Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Seagroves.
Bethany Seagroves is the Makerspace teacher and Innovation Lead at Solar Preparatory School for Girls. When Bethany first started college she was studying music education to be a high school band director. It wasn’t until she took an elective class for teaching elementary math that she realized she needed to change career paths. Bethany then went on to graduate from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2009 with her B.S. in Elementary Education. Bethany began her teaching career at Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy in Dallas. During her time there, she taught Kindergarten and Second grade. She also helped develop the school’s Gifted and Talented Program and served as the school’s first G/T coordinator.
In 2015, Bethany joined Dallas ISD as a Gifted and Talented teacher. She began this journey at Dan D. Rogers Elementary and proudly joined the Solar Prep family in 2016. In High School, Bethany was a proud member of the Marching Band, Yearbook Staff, UIL Accounting Team, and the Majorette Auxiliary Captain. It was then that she learned the impact that extracurricular activities can have on a student. This led her to begin her work in enrichment clubs to ensure that every child had additional opportunities outside of the classroom to come together to learn and have fun as she did. At Rogers she coached the academic competitions UIL and the Lone Star Challenge. Now, she has brought that passion with her to Solar Prep. Here, Bethany serves as the Student Activities Coordinator. She has also served as coach herself for many student activities including VEX IQ Robotics, First Lego League Jr. Robotics, TMSCA, UIL, Lone Star Challenge, and Chess.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was hard to find a teaching job without experience. It is hard to battle a life outside of school because it consumes so much time. The financial burdens of being a teacher.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am the Makerspace teacher. I teach PreK through 5th-grade elementary students at an all girl school. In my class girls learn a variety of tools to prepare them for their future. In my room girls learning how to design and 3D print, digital design and vinyl cutting machines, robotics, circuits, sewing, stop motion animation, movie editing with a green screen, woodwork and power tool safety skills, and much more.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Maker education is becoming huge in the education field. There are even Adult makerspaces popping up around Dallas. I would love to become an advocate for maker education by traveling and teaching other schools how to incorporate it at their campus.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/solarprep
- Email: bseagroves@dallasisd.org
- Twitter: B_Seagroves
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