Danica's goal to become a teacher started long before coming to UNI. She was originally inspired when she was still in elementary school. “My fourth grade teacher was always involved in our learning and well-being,” says Danica. “I always knew that she cared.”

She focused on pursuing an Accounting major after taking a business course in high school, and Danica was inspired again when she completed Level II teaching experience at Price Laboratory School. As she received on-the-job teacher training, Danica learned from business teacher Leisha Henriksen how to motivate students.

“Leisha comes up with new ideas to engage her students,” says Danica. “She had her sixth grade keyboarding students race to find out who could type the fastest without making a lot of mistakes. The one with the least number of mistakes was the winner. For most of these games, the winner had the opportunity to type his or her name using ClipArt and then display it at the front of the room.”

Danica understands how her first-hand experience in Henriksen’s classroom provided invaluable lessons she can use as a teacher.

“Working with Leisha was one of the best things I could have done,” says Danica.

Before her experience at Price Laboratory School, Danica had received business teaching training in the Curriculum and Methods for Business Education course taught by Dianna Briggs. In that course, Danica learned the fundamentals of teaching accounting and business law, as well student management issues.

“The Methods course opened my eyes to the best practices of how to teach,” says Danica.

As a double major in both business teaching and accounting, Danica strengthened her teaching background by enrolling in core business classes. Danica has taken financial and managerial courses, along with courses for her accounting major. In addition, she took a business communication course that provided her with experience in resumé writing.

Danica is also learning that her professional experiences as an office assistant at Martinson Construction in Waterloo complements her business teaching and accounting majors. As an office assistant, Danica uses all aspects of her accounting training. When Danica teaches business courses, she plans on bringing her professional training into her classroom.

“I’ll have examples to use from working at Martinson when I teach accounting, which will be useful for students,” says Danica. “They’ll learn how to apply accounting principles through real-world examples.”

Armed with her teacher training, business coursework, and professional experiences, Danica will student teach in the fall of 2006. All of these experiences have provided her the background she will need in order to achieve her professional goals.

“I want to teach accounting at a community college or high school,” she says. “My Accounting and Business Teaching majors have given me a broad perspective for the classes I plan to teach some day.”