Spartans of UD - Audrey Kline

Spartans of UD highlights what makes the University of Dubuque special - the people.

Audrey Kline, of La Porte City, Iowa, is a senior English in secondary education and English double major. She received her substitute authorization in October and has been substitute teaching in the Dubuque Community School District on days she doesn't have classes. Audrey will begin student teaching in fall 2025. She is also involved with the UD Concert Choir, UD Chamber Singers, and Sigma Tau Delta.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?

"Teaching allows me to feed into my natural creative talents and interests while also doing something meaningful for the world. I grew up in a small town where the school district is the heart of the community, and I carry an immense appreciation for the teachers I had growing up. I want to be able to build up my community for the coming generations just like they did for mine, so teaching is the perfect profession for me."

What have you enjoyed most during your time as a substitute teacher?

"Even though I have only been subbing for a few months, I can already see that my work has an impact. It is so fun when students recognize me as I walk into the schools and ask if I'll be in their classroom that day. It makes me all the more excited to have my own classroom so I can continue to form meaningful connections with students as a trusted educator."

What have you been able to take from your classrooms on campus as a student to your classrooms in the community as a substitute teacher?

"The education program at UD is excellent at preparing you to work with all types of students from various backgrounds. I am a secondary education and English major, but the classes I have taken over the past three years have prepared me so well that I feel comfortable stepping into any classroom as a substitute. Every education course I've taken has taught me different strategies for engaging students and managing the classroom and has informed me of the different stages of development in students. I apply all of that knowledge every time I step into the classroom as a substitute whether I am working with first-graders or 12th-grade students getting ready to graduate."

How will your experience as a substitute teacher help you when you enter the next phase of your education and become a student teacher?

"Becoming a substitute teacher has been one of the smartest and most fulfilling decisions I have made. Being a substitute means that I am completely in charge of the classroom, so my skills in classroom management have developed much further than they did in the 80 plus hours of observation I completed for my education courses at UD. I've had to learn how to connect with students on my own rather than relying on the mentorship of a seasoned educator, and my confidence has grown significantly. I've been told that classroom management, connecting with students, and self-confidence are skills that develop the most once you begin teaching on your own, so becoming a substitute and developing these skills before student teaching will help me become the best educator I can be."

In your opinion, what makes the University of Dubuque unique?

"When I toured universities while in high school, UD stood out to me because I got to meet with professors one-on-one in all of the subjects I was interested in pursuing. From my initial meeting, it was clear to me that the faculty here genuinely care about the success of their students in both career and personal areas. Since I have been here, that first impression has held true. Whether I am struggling, want to share my successes, or have questions about my career, I know I can turn to any of my professors and they'll be there for me."