Hello! My name is Lex O’Shea. I am thrilled to be joining the Cornel Community! I am from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a simple state almost right in the middle of the United States. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in December 2022 with my BA degree in Elementary Education and a language Minor in Spanish. After graduating, I moved to South America and taught 6th grade at an international academy in Ecuador. I am excited for this next chapter in my teaching career to see what incredible experiences I will have in Taiwan!

When I am not teaching, I enjoy being outdoors as much as possible. I spend my time rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and drawing. Some things on my nature bucket list are: hiking a volcano, cliff diving, and visiting a hot spring. I am looking forward to exploring the beautiful land of Taiwan and immersing myself in all that its culture has to offer!

I believe learning happens just as much outside of the classroom as it does inside of it. My goal is to inspire students to never lose their curiosity for what is going on in the world they live in, to ask questions about things that are new or confusing. My teaching philosophy entails that my classroom is a brave space for students to “fall forward”,      in the sense that each time they falter on learning concepts, they are using them as stepping stones to keep going, instead of seeing them as roadblocks. With a supportive classroom, students will be able to progress further together in their understanding by being a part of a cohesive learning community. I am honored to be joining Cornel and I am delighted to see what experiences are on the horizon!