Make It Millikin: Alexis Monnet

Future teacher's vision for the classroom includes multiliteracy

Alexis Monnet was excited to come back to her first home in Decatur, Ill. The sophomore Secondary English Education and Special Education double major from Effingham, Ill., was originally born in Decatur and spent the first few years of her life in the central Illinois community.

"I had great memories growing up in Decatur for the first part of my life, so when I first looked into Millikin and learned about the School of Education, I knew I was going to come back to my first home," Monnet said.

What stood out to Monnet about Millikin's School of Education was finding out that students are placed into an internship their very first semester.

"I was so excited to be in a classroom my very first semester in the Education program. The internships that I have been a part of have put me in situations I did not expect. Because of those experiences, I'm already greatly prepared for my career in teaching," said Monnet.

Monnet already has a clear vision in her head for what her future classroom is going to look like. Such a vision that when you ask Monnet about what she's looking forward to as a teacher, you would already think she's leading the class and not about to complete her second year of college.

Monnet's future classroom won't just consist of lecturing to her students, but rather geared toward building her classroom around the idea of multiliteracy.

"I look forward to incorporating multiliteracy into my classroom and making sure my focus is solely on my students," Monnet said. "Finding alternatives through history, art, music and theatre to teach lessons will help me include students' interest and find a way to connect with each one individually."

These ideas that Monnet has for her future classroom reflects the teaching that she has received from Millikin Adjunct Professor Lori Kruse, and Assistant Professor of English Karly Grice.

"Dr. Kruse and Dr. Grice have definitely impacted me, they really get through to their students as professors," said Monnet. "Both have an untraditional classroom, and I love it. They have taught me so much about how to be empathetic towards my students and the importance of the teaching perspective."

Monnet's end goal after teaching is to become a professor so she can impact students just like Dr. Kruse and Dr. Grice have impacted her.

"I want to spread my knowledge on others so then they can inspire others – just how I have been inspired," Monnet said.