A Multi-Subject Credential Graduate Reflects Upon Her Time at SSU
Written by Sharon Marts, CCE Blogger/volunteer, 2025-26
Pictured above is a group photo of SSU students in the University Elementary at La Fiesta Teacher Residency (2025-2026). Left to right: Sharon Marts, Emma Zedaker, Sierra Moffat, Lauren Mirtoni, Olivia Hurtado, and Jenn Manlimos). Also in the photo is the SSU residents’ campus supervisor, Joe Hamp (far left).Photo taken Aug., 2025 by Sharon Marts.
Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.
-W.B. Yeats
People often say teaching is a calling. If you ask the graduates of Sonoma State’s 2026 Multiple Subject Credential Program whether answering that call was easy, many would probably laugh before answering.
As a student in the 2025–2026 full-time credential program who hopes to teach in an inclusive TK (transitional kindergarten) class one day, I quickly learned that becoming a teacher requires equal parts passion, resilience, and perseverance. My first semester combined a demanding academic workload with part-time student teaching. By the second semester, the classroom responsibilities increased to full-time teaching while coursework continued alongside major credentialing requirements such as the California Teacher Performance Assessments (CalTPAs). Between assignments, group projects, lesson planning, and assessments, there was very little downtime.
What made the experience manageable was the support system that surrounded us SSU students. I was fortunate to be part of a six-person teacher residency program in Rohnert Park that paired us with experienced mentors in classrooms, and a Sonoma State supervisor. Our weekly meetings became a place for encouragement, practical guidance, and honest conversations about the challenges of learning to teach. During moments of uncertainty, those relationships reminded me that growth happens through collaboration and reflection, not perfection.
The faculty and staff in Sonoma State’s Education Department also created a strong sense of community throughout the program. Whether in coursework, classroom observations, or cohort Zoom check-ins, they consistently encouraged us while also holding us to high standards. Their support helped transform the overwhelming parts of the program into opportunities for growth and confidence-building.
Like many future educators entering today’s uncertain job market, I have wondered what comes next after graduation. Yet this program has shown me that teaching is not about having every answer. It is about showing up with curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to keep learning alongside students. Sonoma State has prepared me not only with practical skills, but with the confidence to step into a classroom ready to make a difference.
As graduation approaches, I return to Yeats’ words with a deeper understanding of what they mean. Great teachers do more than deliver information—they inspire greater possibilities. The professors and mentors at Sonoma State lit that fire in me, and I hope to do the same for the students I will teach in the future.
Written by Sharon Marts, CCE Blogger/volunteer, 2025-26