Unconditional love of children motivates Pierce to teach speech
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She is now in her fifth year and enjoys the job and the students she works with. Previously, she worked at a geriatric facility with older adults, but found she wanted to work with children.
She began teaching at a learning house preschool, working with a child who was hard to understand.
“I could see his frustration, and it bothered me he couldn’t communicate,” says Pierce. “So I started looking for different ways to help. Teaching speech and language to the students, I can actually see their language is getting better.”
Pierce was also influenced by Barbara Solomon at West Elementary, and wanted to follow in her footsteps. “Mitzi came to the school and observed some of my classes,” recalls Solomon. “Since then, she has become a very hard worker who really seems to love her students. The parents have only good things to say about her.”
The best part of her job, Pierce says, is the unconditional love the kids give, and just being able to share the progress they make. There is nothing, in fact, she dislikes about being a speech pathologist.
“I love this job and the administrators I work with,” she said. “I would remind anyone seeking a similar career to be committed to the decision, and possibly observe others doing it to make sure it is the correct move. There is also a lot paperwork.”
Speech pathology requires a master’s degree, but will pay for itself with the lives touched and the improvements that the students attain, according to Pierce.
She is married to Roy, human resource manager for the school system. They have two children, ages 21 and 18. Mitzi likes to do heirloom sewing, reading, and spending lots of time outdoors.