Name: Britt Ruiz

Hometown: Orange County, California 

Program: MAT - Social Studies, Class of 2023

Current Position: 11th Grade History Teacher/Advisor, Paul Cuffee School, Providence, RI

1. What have you done since graduating from the MAT program?

Since graduating last spring, I started my first teaching job! I’ve been teaching U.S History and AP U.S Government — it’s been a whirlwind of emotions as a first-year teacher but I’m seeing myself grow in so many ways. 
 

2. What skills or knowledge did you learn throughout the program that you found most useful in your career?

There are so many things I could say! On the planning side, the importance of backward planning is a skill I often use and think about. I can easily find myself going down ten different paths of how I envision a lesson or unit of study. It can be difficult having so many options and choosing only one. But identifying the endpoint, or goal, I have for my students, definitely helps. Additionally, and the most important in my opinion, is the skill of building strong relationships with your students. Learning about and from your students can help unlock new perspectives and experiences for both teachers and students. 
 

3. What was one way you centered yourself or worked on your mental health while being a graduate student with many other responsibilities?

Working in education, especially as a teacher, can be overwhelming and demanding. Something that helped me during my MAT experience was finding support in community. I had the privilege of working alongside four other wonderful MATs at my placement (shoutout to the Cuffee Crew!) and the moments in which we shared and discussed our experiences always brought me reassurance and relief. This was true as a graduate student and continues to be true for me now as a first-year teacher. To summarize, find your teacher besties. 
 

4. How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I love to spend my time with the people I love or do the things I love. Whether this means spending a nice Friday night “girl rotting,” listening to an audiobook, or finding a new dish to cook. My daily and life philosophy is to laugh as much as possible so best believe I’m trying to make that happen during my free time too!