Yvette Satteson is pictured in her classroom at Mount Union Area Senior High School. Satteson is in her 32nd year of teaching in the district.
By VADA BANKS | Journalism Student, Mount Union Area Senior High School
Mount Union, Pa. — After more than three decades of teaching, Yvette Satteson continues to impact her current and former students through her experience, passion, and love for teaching.
Satteson is currently a member of the Special Education Department at Mount Union Area Senior High School, where she teaches learning support. Her classes include math, science, and a resource room that provides students with a more structured study hall. “I have taught here for 32 years. This is my 32nd year,” Satteson said. Prior to joining the high school staff, Satteson worked at Mapleton Elementary and Shirley Township Elementary, as well as group homes and Beacon Lodge Camp for the Blind.
One of Satteson’s favorite aspects of working in her department is the relationships she has built with her colleagues. “I really like our team. We are all very different, but we work well together. And we all have strengths to bring to the table as a team,” she said. For Satteson, working with a supportive team is an important part of helping students succeed.
In addition to the connections she has formed with her coworkers, Satteson strives to build meaningful relationships with all of her students as well. Her class sizes range from 5 to 13 students, creating a more personal and effective learning environment. “I would say I have a great relationship with most students. I like to joke around, but I think most students know they can trust me and I’m here for them and I’m going to try to push them to their full potential. Not all of them want that for themselves, and that’s the difficult part of the job,” she said.
Despite the hesitation of some of her students, Satteson believes that this push is vital for students to learn. In fact, teachers who did the same for her and her classmates inspired Satteson to pursue a career in education.
At the beginning of her teaching journey in the senior high, Satteson said it took a little time to adjust to the high school. “The amount of work here is just so much more and IEPs are so much harder and longer. You have to deal with so many different aspects of the job that nobody ever really sees. You think a teacher teaches, but our job is just so much more than that,” she said.
According to Satteson, “One thing that stayed consistent from elementary school to high school is how students learn. To teach effectively, educators must think like a student does.” This ability does not come naturally, but Satteson demonstrates that dedication and patience can make the difference between understanding and confusion. Like many educators, she faces hidden challenges and unexpected obstacles on a daily basis. However, the rewards of teaching far outweigh the difficulties, making the impact she has on her students well worth the effort.
Satteson said the rewards of teaching can sometimes be seen even after students have left the district. She explained, “One of the things that has touched me the most is students that have left here and they remember me afterwards. I have been invited to weddings and baby showers.”
The impact Satteson has had on her students remains evident through shared memories, classroom laughs, and even wedding photos. “It just tells me that they remember me, they appreciate me, and it’s just special,” she said.
Satteson wants her students to leave the classroom knowing that she pushed them to reach their full potential each time they entered her classroom. “I want them to know that I tried to push them to be their best, and I would love for them to have wanted that also and not to regret that later,” she said.
Her willingness to work with students every day from bell to bell, even through some complaints, is what makes Satteson a teacher students can go to when they are struggling with assignments, need advice, or even just want to talk about their day. The ability to listen is just as important as the ability to teach, and Satteson strives to provide both for her students.
This article was published as part of Ms. Dimoff’s Journalism class at Mount Union Area Senior High School.
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