Faculty Profile: Dawn Shelton
Name: Dawn Shelton
Title: Instructor
Department: Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education (ELMID)
Hometown: Hazlet, New Jersey
Colleges attended and degrees: East Carolina University – 1986 – Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Business; 1988 – Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education.
Years working at ECU: 2000-current (21 years and counting).
What do you love about ECU?
I fell in love with East Carolina University, the minute I stepped foot on campus 35 years ago where I found the campus to be beautiful and the people most welcoming. ECU felt like a home away from home. Since that time, the university has grown two-fold in student enrollment, but it has maintained its community feel. East Carolina’s motto is Servire – “To Serve.” As a member of the faculty, it is an honor to serve students and the community in an effort to make the world a better place.
What do you like most about being the faculty advisor for the Elementary Education Club?
As the faculty advisor for the Elementary Education Club, I appreciate the opportunity to support students in enhancing their leadership abilities to serve and in developing knowledge of what it takes to be a 21st century educator. In this role, I am able to make connections with students and foster students’ connections with others. An added bonus is that working so closely with students keeps me young!
What is your favorite course that you have taught or currently teach?
Of the many courses that I have taught, my favorite two courses to teach are ELEM 2123 Early Experience for Prospective Teachers and ELEM 4325 Issues in Elementary Education. As the instructor for these courses, I have the pleasure of seeing students grow from deciding to pursue a career in teaching to actually becoming educators. Serving as a support for students working in their final internship semester, completing the edTPA and preparing to enter the field of education as Pirate educators is quite rewarding.
What drew you to ELMID and, in particular, elementary education?
Unlike many other educators, I did not always know that I wanted to be a teacher. I completed my undergraduate work in Psychology. It was not until I took a Language Arts class, just to have a full course load during my senior year here at ECU, that I realized that my heart was devoted to education. I enjoyed that class and the instructor so much that I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Elementary Education. It has been one of the best decisions of my life.
Outside of work, what are your favorite hobbies or interests?
Spending time with family is my favorite of all things to do. I also enjoy being at the water, boating, kayaking and swimming. A day at the beach or the lake with a good book is a good day; I enjoy reading books that help me to see the world through varied perspectives. Cooking and baking are also on my list of favorite things to do.