Brandon Danowski (2002)
Western’s history of excellence in teacher preparation is reflected in 2002 graduate, Brandon Danowski. Upon graduation, he packed up and moved to Las Vegas to pursue a career in elementary education. He chose Las Vegas after hearing about the shortage of teachers. Shortly after arriving, he received a job in the Clark County School District, the seventh largest school district in the nation.
Danowski began as a second grade teacher without a classroom—a rover. When he was assigned to teach fourth grade, which he presently teaches, he was given his own classroom. Danowski is currently enjoying remarkable success early in his teaching career. He has been designated as fourth grade chair, a position that appoints him as a
mentor to new teachers at the school and gives him the responsibility for administering weekly grade-level meetings and presenting at staff development sessions. He has mentored five brand new teachers, all recent college graduates. He also recently received the Outstanding Teaching Award for the Southwest Division of Clark County Recipients of this award are nominated by their principal and voted upon by a panel of teachers and principals.
When asked about his preparation for teaching, Danowski replied, “The best way to learn how to do anything is to get your hands dirty. The classes at WIU gave me the strategies and theories needed to be a good teacher, but I think that I learned the most in the field interacting with a variety of students.”
The College of Education and Human Services is very proud to have graduates like Brandon Danowski and wishes him the best in his career.