Meet Emily, teacher at OpenClassrooms

In order to find out more about OpenClassrooms’ unique teaching formula, we’ve been talking to our dynamic education team to learn what makes them tick and what our teachers have in common, despite coming from so many different backgrounds and nationalities. This week Emily Reese, one of our teaching managers, shares her experiences and tells us what she loves about the OpenClassrooms’ method.

Name: Emily Reese
Hometown and country: New York, USA
Working at OC since: September 2015
Job Title: Teaching Manager and web developer

Hi Emily, you’re a web developer from New York and you work as a teacher at OpenClassrooms. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! Well, I’m a good example that anyone can become a web developer because I trained myself in programming after studying the history of art and architecture at my university. My first job was at Kickstarter where I saw how technology could complement the arts and vice versa. I learned enough programming to be able to switch teams at Kickstarter to be a developer full-time. Now, it’s pretty cool to help people make the same career switch I did.

What is it you love about teaching at OpenClassrooms?

I like teaching to help others see how tech can benefit their passions. We all have things we’re passionate about; it could be art, law, philanthropy, cooking, anything. Nowadays, tech can have a major role in any of these fields.

At OpenClassrooms, we must be as innovative as possible with our learning method because we’re teaching subject matter that hasn’t historically been a major part of school curriculums. We also recognize that not everyone succeeds in the traditional school system, but it’s not usually a question of motivation. It’s more a question of different needs and learning styles, and the web allows us to tailor to many more types of learners.

Is this customization possible during, for example, the weekly mentoring session via video conference?

Yep! Each student discusses coursework, projects, and goals for the following week with their mentor on a weekly basis. This helps keep the learning fire strong!

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Education is a fundamental part of our lives at such a young age, so to be able to intervene in students’ personal journeys and take them where they want to go is a privilege. I love the reality that we’re actually changing people’s lives. We have actual students telling us about their new paths, their accomplished dreams, and more.

It must be rewarding to help other people make their dreams work out. How about you, do you have a dream or a favorite hobby?

Well, speaking of learning from a young age, I started tap dancing when I was very little. I always loved practicing, performing, and even danced on stage with Big Bird from Sesame Street once. It’s fun to jump around, make noise, and keep a beat alive! I even think my many years of dancing help make great course videos because there’s a similar expressive, communicative intention behind both.

Emily, thanks for sharing your enthusiasm, it’s contagious!