Maddie Loeffler is Achieving Her Teaching Dreams Ahead of Schedule

She is following in her mother’s footsteps by pursuing a career in education. “I have always known I wanted to be a teacher,” Maddie said, “I want to be a person that makes a difference in kids’ lives.” Maddie is drawn to elementary education and strives to make her classroom safe and learning fun.

“I like working with elementary school children because this is when they still, for the most part, don’t have a care in the world. We lose this carefree feeling as we get older, but we don’t have to.”

Maddie has volunteered at Platte Valley Elementary School for the last four years. Working as a volunteer has already shown her the impact an educator can make. She tells a story about a student that didn’t initially connect with her. At first, the student wouldn’t speak to Maddie at all. She discovered that the student had a rough home life, so she kept trying to build a relationship with the child. Maddie finally broke down the wall and the student opened up to her.  She says the student “is one of the coolest kids I have ever met.” 

Her passion for teaching has driven her to complete her education at an accelerated pace to step into a classroom teaching position before she turns 21. “I want to get into the teaching field as soon as possible,” she said. 

While these ambitious plans are set, Maddie is currently earning an Associate of Arts degree with a designation in Elementary and Secondary Education at Aims. The program is designed as a first step for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree to become classroom teachers. 

Concurrent Enrollment With Aims

During her high school career, Maddie took advantage of the concurrent enrollment classes offered at Platte Valley. This opportunity allowed her to earn credits from Aims and the University of Northern Colorado, leading her to success. The concurrent enrollment program provides tuition-free college credits, giving students a head start on their education and helping them save money. Maddie sees affordability as a significant benefit in getting her general education classes done through concurrent enrollment and at Aims. “I've looked at tuition and how much classes cost and it’s insane.” 

Maddie only needed to attend one class at the high school this year to meet the graduation requirements. She spent her entire senior year taking classes on campus and online at Aims and the University of Northern Colorado. Depending on the school district, many students have little to no costs while attending Aims.

She’s taking a heavy load of classes to complete her degree this spring. Maddie said that her high school concurrent enrollment classes and the support she received while taking them have helped her prepare for taking the on-campus courses at Aims. The rigor of general high school and college classes is different for her. She feels like taking them while in high school has offered her an advantage because the high school teachers have supported her and taught her to study. This has helped prepare her for the rigor and the expectations that are required to have in college.

Maddie has taken more technical classes this semester, bringing her out of her comfort zone. “I’m not the best at math, she admitted, “but chemistry has definitely been the hardest for me.” 

Maddie believes she is building her academic skill set at Aims for her next college experience. “It's a nice middle ground from high school to a four-year school. The teachers are still flexible and will help you in the work that you are doing.” Aims has smaller class sizes than most universities. She also says it is a good training ground for writing papers and keeping up with complex subjects. Maddie reports that it builds confidence in pursuing a bachelor’s degree as she knows she can succeed in college courses. 

Aims also has a service that assists Maddie’s success, Disability Access Services (DAS). It provides extra support, such as more time spent on tests and helpful tools for students with disabilities. Maddie has been diagnosed with Dyslexia. A reading disability that makes it difficult for individuals to read, spell, and recognize words despite having average or above-average intelligence. “I get accommodations for my tests,” she said,  “which has helped.” She doesn’t always use them, but when she needs them, it's helpful. 

While her journey through high school and Aims is coming to an end, she looks forward to taking her next steps to a bachelor’s degree in teaching, licensure and credentialing to become a teacher. 

Accelatoring Towards a Promising Future

Based on her GPA, Maddie is graduating from Aims with honors. “Maddie has worked very hard to complete this amazing accomplishment,” said Jamie Viefhaus-Zak, a  High School Student Success Coach in Aims Pathway Advising. “She is a student success story.” 

Maddie will begin working on her bachelor's degree at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in the fall. She will work toward a Bachelor of Arts in Inclusive Elementary Education and an endorsement in history and art. Although Maddie hopes to teach third grade eventually, those endorsements may expand her possibilities. “The thing I’m looking forward to when I transfer is having all of my classes based on education,” she said. “Being able to focus on education will be a great change.”

In addition to taking her classes, Maddie plans to get teaching experience by working as an elementary school paraprofessional and working closely with teachers to provide additional assistance to students. She hopes to support morning kindergarten classes and then work with small groups of upper elementary students in reading in the afternoon. This is an outgrowth of her volunteer work at Platte Valley Elementary School.

Maddie’s journey is more than just an academic success story; it's a heartening narrative of a young woman's resolve to shape her future and the countless students she will undoubtedly inspire in her classroom.