Hi there! My name is Anna Glenn and I
am a junior studying Special Education with an emphasis in Mild/Moderate Disabilities with a minor in TESOL K-12 (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
I'm originally from Fairfax, Virginia, but I've lived in five different countries and currently go "home" for Christmas to Santiago, Chile. A few of my hobbies include playing the guitar, running, eating good food, and napping after class. I served part of my mission in Louisiana, where I waited for my visa. Then I finished in the Brazil São Paulo West Temple Visitor Center. Though my mission was short-lived due to COVID-19, the time at home helped me solidify my choice in career path.
My mother, a Spanish teacher, is one of my biggest educational influences. At the start of COVID-19, I watched her grade, plan, prepare, and deeply care for her students and their success during the craziest year of their lives. I knew I wanted to love the people I worked with the way my mom did. That's when teaching became a possibility for me.
In my sophomore year of high school, I met my now good friend who has cerebral palsy and autism. I loved his company and enjoyed finding new ways to communicate with him. I later found that this alternative to typical communication was a skill of mine. I joined the Best Buddies Club at my school and developed relationships with a diverse group of people who helped me feel happy and uplifted by using my skills. I later TA'ed for one of the Special Ed classes at my High School and felt the same way as at Best Buddies Club.
Coming home from Brazil, remembering my high school experiences, and watching my mom work through the pandemic confirmed that teaching was my calling and that those with differing abilities were my people.
