Ms. Dawn Noonan, a new social studies teacher at JP Stevens, graduated from Kean University with two bachelor’s degrees: one for History and Secondary Education and another for Studio Art and Art History.  She knew she wanted to be a teacher through her secondary education degree, but her decision was solidified when she herself had kids. Through bonding and interacting with her kids, Ms. Noonan realized that she loved being with children in general, leading to her ultimate decision about wanting to pursue a career in helping children grow not only as students, but as people in a changing world.

Ms. Noonan is passionate about students’ mental health.  She understands that we can never know what other people are dealing with in their lives.  That’s why her best advice is to always be kind.  To be successful in her class, Ms. Noonan strongly recommends reading and coming to class with an open mind.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Ms. Noonan said. “No matter who you are, you’ll go far.”

While Ms. Noonan is incredibly grateful to be here at JP, she admits that teaching is a hard job.  The long hours new teachers, really, all teachers, need to put in in order to do the job well, can be exhausting. But teaching is easily the second best job in the world. 

For any ambitious students wishing to become a teacher, Ms. Noonan recommends first deciding which subject is their favorite and only teaching that subject. This is because they would better be able to teach a subject that they feel most comfortable learning in. After that, she stands firm on becoming a substitute for at least a year, to see if they actually enjoy instructing and interacting with children, as this is an important factor in the education field. Finally, at this point, Ms. Noonan believes they would be ready to pursue teaching.

In her free time, Ms. Noonan enjoys reading mystery novels and creating Art,  while also spending time with her family.   She is the new advisor for the Courtyard Club, a club dedicated to helping the courtyard space at the center of JP look beautiful. Ms. Noonan hopes to have an impact on her students and looks forward to being able to meet more students as she becomes more involved in the JP community.