Dr. Megan Kemmery is an assistant professor of education at Franciscan University.
BY MELISSA SIEGLER
STAFF WRITER
Megan Kemmery always wanted to work with children, whether through teaching, daycare or even setting up a babysitting agency. Coming from a long line of teachers, she had no shortage of inspiration.
“My mom was a special education teacher,” said Kemmery. “I have all these childhood memories of playing school with her old props and toys and school materials…She inspires me in terms of the love and passion she showed not only as a mother, but as a teacher.”
Kemmery is originally from Pennsylvania, but being from a military family, she moved around a lot. She attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania for her undergraduate studies where she studied education of persons with hearing loss. She received her master’s degree in elementary education from Kutztown University and her doctorate in special education services from North Carolina University at Greensboro.
Kemmery taught special education children for eight years in Delaware and Pennsylvania. She always knew that she would get her doctorate later on in life, so it came as a shock when her plans to teach at a collegiate level came much sooner than she anticipated.
“God is always pulling you in different directions,” said Kemmery.
She began teaching at a school in North Carolina and was there for the past four years.
“When it came time to look for a job, I really wanted a place that fit in with my beliefs, that would be a good match in terms of the Catholicism and bringing that into the classrooms…not having to separate the two has been such a blessing,” Kemmery said about the draw of Franciscan.
Here at Franciscan, Kemmery teaches content area reading, active learning for the young child in science and social studies, the young child with mild or moderate educational needs, and inclusive early childhood education.
Kemmery has enjoyed the smaller class sizes that give them a more familial atmosphere.
“The connections you make with the students are my favorite part,” said Kemmery. “Seeing that light bulb moment happen, whether it’s an elementary kid learning basic addition or a college student making the connection between common core and why we do what we do in a lesson plan. If I had any part in that…how awesome is that?”