Caitlin Dee’s interest in education was sparked in the first classroom she attended. Dee recalls, “I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in Mrs. Pamela Wooding’s kindergarten class at McAnnulty Elementary School during the 2000–2001 school year.” As a six year-old, she never could have imagined that her interest in teaching would take her to the other side of the globe!
After graduating Baldwin High School in 2013, Dee earned her B.A. in Secondary Education and English, with a minor in Journalism, from Point Park University and a M.S. in Instructional Leadership from Robert Morris University. This year, Dee was accepted by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and received an award to work in Malta. She explains, “The Fulbright Program is the flagship cultural exchange program for the United States government. It is funded by the US Department of State which partners with over 140 countries from around the world to promote cross-cultural dialogue as well as academic and professional advancement.” Dee serves as an English Teaching Assistant in Malta where she teaches English to secondary students. “I primarily work one on one with students to improve their English-speaking proficiency, as well as teach whole-class lessons on English grammar and American literature, culture, and traditions,” she explains. Her students are engaged in their lessons in a way that infuses the school with a positive learning environment. She notes, “the energy that I see throughout the school is invigorating. The students are eager to learn and have many questions for me each week, often stopping me in the hallway to ask their question if we run out of time during the lesson.”
Dee also teaches at the University of Malta in a course aimed at honing the English skills for the workplace. “I have developed the content for the 8-week course to cover each of the communicative styles — reading, writing, speaking, and listening — in professional environments,” says Dee.
Before moving to Malta, Dee taught social-emotional skills development at Founders’ Hall Middle School in the McKeesport Area School District. She has continued her interest in social and emotional learning during her time in Malta. “I have been working with the University of Malta’s Center for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health. Thus far, I have helped develop a thematic unit on improving self-regulation for an Erasmus+ project, RESCUR: A Resilience Curriculum for Early Years and Primary Schools,” shares Dee. She is also working with the International Journal of Emotional Education (IJEE) and taking courses through the Center for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health.
Dee explains that living abroad not only allows individuals to explore the world, but also fuels self-discovery. She reflects, “Beyond the cultural exchange that occurs between a Fulbrighter and their host country, the Fulbright Program affords grantees the opportunity to further understand who they are individually…I have been forced out of my comfort zone to learn more about who I am, and who I want to be, as a person and as an educator. I have also been afforded the opportunity to learn and appreciate the viewpoints, beliefs, and practices of others. Any program that encourages one to step out of their comfort zone and try something new will help one better understand the perspectives of others, which has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this program.”
One of the lessons that Dee will take with her from her time in Malta is the importance of being conscious and intentional about our pace of life. She explains that during her time in Malta, “The ease of life has stood out the most. In the States, we are always in such a hurry to get places, and we are constantly filling our schedules to the point of exhaustion. In Malta, many people sit outside for hours, taking in the beautiful weather and enjoying the company of those who join them.”