For Liz Mileski, teaching isn’t just a career, it’s a calling that began in elementary school and evolved into a role where she helps adults strengthen their skills and believe in themselves.
She started her career as a middle school and special education teacher and loved using her creativity to help students learn.
Today, Liz is the Department Chair for the FVTC Adult Education department and feels right at home. “I absolutely love what I do here,” she says. “I get to read and write all day with people. I also learn a lot about the lives my students had before they came to school, and that’s really eye-opening for me.”
What classes do you teach?
I teach in the adult education department and communication skills, working with students getting their high school credential. I also work with students who are looking for support and confidence-building in reading, writing and study skills, as well as technology; learning Blackboard can be a little intimidating sometimes.
What did you do before you worked at FVTC?
I taught for several years in the Oshkosh Area School District and the Appleton Area School District, mostly middle school and special education. I worked on reading and also taught social studies.
Why did you decide to go into teaching? And what made you decide to make the switch to adult education?
Somehow, I was lucky enough to know in first or second grade that I wanted to be a teacher. I fell in love with my elementary school teachers, and I love learning in general. Being a teacher gave me the opportunity to be in the classroom all the time. I get to help people, which is something that I’m really driven to do as well. Special education really tied into some of my strengths in terms of patience and creativity and being able to explain something in different ways for students. In K12, I also started to do some workshops with the teachers, and I found that I really liked working with adults. So I thought moving into the technical college would be a great way for me to utilize all those skills… I love teaching, I love working with people, so working with adults seemed like the next step.
What do you enjoy most about the classes you teach?
One of my favorite things is I get to read and write all day with people—those are two of my favorite things to do. Being able to read and hear other people’s interpretations of current event articles or different content areas is so interesting. Because I have students from all program areas, I work really hard to contextualize what we have. So I might pull in a criminal justice article one week, the next week might be a manufacturing article, and I get to hear more about the students’ backgrounds. I learn a lot about the lives they had before they came to school, and that’s really eye-opening for me. So not only do we get to talk about the content but also hear about how that comes from their background and how it has shaped their lives.
What’s one piece of advice you have for students?
Try it. It’s probably never going to feel like the perfect time. You’re not going to feel totally ready to do it. But give it a shot. Give it a chance. Trust yourself. Trust that the people around you that are going to help you through any bumps. If you don’t try it, you’re not going to know.
What skill are you currently working on?
The big one that I’m currently focusing on is trying to get off my phone, that’s a goal I have. I’d also like to get into some watercolor painting. Just very basic watercolor painting, but I’m hesitant to try. So I’m working on following my own advice that I give to students in terms of just give it a shot. Trying something then making time to do the thing you want to do or get better at.
What’s one thing about you that might surprise your students?
One thing I think surprises students when I talk to them in those first week or so of class is the type of music I listen to. I think they meet me on the first day of class, and they think that they may assume that I listen to one type of music, but I listen to heavier kind of rock and roll, some of the screaming kinds of music. And I think that throws students a little bit. They’re surprised.
What do you like to do outside of the classroom?
Reading is probably an obvious one, but I’m really into exercising as well. I have a stationary bike in my basement that I like. I have teenage twins at home, so the time that they let me spend with them is what I like to do. So if we can be outside, I try and find some of the Appleton events that are going on… the farmer’s market, concerts, things like that. My other love is cooking. I like trying new recipes and seeing how it turns out.
What was your first job?
My first job was working as a bus person in a supper club, and I absolutely loved it. I loved helping the waitresses, overhearing what people were going to order, then I could get the cups ready, and I could make the salads ahead of time. I loved being able to excel at that. I got to work with people, but not necessarily directly with them, so I didn’t have to remember the orders. I didn’t have to interact with them. But I could really be behind the scenes and help.
What was your best job?
I absolutely love what I do here. I’m also the department chair for adult education, and I feel like that is such a great mix of me being in the classroom working with students, then also being able to be part of some of the procedures supporting the instructors who are working with students at different points in their career. Where I’m at right now is probably my best job.
Lightning Round
Vacation: beach or mountains?
Beach
Winter or summer?
Definitely summer
City or country?
That’s a tough one. If I had to pick one city.
Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction
Messy desk or clean desk?
Clean
Cat person or dog person?
Definitely dog
Morning person or night owl?
Morning person
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Probably pasta. Some kind of spaghetti. Noodle sauce.
What’s the last TV show you binge watched?
The Morning Show
