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November 5, 1978 - January 21, 2008
Steve's bio from his school website
Greetings! If you have any interest in learning a bit about my background, then read on. My full name is Stephen Joseph Heckman. I was born on November 5, 1978, in Chicago, Illinois, into a family of educators. Every single member of my family has taught at one time or another. My mother has been an English professor at Loyola University in Chicago for many years. My father, who holds a PhD in particle physics from the University of Chicago, taught at McGill University in Montreal for several years. My eldest sister teaches high school mathematics at a prep school in Chicago, my second-eldest sister holds an English Professorship at Augusta State University, and my youngest sister just signed on as an Associate Professor of Fine Art at St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana. So, I suppose you could say that my family places a bit of a priority on education.
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. In my youth, I always had a great deal of respect and admiration for my teachers. In particular, I looked up to those teachers who took the time to truly engage me as a learner. Seeing the satisfaction that they clearly garnered from informing and nurturing young minds encouraged me to pursue a teaching career. At first, I saw myself teaching college or high school, where I could challenge students as they entered adulthood. However, as I tutored younger children part time while I worked my way through college and graduate school, I realized that elementary school was where I wanted to be. In 2003, I finished up my B.A. in History at the University of Illinois at Chicago and enrolled in an elementary M.A.T program at National-Louis University (formerly the National College of Education), one of the country's oldest and most respected institutions for the education and training of professional educators. After a smattering of absolutely wonderful student-teaching experiences, I knew for sure that I had made the correct choice. And so, a few bumps and bruises, valuable experiences, and one baby later, here I am.
I cherish the look on a child’s face when he or she truly grasps a concept or skill that I am trying to convey, and I take pride in my abilities to communicate with children and to relate to them in a way that is both respectful and truly meaningful. I pledge that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that your child has an enjoyable, productive, and successful year here at Marvin. Thank you for entrusting your child’s education to me for this brief time. We will make the most of it.
[note: Steve gave us some promotions in his descriptions of our careers, and we think that is sweet.]
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. In my youth, I always had a great deal of respect and admiration for my teachers. In particular, I looked up to those teachers who took the time to truly engage me as a learner. Seeing the satisfaction that they clearly garnered from informing and nurturing young minds encouraged me to pursue a teaching career. At first, I saw myself teaching college or high school, where I could challenge students as they entered adulthood. However, as I tutored younger children part time while I worked my way through college and graduate school, I realized that elementary school was where I wanted to be. In 2003, I finished up my B.A. in History at the University of Illinois at Chicago and enrolled in an elementary M.A.T program at National-Louis University (formerly the National College of Education), one of the country's oldest and most respected institutions for the education and training of professional educators. After a smattering of absolutely wonderful student-teaching experiences, I knew for sure that I had made the correct choice. And so, a few bumps and bruises, valuable experiences, and one baby later, here I am.
I cherish the look on a child’s face when he or she truly grasps a concept or skill that I am trying to convey, and I take pride in my abilities to communicate with children and to relate to them in a way that is both respectful and truly meaningful. I pledge that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that your child has an enjoyable, productive, and successful year here at Marvin. Thank you for entrusting your child’s education to me for this brief time. We will make the most of it.
[note: Steve gave us some promotions in his descriptions of our careers, and we think that is sweet.]
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