Her Story
About Tiffany
I have been drawn to education, writing, and mentorship for as long as I can remember. As a child, I played pretend teacher and grew up surrounded by learning—both in books and in lived experience. I strongly believe in experiential education, guided by a John Dewey philosophy that learning should be active, engaged, and rooted in real life.
Raised outside Boston in a traditional Polish and Irish Catholic-Judeo family, I was deeply involved in athletics: Soccer MVP Captain for Southern Vermont College, Varsity lettering in Field Hockey, ice hockey, cheerleading, softball - I have always been particularly passionate about paddleboarding/surfing and snowboarding. I worked as a lifeguard during highschool and worked at Stratton mountain attending SVC. I earned my undergraduate degree in English from Southern Vermont College, completing my student teaching at Burr and Burton Academy, where I taught humanities, English language arts, and philosophy.
After graduating in 2010, my career spanned preschools, blue-collar work environments, private tutoring, and au pairing before I moved to Cape Cod. There, I worked as an obituary writer for the Cape Cod Times and later joined the GateHouse Media corporate training department. When COVID reshaped the world, it reaffirmed my commitment to education. I completed my graduate degree at Lesley University and earned my TESOL certification.
Today, I teach at Barnstable Intermediate School in Hyannis, where I have served in roles spanning humanities, wellness, health, physical education, and social sciences. I have also coached field hockey, cheerleading, and led soccer and softball clinics. I am currently pursuing a second master’s degree—an MFA in poetry at New England College—where I have been awarded a teaching assistantship and teach undergraduate writing composition. My goal is to teach at the university level, continuing a lifelong dedication to mentorship, scholarship, and the transformative power of education.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tiffany
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my drive, my mojo, and my ability to stay focused and accomplish what I set my mind to. Going back to school and going through the licensure program, getting all the certifications and passing the exams while still working full-time, then completing that first graduate degree and continuing on to another graduate degree without really having a break - that's what defines my success. It's my strive, my determination to keep pushing forward and not stopping in my journey. I just keep adding more tools to my toolbox as I go.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Listen, be quiet and listen and observe. Get as much education as you can, and when I mean education, I mean both experience and school. Don't just focus on book learning - make sure you're getting real-world experience too. Take the time to really watch, listen, and learn from what's happening around you before jumping in.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in education right now is the bilingual and trilingual emergence, especially in areas like Cape Cod where a lot of teachers struggle with communication barriers. When you have half to 75% of your class speaking Portuguese, Creole, and Spanish, it's tough and weighs on teachers. Many weren't prepared for it. That's why I went back to school to get my TESL certification, because I knew this would help me. I grew up speaking Polish and have picked up Italian, Portuguese, and had formal Spanish training, so I have an advantage. But I see other teachers struggling, and even for me sometimes there's more translating and going the extra 10 miles. The language barrier is a huge struggle for the education population. If you're not TESL certified or don't have your SEI endorsement, it's very difficult. A lot of professional development now centers around SEI, emerging bilinguals, and how to teach when you have three to five languages in your classroom and English isn't the dominant language anymore. But in the same respect, there's opportunity - there are way more TESL teachers needed right now, which opens up more opportunities. There are more teaching aide positions needed in a behavioral sense too, because of issues that have been created or manifested, whether from COVID or other factors. Even though there are problems, there are also opportunities from the same problems.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Kindness, respect, and honesty - that's how I operate, whether I'm in the classroom or in the real world. These three values guide everything I do, both professionally and personally.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.