Name: Phuongthao Hoang
Hometown: West Hartford, Connecticut
Program: Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Secondary English (‘23)
Education: Bachelor of Science (Sc.B.) in neuroscience (‘22) and Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in literary arts (‘22) from Brown University
Current Position: English teacher at The Woodstock Academy

Looking back, what was the most memorable or impactful part of your experience in the MAT program?
When I reflect upon my experience earning my MAT, I think most fondly of my experience making connections with other student teachers, especially the ones who—like I—were placed at Hope High School and the ones who share similar identities to me. After my student teacher residency at Hope High School and before my graduate classes on The Main Green, for example, I still remember grabbing boba on Thayer Street and meeting my friends in the Education Department, where we reflected on our days while doing some work (e.g., lesson planning for our student teacher residencies, homework for our graduate classes, and teaching philosophies for our portfolios).

Can you share a specific moment, project, or lesson from the program that has stuck with you throughout your career?
Before my student teaching residency started, teacher candidates in my cohort had the opportunity to teach at Brown Summer High School (BSHS), a morning enrichment program where local students can explore courses like English, math, science, and social studies. I co-taught a unit on justice with another teacher candidate, Skye Brodsky, under the direction of our mentor teacher, Patrick Merrigan, and our professor, Laura Snyder. Even though this summer marked my first time engaging in unit planning and lesson planning, I remember it for my collaboration with Skye, which fostered a classroom culture of experimentation and genuine fun.

What have you been doing professionally since graduating, and how has your career evolved over time?
After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in literary arts (‘22) and my Master of Arts in Teaching (‘23) from Brown University, I moved to Vermont, where I taught at South Burlington High School during the school year and at Burlington High School during the summer. After teaching in Vermont for two years, I recently returned to my home state of Connecticut, where I will resume my teaching career at The Woodstock Academy, an independent high school.

Which skills or lessons from the MAT program have been most valuable to you in your career, and how have you applied them?
The most valuable skills that I have developed from the MAT program are the ability to effectively manage my time and the ability to keep my cool. At times, I was unsure about how I would be able to balance my student teacher residency, my graduate coursework, and my extracurricular commitments. Early in the program, however, I had received the advice to take one day off per week (either Saturday or Sunday), so I learned to fill my Saturdays with a lot of rest, some time in the sun, and plans with family and friends. The teacher I am today and the teacher I am in the future is because I continue to protect my Saturdays. 

Even though the MAT program was indeed demanding, I do think that it has to be demanding to reflect the experiences of teachers in the real world. So, when I think that I am having a bad day at work, I think about how I had survived being both a teacher and a student during my time at Brown University, and I know that everything will be okay. I have a lot of gratitude and love for the MAT program because it not only had high expectations of me but also provided ample support so that I could grow into the independent (yet collaborative!) teacher that I am today.

What changes have you seen in the field of education since you graduated, and how do you think the MAT program prepared you to adapt?
Since I graduated in 2023, I have noticed the rise—and the abuse—of artificial intelligence in the classroom. The MAT program, however, equipped me with the differentiation, planning, and critical thinking skills to adapt my curriculum. Are my students relying on artificial intelligence because they do not feel confident tackling the curriculum on their own? How can I provide scaffolding to bridge the gap between what my students already know and what the grade-level standard is? Or, are my students relying on artificial intelligence because it is the tool of the future? How can I provide the opportunity for my students to recognize the power and the danger of artificial intelligence, and how can we responsibly integrate artificial intelligence into the English curriculum?

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering applying to the program today?
Apply early to the MAT program, especially if you are already completing your undergraduate education at Brown University. If you apply to the program during your junior year and if you are accepted into the program, then you will be able to complete some of your graduate coursework while you are still an undergraduate student, which means that you will save a lot of time during your graduate year. You will thank yourself for earning this additional free time, especially when your graduate year will ask you to balance both a student teaching residency and graduate coursework.