Major: Teacher Preparation
Miles Knight became interested in teaching when taking physics in high school.
“My teacher did care about his subject, but he cared so much more about his students,” he said.
College of DuPage was an easy choice for Knight. Because his mom worked there, he already felt a strong connection to the school. What he found as a student were caring faculty and staff as well as a high quality experience.
“COD helped me achieve my academic goals by teaching me the strong work ethic that comes along with college,” he said. “Professors told me that they were preparing me for university, but the rigor of university did not compare to COD in some regards. COD also helped me with my career goals because through the Student Education Association, I learned how to be an organized leader. Professor April Zawlocki helped get my coaching career started as well by getting me a job at Gower Middle School. I always felt supported when chasing my goals at COD.”
Earning both Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, Knight transferred to Northern Arizona University and graduated summa cum laude. He currently works as a physics and chemistry teacher at Metea Valley High School and recently completed his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Aurora University as well as gaining his ESL and LBS1 (Learning Behavior Specialist 1) endorsements.
His ultimate career goal is to win national teacher of the year.
“I am a goal-driven person, so if I set my goal to earn one of the highest honors in teaching, I will definitely continue to improve my skills until I achieve that goal,” he said. “This means that even if I don’t achieve that goal, I still will have become a great teacher and have helped thousands of students.”
As for COD, Knight has three pieces of advice for students.
“First, get to know your professors. Making that connection really helps you learn the material better,” he said. “Also, getting to know your authority figures is something you will do for the rest of your life. Second, join a club. No matter the club, it will help you meet other students with similar interests. For education students, definitely join COD SEA and Kappa Delta Pi. I was part of the cohort that restarted these clubs, and I’m sure they are much better than when we began.
“Third, if you are trying to transfer, then I would recommend getting your associate degree first. Since I did this, my classes transferred with little to no question. The university may not be able to accept all of your credit hours, but they should accept all of your classes for transfer.”
Learn more about the Teacher Preparation program at College of DuPage
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