‘The best job out there’: How Ann Schrick ’17 found a new career (and passion) in education
Ann Schrick ’17 wants her fellow Wildcats to know that it’s never too late to chase
down a dream.
Schrick graduated from college at the age of 48, and then was accepted into K-State’s
Master of Arts in Teaching program and became a teacher at 49. She is now 57 and is
in the process of defending a doctorate while working as a special education teacher
for students experiencing challenges with social-emotional regulation.
“I was excited about becoming a teacher but had no idea that it would be one of the
best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said. “The thing I enjoy most about the education
profession is the opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone every day.
Many of my students come from a poor home life, so being able to be a stable adult
in their life, making sure they’ve eaten that day, making sure they know someone cares
about their well-being and making sure they learn the basics that will get them through
adulthood makes my job as a teacher the best job out there.”
Finding a (purple) path to a new career
As a child growing up in Wisconsin, Schrick originally dreamed of a career in the
medical profession. When she was in second grade, her grandmother suffered a massive
stroke and could no longer communicate effectively or take care of herself.
“I decided I was going to become a neurologist so I could find a cure for my grandmother
and others who suffered strokes,” Schrick recalls. “My entire primary and secondary
educational years, that was the plan. I was going to become a doctor. But I failed
my first course my first semester and dropped out after the second semester.”
She moved to Salina, Kansas, in 1991, where she first met Dan Schrick ’83, her husband
of 31 years (their first date was to a K-State football game). She ended up pursuing
a career in the banking industry, spending more than 20 years in the field.
Then the banking/mortgage crisis of 2008 hit, and she started thinking about changing
careers. She returned to school in 2010 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Wichita
State, and then was accepted into K-State’s academic advising master’s program.
About halfway through her K-State degree, Schrick heard about the launch of the College
of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching: a flexible online program designed to provide a path for career changers wishing
to become educators.
“The challenge I am most proud of is being a full-time student while raising our kids
and staying involved in all the activities that come along with being a parent,” Schrick
said. “All our kids have graduated from a post-secondary institution and are self-sufficient
in a career they have chosen. Watching them as adults has been more fulfilling than
any accomplishment that I am proud of for myself.”
An ongoing journey
Schrick returned to school to earn another master’s degree in high incidence special
education through Fort Hays State University, and while earning that degree, she said
she discovered she had an affinity for teaching students how to read. She found an
opportunity within K-State’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction to tailor a
doctoral degree to her interests.
“When I learned about the doctoral program at K-State, I was smart enough to understand
that while I will never be a medical doctor, I had an opportunity to fulfill that
lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. And while I will never cure any stroke victim,
I can help kids cure the embarrassment and shame of being labeled as struggling readers,”
Schrick said.
Some of Schrick’s favorite days as a teacher are when a student experiences a break-through,
and she watches them smile and participate.
“I had one student last week tell me, ‘Mrs. Schrick, I love learning science with
you because you make it fun.’ Those days make up for all of the difficult days.”
Planning for the future
Once she completes her doctorate, Schrick said her goal is to work with future educators
and help them understand how to teach kids to read.
“Many post-secondary institutions have theory classes, and even practicums, but they
don’t have classes that instruct how to teach students to read,” she said. “This is
primarily due to there being so many different curriculums available and there’s really
no way to know what district pre-service teachers will end up at and what curriculum
they use. I believe if we do a good job at giving them the foundations and exposing
them to a great curriculum, they can make the transfer of knowledge to a different
curriculum.”
She encourages other K-Staters to not be afraid to follow their dreams, whether that’s
starting a new career or going back to school.
“I would offer the advice of embracing lifelong learning — the world is constantly
evolving and a willingness to learn and adapt is a great asset,” she said. “Education
has become a continuous process instead of a one-time event. Also, leverage the experience
you already have. Life and work experiences are valuable even in different industries
— identify transferable skills that apply to your new career.”
She also recommends staying organized and setting goal posts for yourself as you begin
your journey.
“Define your educational and career objectives — as teachers are often asked, ‘What
is your why?’ Make sure to create a plan to achieve your goals. I used my plan of study to cross
off classes as I completed them. This was a visual representation of my progress for
those times when I felt I wasn’t going to make it.”
