“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree,
it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein
it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein
About Me
Hello! My name is Becca Draus. I am a 2015 graduate of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. I am originally from St. Donatus, Iowa (just south of Dubuque) where I have lived my entire life. My family is made up of my wonderful parents, an older sister, her husband, and two children; an older brother and his wife; and a younger brother and sister who are twins.
For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. My dad had been a teacher in Dubuque when I was young and shared his love for teaching with us, his children. Even after he left teaching, we still had many teaching materials at home and old desks to play school, and my dad even built us a play "school" house with a chalk board and bell. I have a big extended family and have always had little kids running around. When I was eleven years old I had my first babysitting job and today I still babysit regularly. When I was fourteen years old, I began to babysit full-time in the summers. This all helped me grow in my love for children. Growing up, it was also always amazing to go places with my dad and have people walk up to him, happy to see "Mr. Draus" who they had had as a teacher in 3rd grade - thirty years ago! To see this influence that a teacher could have on a person amazed me and cemented my decision to become a teacher.
Just as I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, I also knew I wanted to go to Loras College where my dad had attended and learned to be a great teacher. After touring the campus, I was ready to apply. It had a great education system, a beautiful campus, and welcoming staff and students. I entered into Loras College in the Fall of 2011 and I learned a great deal while studying there. Since Loras is a liberal arts college, I had courses in many different areas including history, art, religion, and education. I was even fortunate enough to go abroad for a January class in Greece. My few weeks in Greece gave me great experiences with different people, cultures, and situations. This trip helped me decide to also get a Greek & Roman Studies Minor due to how these ancient cultures still influence the world today.
While studying in the Loras Department of Education, I gained more experience in schools and working with children. I had field placements in a range of age groups starting at the infant/toddler ages and going up to middle school. I was also able to experience a range of situations, from observing and working in after-school programs to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Each one of these placements offered me new opportunities, ways to learn, and helped me broaden my knowledge about education and teaching. All of these experiences working with children that have been so rewarding and a great influence on my knowledge and my decision to become a future teacher.
Outside of school I participated in various other activities and organizations. I was a part of Loras College UNICEF for a year, DuBuddies (a group that pairs Loras students with a person with disabilities from the community to create friendships) for two years, and eDUcation Club for two years. My other activities include participating in service trips, Loras Intramurals, working at the Loras Library, and tutoring outside of my classes.
After graduating from Loras College, I have began substitute teaching at Marquette Catholic Schools, Dubuque Community Schools, and Holy Family Schools in various grades, subjects, and areas of need. I also continued to tutor in the community. My first full-time teaching job was in the tiny town of Petersburg, Iowa at the Catholic elementary school - Archbishop Hennessy Catholic School. While there I taught 3rd grade and helped with the afterschool program. I also forged many lifelong friendships. After a year of teaching there, I decided to look for a different job for personal reasons.
I then got a job teaching 2nd grade at the same Catholic elementary school that I had attended as a child - Marquette Catholic Schools in Bellevue, Iowa. I am currently on my third year teaching there. I have also coached high school boys Track & Field for one season. In my time at Marquette, I have learned a great deal about classroom management and creating positive relationships with the students, planning lessons, differentiating instruction, and working with other teachers.
Next year, I plan on returning to college to get my master's degree in Information and Library Studies at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. My hope is to be a school librarian where I can work with a wide-range of students and help with their reading and other studies.
Page Updated: 11 November 2019
Hello! My name is Becca Draus. I am a 2015 graduate of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. I am originally from St. Donatus, Iowa (just south of Dubuque) where I have lived my entire life. My family is made up of my wonderful parents, an older sister, her husband, and two children; an older brother and his wife; and a younger brother and sister who are twins.
For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. My dad had been a teacher in Dubuque when I was young and shared his love for teaching with us, his children. Even after he left teaching, we still had many teaching materials at home and old desks to play school, and my dad even built us a play "school" house with a chalk board and bell. I have a big extended family and have always had little kids running around. When I was eleven years old I had my first babysitting job and today I still babysit regularly. When I was fourteen years old, I began to babysit full-time in the summers. This all helped me grow in my love for children. Growing up, it was also always amazing to go places with my dad and have people walk up to him, happy to see "Mr. Draus" who they had had as a teacher in 3rd grade - thirty years ago! To see this influence that a teacher could have on a person amazed me and cemented my decision to become a teacher.
Just as I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, I also knew I wanted to go to Loras College where my dad had attended and learned to be a great teacher. After touring the campus, I was ready to apply. It had a great education system, a beautiful campus, and welcoming staff and students. I entered into Loras College in the Fall of 2011 and I learned a great deal while studying there. Since Loras is a liberal arts college, I had courses in many different areas including history, art, religion, and education. I was even fortunate enough to go abroad for a January class in Greece. My few weeks in Greece gave me great experiences with different people, cultures, and situations. This trip helped me decide to also get a Greek & Roman Studies Minor due to how these ancient cultures still influence the world today.
While studying in the Loras Department of Education, I gained more experience in schools and working with children. I had field placements in a range of age groups starting at the infant/toddler ages and going up to middle school. I was also able to experience a range of situations, from observing and working in after-school programs to one-on-one tutoring sessions. Each one of these placements offered me new opportunities, ways to learn, and helped me broaden my knowledge about education and teaching. All of these experiences working with children that have been so rewarding and a great influence on my knowledge and my decision to become a future teacher.
Outside of school I participated in various other activities and organizations. I was a part of Loras College UNICEF for a year, DuBuddies (a group that pairs Loras students with a person with disabilities from the community to create friendships) for two years, and eDUcation Club for two years. My other activities include participating in service trips, Loras Intramurals, working at the Loras Library, and tutoring outside of my classes.
After graduating from Loras College, I have began substitute teaching at Marquette Catholic Schools, Dubuque Community Schools, and Holy Family Schools in various grades, subjects, and areas of need. I also continued to tutor in the community. My first full-time teaching job was in the tiny town of Petersburg, Iowa at the Catholic elementary school - Archbishop Hennessy Catholic School. While there I taught 3rd grade and helped with the afterschool program. I also forged many lifelong friendships. After a year of teaching there, I decided to look for a different job for personal reasons.
I then got a job teaching 2nd grade at the same Catholic elementary school that I had attended as a child - Marquette Catholic Schools in Bellevue, Iowa. I am currently on my third year teaching there. I have also coached high school boys Track & Field for one season. In my time at Marquette, I have learned a great deal about classroom management and creating positive relationships with the students, planning lessons, differentiating instruction, and working with other teachers.
Next year, I plan on returning to college to get my master's degree in Information and Library Studies at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. My hope is to be a school librarian where I can work with a wide-range of students and help with their reading and other studies.
Page Updated: 11 November 2019