From the time she was five years old, Alexis Bates has known she wants to be a teacher. During high school, she found herself attending extra help sessions for fun and hosting her own for her classmates.
She’s also always had a thing for numbers.
As an Adolescence Education: Mathematics major at SUNY Oneonta, Alexis has combined her two passions, and her desire to become an educator has only grown.
Why SUNY Oneonta?
The moment I stepped foot onto campus, I just knew it felt like home. I stepped out of my car and was just welcomed by so many faces that just made it seem like I was welcomed here, like I was home. It didn't feel like it was forced, and it didn't feel like anybody was being fake. It just felt like people were happy and excited to see you and meet you. That, on top of their education program, was just it for me.
My Activities
Next semester, I will be a TA, which is really cool because it kind of allows me to start working with students a little bit sooner than a lot of other people. And it allows me to really get used to creating worksheets and grading papers and working on that one-on-one teacher connection.
Best Experiences
Definitely all of the people I've met. Everybody here is just so welcoming, and everyone I've talked to, they just care, and it's really sweet. Yes, I love my classes, don't get me wrong, but the people that SUNY Oneonta has introduced me to is definitely something I'll never forget. And there are so many experiences with them that I’m grateful for. I absolutely love everything from our weekend trips to Hunt Union to do some homework and just drink some Starbucks and get our work done. Whether it's pouring rain and we're watching the pond that's in the shape of New York, it's really pretty and kind of relaxing. Everything from that to movie nights with some of my best friends, just like, laughing, and being scared at horror movies. It's just a good experience, and I feel at home.
About My Major
I absolutely love it for so many reasons. First off, I like the fact that I'm also considered a math major. So I'm not just taking regular education classes, I'm taking math classes and I'm graduating with a math degree as well, so I always have something to fall back on if teaching ever doesn't work out for me. But I just also love the classes. I'm a big math person, and being able to take the advanced calculus classes and have it count toward my major is really cool. My favorite class right now is probably calculus three. And my teacher, Dr. Toke Knudsen, I absolutely love him. He is always there to support his students and is a really good resource to have on this campus, and he's always pushing everyone to do better in his classes, which is really cool.
Plans, Hopes, Dreams
My dream job is definitely teaching calculus at a high school level or possibly becoming a professor. I want to make sure that I give kids a safe environment where they feel welcomed and loved in the same exact way that I used to feel in high school. I want kids to know that if no one else cares about them, at least there's one person who does, and I want to be that person for them.