Class Act: Graduate Draws on Theater Experience for Teaching Job

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Posted on October 16, 2024

Marketing and Communications

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#MyFirstJob is a series focused on recent graduates of the University of South Alabama.

Dominique Garcia-Hopper began studying drama at the University of South Alabama, but found her way into the College of Education and Professional Studies, where she was named the outstanding student in elementary school education.

Now she teaches third-graders at Saraland Elementary School, where her theater background helps keep students focused on their lessons.

鈥淲ith the attention span of children today, you have to be able to keep them entertained,鈥� said Garcia-Hopper. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like I鈥檓 teaching in a play, where you want them to be characters, you want them to play certain roles. There鈥檚 no fourth wall, we鈥檙e all in it together, and that contributes to engagement.鈥�

She decorates her classroom with colored lights and arranges desks in small groups. Less formal, more fun 鈥� and effective. Sometimes her educational play is more like a musical.

Garcia-Hopper and her students share a motivational routine where they sing 鈥淎in鈥檛 No Mountain High Enough.鈥� At the end of the school day, she plays an old NSYNC song: 鈥淏ye Bye Bye.鈥�

A first-year teacher, Garcia-Hooper is getting more comfortable and confident in the classroom.

鈥淪araland has a lot of young teachers, so you don鈥檛 feel out of place,鈥� Garcia-Hopper said. 鈥淎nd the older teachers don鈥檛 treat us like we鈥檙e new. They鈥檙e interested in our ideas and what we think about things.鈥�

Garcia-Hopper, 22, grew up in Gadsden, Alabama, where she played sports and explored drama and community theater. She appeared on stage in everything from 鈥淢uch Ado About Nothing鈥� to 鈥淭he Little Mermaid.鈥�

In the fifth grade, she remembers getting special encouragement from one of her teachers.

鈥淥ne day, she pulled me out in the hall and said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e different,鈥欌�� Garcia-Hopper recalled. 鈥淪he said, 鈥業鈥檓 going to push you a little harder this year because I know you can do more.鈥� I still think about her sometimes.鈥�

As a teenager, she began working for a company called Once Upon a Time Parties. She became a part-time princess. She even took her show on the road.

鈥淚 got to do events in Birmingham, Atlanta, Dallas 鈥� all over the South,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 played characters like 鈥楳oana鈥欌�� and Jasmine from 鈥楢laddin.鈥� It was a lot of fun.鈥�

Playing those characters helped pay for her tuition and expenses at the University of South Alabama. She wanted to go away to college, but not too far from home. Mobile fit the bill.

Garcia-Hopper joined Chi Omega and lived in a sorority house on campus. Greek life was an important part of her college experience.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e so close to everything,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e right in the middle of campus, so you know everything that鈥檚 going on.鈥�

In the College of Education and Professional Studies, she took classes and did student teaching. Not all of her work was in elementary education. One of her mentors was Dr. Bridget Burrell, who taught special education before retiring from South.

鈥淪he was really intentional with her students,鈥� said Garcia-Hopper. 鈥淗er mentality was that they could do everything, and she demanded nothing less.鈥�

As a senior, Garcia-Hopper printed up resumes and attended a job fair for education students. That鈥檚 where she met Dr. Stan Stokley, the principal at Saraland Elementary, who asked about her outstanding student award.

鈥淭hen he asked if I could come to an interview the next day,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I did, and we talked some more, and he offered me a job on the spot.鈥�

Garcia-Hopper鈥檚 mother is a former teacher who supported her move into education. She offered real-world experience and practical advice, as well as a second set of hands.

鈥淪he made the curtains for my classroom and helped me organize things,鈥� her daughter said. 鈥淵ou know, the kind of things you need your mom for.鈥�

Garcia-Hopper often gets to school early and stays late. She鈥檚 still learning about teaching. There are always papers to grade and lesson plans to prepare.

鈥淢y brain really never stops thinking about this job,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 plenty of times at home in the evening when I get an idea and do research about things we can do in the classroom.鈥�

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