘Directing Forensics & Debate’ with Dr. Pierce. She was very in-tune with what my interests are, and she guided me to my topic a step at a time.”
“I knew before I enrolled that teaching communication and theatre was what I really wanted to do. My high school drama teacher was my role model. I really grew to love the subject under her guidance, and I guess I would like to be just like her.”
“I chose SVSU after visiting about 10 schools. The fact that SVSU has a Communication & Theatre option for education majors was very important to me – not a lot of schools offer that.”
“I really found my direction at SVSU, through the experiences I had, the classes I took, my classmates; the new people I met. My interests never changed, but here I really learned for certain that this is the direction I want to take.”
“The education program gives you lots of hands on experience in the classroom. There is a lot of field work, which gives you exposure to very different types of classroom settings.”
“The professors teach you absolutely everything you need to know, from how to make different kinds of lesson plans that not only teach students content, but that also keep them interested and wanting to learn.”
“There are great classes to choose from as well. Some of my favorites were ‘History of Education,’ ‘Technology in the Classroom’ and ‘How to Teach Reading.’”
“The faculty challenge you, but they want you to succeed and will do whatever it takes, as long as you are willing to put in the effort. They are very available. I honestly never had a professor I didn’t like.”