New Teacher Interview: Amy Van Beek

New Teacher Interview: Amy Van Beek

amy-vanbeekRiverside Christian School is proud to welcome three new teachers this year! To help introduce them to our community I asked them to answer a few questions to help us get to know them better. Keep an eye out in the following weeks to see the other New Teacher Interviews.

Amy Van Beek is a RCSĀ alumnus and joins us after a year of teaching overseas. We are so excited by the experience and perspective Amy is able to bring to our secondary students.

Tell us a little about your educational background.

I attended RCS from Kindergarten to 12th grade, go class of 2009! I then attended Northwest Nazarene University, where in 2013, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with a certification in History and English. I then went to Liberty University, where in 2015, I received a Master’s in History.

Tell us about your family.

I am the youngest daughter of Rick and Lolly Van Beek, with two older brothers, Jimmy and Ryan, and an older sister, Katie.

What attracted you to work for Riverside Christian School?

I have spent the last three years very far removed from the Northwest, so not only did the location attract me, but the family that is Riverside. As a first year teacher, I could not think of a better place where I can grow professionally and spiritually, through the caliber of the faculty and staff at Riverside. I knew I would be supported, encouraged, and prayed for. I also had some experiences with the kids who would be my students which showed me the kind of individuals I would get to spend my days with. Through those things, I realized that Riverside was where God was calling me.

What have been your experiences in education?

During grad school, I worked for two years as an online instructor for Liberty University Online teaching 221 US History. In that experience, I taught students as young as high school, grandparents who had many grandchildren, individuals overseas in the military, single moms, working dads, you name it. That experience opened my eyes to the world of online education, and how it is becoming a prevalent option for many people.

This past year, I lived in South Korea and taught English conversation to roughly 800 7th and 8th graders. While the situation and subject matter was quite different than it would be as a teacher in America, I learned that middle schoolers are the same in EVERY country, regardless of race or ethnicity. Korean education is very intense, and it was a great opportunity to get a different experience and perspective.

Why do you think a Christian education is important for families to consider?

As an individual who has gone through Riverside, I can tell you that Christian education was a critical to my growth as a Christian. It was at Riverside where I learned in detail what it is exactly that I say I believe. My education at Riverside prompted me into the individual relationship that I have with the Lord, separate from my parents. While it was a critical experience for me, I am so thankful it happened in a safe place with teachers and staff who could answer questions, pray with me and for me, and had my best interest in mind, not just as a student, but as an individual who needs the Lord.

How do hope to make a difference in the lives of students in your role at Riverside Christian School?

As a young teacher, I want to be an example to students of what it means to be young AND to be a sold-out Jesus follower. The in-your-face culture of today has a very different message than the Bible with people my age promoting lifestyles that do not reflect the Lord. It’s my constant prayer that the Lord uses me to be a light for the students at Riverside, and to show them that being young does not equate to buying in to what the world has to offer.

What do you love most about Riverside Christian School so far?

There are so many things! Firstly, I love the students, and that I get to speak English with them and teach them history! Students have always been why I want to teach, and after teaching for a year where the students did not speak my language, coupled with teaching English conversation, made me more than ready to teach in an English speaking country in a subject I’m passionate about! I love seeing them interact with each other, make connections, and think!

I also love working with my mom and dad! Their support, encouragement, and advice have been so helpful. It is very special for our profession to cross-over with each other, while I’m at the beginning of my career and while they are getting closer to the end of theirs. I know it won’t be forever, so I’m thankful for the opportunity.

Finally, I just love the school in general! Riverside was a place I made some of my favorite memories in class, in sports, and in my relationships with my teachers. While it can be a little strange sometimes being back, I know it is exactly where God wants me. I have felt His hand on me this year, and there’s no other place I’d rather be!

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