The public school district Teacher

Paulo Ribeiro, '08, '09

Seven years ago, Paulo Ribeiro moved from Americana, Brazil to the United States in an effort to receive an American education.

He didn't know English.

Today, Ribeiro, who fluently speaks three languages including English, is a teacher for one of the best public school districts in Missouri, if not in the nation.

"I was determined to do this," Ribeiro said. "I set goals, and then I try to reach those goals. I think you have to do that if you are determined to reach something."

Ribeiro graduated in May with a Master of Arts in Teaching from MBU. A year earlier, he received a Bachelor of Science in Education. All the while, Ribeiro worked full-time as a housekeeper at MBU's West County campus in an effort to cover living expenses and schooling.

Beginning this fall, all of his work paid off when he began his career as a physical education and health teacher at Parkway Southwest Middle School in Manchester, Mo.

It's a dream come true.

"I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to help my students be healthy for the rest of their lives," he said. "My students can go on to get a great education and a good job; however, I can empower them to change their lifestyles today so they can live long healthy lives. That
is priceless."

MBU's education program is the largest academic program at MBU and one of the most prominent in the bi-state region.

Today, MBU alumni teach in classrooms throughout St. Louis and beyond-from small private schools to large public districts, like Parkway. An underpinning of the education program is to couple a theoretical framework with practical application to form an innovative program and then to tailor such coursework for a wide-range of future educators.

"I am grateful for the education I received at MBU and for the opportunities the faculty and staff provided me," Ribeiro said. "I feel like my hard work is paying off now, as I get to do what I am
passionate about."

MBU placed Ribeiro at Parkway Southwest Middle for his student-teaching opportunity during his undergraduate program. The work he did as a student teacher caught the eyes of the school's administrators, which may in itself say a lot about Ribeiro's ability as an educator. Parkway's college entrance exam scores are among the best in the country, and the district is accredited and recognized for "Distinction in Performance for High Achievement," the highest rating available by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

With the same determination that brought him to where he is today, Ribeiro is committed to helping his students learn how to live well.

"I don't want my students to remember me as the PE teacher with the funny accent who had fun with them," Ribeiro said. "I want to teach them activities that they can use for the rest of their lives."