School of Education Alumna Katlyn Proof ‘23 ‘24 Selected for Inaugural Matt’s Maker Space Fellowship in Ireland Alumni Profile
Meet Katlyn Proof '23 '24
- Job Title & Employer
- Itinerant Teacher, Pittsburgh Public Schools Early Intervention
- Majors/Programs
- Education Pre-K – 4th Grade with Dual Certification in Special Education PreK-12, Athletic Coaching-M.Ed.
- College Activities
- Point Park Softball Team
- Hometown
- Munhall, Pa.
- High School
- Steel Valley Senior High School
- Now Living In
- Munhall, Pa.
- Hobbies & Interests
- Sports, art and traveling
"It means so much to me that this fellowship is even a possibility. The last time I left Ireland, I thought I'd never get to go back. It is my dream to live, work and teach in Ireland. This is just another step in the right direction for me."
When Katlyn Proof was deciding where she wanted to attend college, she looked at every aspect of Point Park University's School of Education.
"I saw that they offered a summer field experience abroad program and student teaching abroad program in Ireland," she said. "I was like, 'I don't know how to get involved, or who I need to talk to, but I am doing that.'"
This fall, Proof will make her third trip to the Emerald Isle as the first Point Park alumna accepted for the inaugural Matt's Maker Space Fellowship Program, an expenses-paid experiential learning opportunity abroad for graduates to immerse themselves in maker education at SEK International Dublin School and create a meaningful impact in the classroom. The School of Education is able to offer this distinctive opportunity thanks to its partnership with and the generosity of Matt's Maker Space and Noelle Conover, co-founder and executive director.
"It means so much to me that this fellowship is even a possibility," Proof said. "The last time I left Ireland, I thought I'd never get to go back. It is my dream to live, work and teach in Ireland. This is just another step in the right direction for me."
An Unmatched Undergraduate Experience
Proof started her teaching journey as an elementary education major at Point Park, earning dual certification in special education for students PreK-12. She managed a demanding schedule, working 40 hours a week and playing on the University's softball team when she wasn't in class. She stayed focused on achieving her dream of teaching in Ireland while gaining experience in Point Park's two on-campus Matt's Maker Space Labs.
"Every professor I had was caring about who I was and what I wanted to do, especially Virginia Chambers and Kamryn York," she said.
When Proof was accepted into the summer field experience abroad program, she went to SEK to work with Spanish-speaking students who came to the school to learn English.
"We would spend the morning with them, teaching and helping them learn the language," she said. "In the afternoons, we would do crafts or other activities to allow the students to have free time and fun. I spent a lot of time in the art room doing art projects with the students. Every other day, we went on field trips with the students and took them to different landmarks and destinations around Dublin."
Proof cherished the opportunity to explore a new area with her students, with Howth Harbor's shopping scene and market topping her list of favorite places. It was her first time having full independence far from home, a transformative experience that boosted her confidence and curiosity about the world around her. It was an easy decision to apply for the student teaching experience at Greystones Educate Together in Ireland.
"Student teaching was so much fun," she said. "I worked with special needs students. I had six students in my classroom. We spent most of each day integrating them into the mainstream classroom, and I worked alongside the classroom teacher to come up with lesson plans that I could teach the students. Everyone there was amazing to work with and super welcoming."
Her time in Ireland enhanced the education she received at Point Park, where professors prioritize connecting students with valuable field experiences throughout the Pittsburgh region. Proof had opportunities to observe and teach at:
- Sunrise School for students with special needs
- Mt. Lebanon School District
- West Mifflin School District
- Her alma mater, Steel Valley School District.
"Point Park's education program is less sitting in the classroom and more hands-on learning, which I think is really important," she said.
The Difference a Maker Space Makes
It was through her field experiences that Proof saw the impact that maker education can have on a child's learning experience and how the skills taught through making can really stick with students.
For her student teaching experience at Foster Elementary, Proof was thrilled to work alongside teacher and Point Park alumnus William Zbozny-Del Percio '10, who is also passionate about maker education. A lot of the material Proof was tasked with teaching was straightforward, but she was determined to create a lesson plan that utilized the school's Matt's Maker Space. Together they transformed a 3rd grade lesson about Betsy Ross, the American flag and U.S. independence into a hands-on maker activity.
"I taught them how to sew, and we created flags," she said. "Then around Christmastime, when I was preparing to leave at the end of the semester, one of my students sewed an ornament and gave it to me as a Christmas gift. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen."
Proof was a student at Point Park when the University opened its first Matt's Maker Space Lab on campus.
"Maker education makes learning more fun," she said. "When students have fun learning, they are more likely to pay attention and remember what they are taught. Maker education is a tool needed to foster creativity in the academic environment. I believe it helps teachers to better understand their students and their educational needs without the use of testing."
Maker spaces are a resource she raves about to any educator who will listen.
"I still talk to my teachers from my high school, and I said, 'You guys need to find a way to get one of these. If I come to teach here, I want a maker space, no matter the grade level, subject or area of need I'm teaching,'" she said. "I've always had a love for math and science. I'm very much a numbers person, and I like encouraging people to be more interested in math and science because so many people are afraid of it. Giving them an opportunity to find a way to love it the same way I do is really important to me."
A Personalized Pathway
During her undergraduate studies, Proof learned she could get a jump start on her master's degree, so she enrolled in Point Park's M.Ed. in Athletic Coaching and Administration, another one of her passions. She completed seven graduate courses as an undergraduate and finished her degree last year.
"I like how the classes and assignments were all personalized to me," she said. "We had creative freedom in most assignments and were able to adapt them to our own interests and sports. I also love how flexible and understanding the professors were as adults trying to further our education."
Proof currently works for Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) as an itinerant teacher, instructing preschoolers with special needs. Her supervisor is on board with Proof's upcoming fellowship in Ireland, as she will bring back a wealth of experience that will benefit PPS students.
"My dream job is to work in an elementary school and focus on STEM education," she said. "Schools often have special programs or classes, like art and music. I think STEM should be one of those. I would love to have my own maker space and teach STEM at least once a week. I think all students need it. It would change lives."
"That's why I'm so excited about this Matt's Maker Space Fellowship," she said. "It is exactly what I want to do."
Learn more about the School of Education:
- Elementary Education Major and Working Mom Cydney Haines Touts Flexibility of Point Park's School of Education
- Student Q&A: Educational Theories and Practices Course Opens Elementary Education Major Up to a World of Possibilities
- Education Majors Studying Special Education Gain Hands-On Travel Instruction Experience Through Partnership with the Pathfinder School