Alumni
Alumni News
Alumni in Education: Courtenay Groff Shure '91
Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, we will spotlight alumni with careers in education. For many of these alumni, the path to becoming an educator began at Calvert School with inspiration coming from their teachers along the way.
This month we spotlight Calvert Lower School Learning & Support Coordinator Courtenay Groff Shure '91.
This month we spotlight Calvert Lower School Learning & Support Coordinator Courtenay Groff Shure '91.
Courtenay Groff Shure '91
Lower School Learning & Support Coordinator, Calvert School
Why did you want to become a teacher?
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Lower School Learning & Support Coordinator, Calvert School
Education
Calvert School (1991)
Garrison Forest School (1997)
Furman University (2001) B.A., Elementary Education
Furman University (2002) M.A., Special Education/Learning Disabilities
Garrison Forest School (1997)
Furman University (2001) B.A., Elementary Education
Furman University (2002) M.A., Special Education/Learning Disabilities
Crow or Canary?
Canary
Favorite Calvert Memory
I have such vivid memories of school plays, the Dance Assembly, etc, but one memory that still makes me laugh was in maybe 10th Age when we had to memorize and recite a poem about Columbus. One of my classmates was making me laugh so hysterically that I had to stand facing into the closet, where I couldn't see her face, to get the whole poem out.
Why did you want to become a teacher?
I knew I wanted to be a teacher around 9th Age. It likely started because kids love to "be the teacher," and I was definitely one of those kids. I would go home and make practice spelling and math tests for my younger brother, and he would patiently sit at our play desk and oblige. At some point, through various opportunities in high school, I realized that I really enjoyed working with kids and actually did want to be an elementary school teacher. I quickly developed an awareness that many students need help with learning, and I narrowed my focus to specialize in Learning Disabilities.
What brought you back to Calvert?
Although I never waivered from working with children, I did pivot to a job that was not in a school. After eight years, I really found myself missing academic teaching. I was a Calvert parent at the time, and I was so impressed with the thoughtful attention they put towards each child, both academically and emotionally, so I knew that's where I wanted to be. I was thrilled to find out there was an opening in my area of expertise and was grateful for the opportunity to continue my professional journey in the same great school where that journey started decades earlier.
Although I never waivered from working with children, I did pivot to a job that was not in a school. After eight years, I really found myself missing academic teaching. I was a Calvert parent at the time, and I was so impressed with the thoughtful attention they put towards each child, both academically and emotionally, so I knew that's where I wanted to be. I was thrilled to find out there was an opening in my area of expertise and was grateful for the opportunity to continue my professional journey in the same great school where that journey started decades earlier.
Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.
