Holly Pederson to teach English

By MELISSA DUNN

Staff Writer

English instructor Holly Pederson is very familiar with her new school, as NRHEG is where she herself was a student not too long ago. After graduating high school, Pederson went to Bethany Lutheran College to obtain her bachelor's degree in broad field social studies with a grades 5-12 education licensure. She is currently getting her master's degree in learning design and technology and is taking classes through Bethany Lutheran College to get her licenses in grades 5-8 math and communication arts and literature. Holly Pederson and her husband Marshall currently reside in Albert Lea.

Pederson says she has “pretty much always wanted to teach. I have tried to be involved in teaching in a lot of different ways such as tutoring, being a teacher's assistant, teaching Vacation Bible School, and teaching Sunday school.” She currently teaches community education art at Glenville-Emmons School in Albert Lea. Pederson says she was encouraged to apply for the English teacher position, though it is out of her field, because “NRHEG is the school where I have always wanted to be a teacher.”

When not teaching her English classes, Pederson might be found heading up Speech, Drama, High School Ambassadors, and Panther Press extracurriculars at NRHEG. She also finds time to knit. “I have been knitting since I was eight years old, and it is my favorite hobby. I have knitted both of my prom dresses and my wedding dress. I have knitted a lot of other different projects too.” When asked what her favorite subject to talk about would be, Pederson replied, “Random history topics, but especially Tudor era Europe because I wrote my bachelor's thesis on the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. I have favorite topics from any time period in history.”

Pederson says that her favorite part of teaching is seeing when a student finally “gets” it. “It is really special to see when it ‘clicks’ for students and they understand. I love those moments!” If students take only one idea away from her classroom, Pederson wants it to be “That there is someone who cares for them and wants them to do their best,” she says. “My most basic expectation is that students try their best and participate. I don't expect kids to have the right answer, just that they give it their best shot and we can go from there to figure it out.”