About Mona

I am a biology graduate and NIH researcher who will be attending Saint Louis University School of Medicine. I love going on hikes with my beagle mix, watching early 90s sitcoms, and visiting animal sanctuaries. As a teacher assistant, I learned there is no such thing as a "good" or a "bad" student, only students with reactive behaviors. If one is labeled as "bad," they embody that attribute, lowering their self-esteem and self-efficacy. There was a child who became frustrated and referred to himself as "stupid" during a long-division problem. Surprisingly, I got a problem wrong, and I started laughing, and he instantly started laughing with me. His face lit up, and after, he was more engaged with the material because if a college student got a 7th-grade problem wrong, then maybe he shouldn't be so hard on himself. I believe open communication with parents is crucial and I will be providing photos and videos throughout the day of engaging activities!