Ashley Vasiloff was born in Allendale, Michigan, and grew up with her parents, sister, and extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She received a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids with a major in language arts and a minor in early childhood education. She then earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction/ Teacher Leadership from Dordt College in Iowa.
This is her 15th year of teaching and her third year at Lakewood. Throughout her career, Vasiloff has taught kindergarten, 1st grade, 5th grade, and 6th,7th and 8th grade language arts.
Lakewood Principal Airess Stewart says that Vasiloff works hard to meet the needs of each and every student, every day, and admires the way she has incorporated sign language into her morning meeting routine.
Vasiloff lives in Livonia with her two young daughters and their hundreds of stuffed animals and enjoys traveling, trivia, sports, being outside, and spending time with family and friends.
Why did you pursue a career in teaching?
I have always known two things that were important to me when looking at a career field: I wanted to interact with people and do something that made a positive difference. From a young age, I was able to connect with people, of all ages and as I got older I was drawn to helping children. I was told by others that the way I interacted with children was special and that they “just knew I was going to do something with kids”. Teaching checked all of those boxes.
Why fifth grade?
I have taught kindergarten, 1st grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade. However, I have spent the most time in 5th grade. I enjoy teaching 5th grade because of the students. They are at an age where they can have more in-depth conversations but are still young enough that they enjoy being silly and have a growing sense of humor. Fifth graders are eager to learn but also teach me things as well.
What do you remember about your first year of school in Allendale?
When I was in kindergarten, the town was so small in fact that the school was kindergarten to 12th grade in one building. My kindergarten teacher, Ms. Barb Majewski, gave me a great start to my educational journey, so much so that when I was in high school I went back to be her teacher’s aide.
Describe an average workday.
My workday starts when I wake up at 6 to go over things for the day, get my daughters ready for school, and begin my daily 1.5-hour morning commute. I arrive at school and finish setting things up for the day. Then comes my favorite part: greeting the students and doing morning meeting. This is so special because it is when I get to learn and connect with my students. We go throughout the day learning working and growing together. After dismissal, I will answer a few emails before heading out on my 1.5-hour evening commute, spend time with my daughters, and work for an hour or two before I go to bed.
When you include the time dropping off and picking up your daughters from daycare, your daily round-trip commute is three hours. Is that worth it to teach at Lakewood when it would be easy to get a job closer to home?
I believe in the mission of AAPS and the community environment that is here. This is the type of district I want to be involved with.
Why did you incorporate sign language into your morning meetings last year?
Every year there seems to be one or two specific needs for my class and last year one of those was that a student used sign language to communicate. So that is something that I thought was very important to incorporate as a regular routine in my classroom and have continued to do some this year because that student is still in our building and I want other students to get used to seeing sign language as well.
What are your best tips for classroom management?
My top three tips for classroom management:
- Make sure my students know I care about them
- Clearly communicate my expectations and explain to them the why behind them
- Follow through on what I say and commit to.
Why did you want to work for Ann Arbor Public Schools?
I wanted to work for Ann Arbor Public Schools because I wanted to be part of a district that values all students and their individuality.
What do you like about working at Lakewood specifically?
I like working at Lakewood because of the people. The students, my co-workers, and the entire community work together to support our students.
What’s the happiest part of your workday?
The happiest part of my work day is when I talk with each student. Every day I make it a goal to connect individually with all of my students. I want them to know that they are cared about and have a place in our class.
What do you want most for your students?
Among many things, I hope my students learn and grow and are successful. However, what I want the most for them is to be happy.
What would you be if not a teacher?
If I hadn’t become a teacher I would most likely be a pediatrician or an event planner for a nonprofi
Favorite podcasts, websites, apps:
My favorite podcasts are by Brene´ Brown: Unlocking Us and Daring to Lead.
Was there a teacher who had a particularly strong influence on your career? If so, what did you learn?
My third grade teacher, Mrs. Judy Messing, and my middle/high school science teacher Mr. Duane Watson both highly influenced my career. Mrs. Messing made learning fun, so much so that we didn’t realize we were learning, she was amazing at thinking out of the box. She built a classroom environment that was safe and creative and where everyone belonged. Even as a third grader, I could tell just how special that was. Mr. Watson challenged me to try my best, not play it safe, to not be afraid of failure in order to reach my true potential. He cared about who his students were as people, who we were, and who we would grow up to be. Mrs Messing’s creativity and Mr. Watson’s passion have impacted not just my career, but my life.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is trying to find the time to do everything that is expected to be done.
Your thoughts on the district’s focus on dignity, belonging, and well-being?
I believe that focusing on these virtues exemplifies that all people are valued and are deserving of respect.
How is teaching different from the way you imagined it would be?
Teaching is so much harder than I ever imagined it would be. The actual time teaching with children is such a small amount of what I actually do in this job.
What advice would you give to a first-year teacher?
Be clear, communicate, follow through, ask for help, and give yourself grace.
What’s the best compliment anyone could give you?
That in some way, I made a positive impact on their life’s journey.
What is the most rewarding part of teaching?
The most rewarding part of teaching is that I have the opportunity to help another person learn and grow because when they gain perspective and confidence, even seemingly insignificant, it is an amazing reward to witness.
What do you wish everyone realized about the work of a teacher?
It is so much more than you imagine. Not just the physical tasks, but the mental and emotional energy it takes is overwhelming.
How do you spend your summers?
I spend my summers with my daughters, family, and friends. I love to travel and one of the places I often go is Camp Tosebo on Portage Lake near Manistee Michigan.
What’s most exciting about your professional life right now? Your personal life?
Professionally, connecting with my current students is what is most exciting. Personally, being a part of my daughters’ growth and curiosity is what is most exciting.
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