Learning the ropes while teaching the basics


By Daniel Arens

Maya Moltzen is getting her classroom ready to go as the school year approaches. New to the Hazen School District, she is teaching first grade.

In less than a week after this paper goes to print, the 2021-22 school year officially begins.
This year, Hazen will see new teachers throughout all grade levels, eager to get to know the kids in their classes and become part of the community.
Maya Moltzen is taking on her first year as an educator, doing exactly what she hoped to be doing. A new first grade teacher, she hopes to help her students as they learn some of the foundational skills for the rest of their school years.
“I saw the position online when I was looking for teaching jobs,” Moltzen said. “I had met Mr. Sinclair [the elementary principal] at a job fair in Minot, so I was already familiar with that.”
Moltzen is originally from Jamestown, where she graduated from high school. She attended Minot State University for her four-year degree in elementary education, graduating in December 2020.
Moltzen did her student teaching with a second grade teacher in Minot. She also spent the spring 2021 semester substitute teaching.
Teaching was a definite path she wanted to pursue throughout her life.
“My mom is a high school teacher, so teaching runs in the family,” she said. “I like working with little kids, so I knew it was my level, my people. It’s cool it’s actually happening now.”
Moltzen is excited for her first full-time teaching position, working in a class with about 14 kids.
“I kind of like to take it one day at a time, and go with the flow,” she said. She enjoys the variety of subjects that she gets to work with as an elementary teacher, but said her personal favorite is probably working with science, where you get to explore the subject more creatively.
“I just hope I can settle into the community first off,” she said. “Hopefully the kids have a really good year, and have some great learning experiences.”
In her free time, Moltzen enjoys running, watching Netflix, baking and cooking.

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