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If you had asked Cindy (Lane) Aubuchon '96 during high school what she wanted to be after college, she never would have said "a teacher." However, after four years of Saint Joseph's College classes, clubs, and professors, she graduated in 1996 with an English major and double minor in Spanish and Secondary Education. "After working in the Writing Clinic and doing some tutoring in college, I decided that teaching was the way to go," said Aubuchon. "Honestly, I was rather shy in both high school and college, so for me to get in front of a group of students day after day seemed like a terribly daunting task; now I know it was the right move for me."
While at Saint Joseph's College, Aubuchon was highly involved in campus life. She participated in marching band; WPUM-FM 93.3, the College's radio station; The Observer, serving one year as sports editor; Education Club; Student Government as the Day Student Senator and Sophomore Class Secretary; and worked in the Writing Clinic, Library, and as a switchboard operator.
While very involved in extracurricular activities, Aubuchon never forgot that her first duty as a student was academia, and praises SJC's unique Core Program. "Students at other universities and colleges who didn't have the same experiences I had with the classes and topics in the Core Program seem to have missed out on so much," said Aubuchon, who has also been named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers for three years. "I teach much of the literature used throughout the Core program; my experiences in the Writing Clinic helped me to better critique and evaluate students' writing, as well. I think the Education Program really helped me to understand what being a teacher means and what I can bring to the classroom to help all students."
Now a full-time teacher at McCutcheon High School in Lafayette, Indiana, she has had the opportunity to teach level two and three Spanish as well as English and English as a Second Language. "I consider myself hardworking and eager to help students," said Aubuchon. "I want to see every student succeed at every level, and I try to make learning fun and interactive so students see the value of the education they are receiving"
Aubuchon proved her teaching excellence when she was awarded McCutcheon High School's Teacher of the Year 2004 award. McCutcheon principal John Beeker chose the Teacher of the Year from a pool of several outstanding teachers, nominated by the senior class of 2004. "I consider it an honor to have been named Teacher of the Year, but I don't let it define who I am or what I do in the classroom," said Aubuchon. "I know that there is still much to learn to properly educate students and I am always learning from my students, as well."
In addition to her teaching duties, Aubuchon coaches McCutcheon's Academic Spell Bowl team, which won state in 1998; Academic Super Bowl team, which won state for the Social Studies competition in 2004; and Quiz Bowl team, which qualified for and competed in the national competition in Washington, D.C., in June 2004. She also co-sponsors the International Club. "I am open and honest with my students," said Aubuchon. "I remain optimistic and open-minded and try to see the good in every student. I have students who seek me out for advice and tutoring. I think all teachers have the opportunity to become mentors to their students."
Aubuchon, while continuing to utilize the education she received while at SJC, has found a way to merge it into her own teaching curriculum. "I still use many of the notes I took in my classes, especially with Dr. Robert Garrity [Professor of English]," she said. "I still remember he [told me once that he] recites poetry with iambic pentameter as he mows his lawn because the lawnmower engine creates the perfect rhythm to do so."
After nine years at McCutcheon High School, Aubuchon recognizes her teaching abilities, but continues with her own education as well. She is pursuing master's degrees in English Education from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and English as a Second Language from Indiana University in Bloomington. "Of the eighteen English teachers in my department, only about six teachers have not completed their master's programs," said Aubuchon. "Since we must complete six credit hours every five years, it just makes sense to work toward the master's degree. Plus, it has been one of my goals for a long time."
