Sage Series: Julie Bilz, Ph.D
Sage Series
Facilitated by the IU Columbus Center for Teaching and Learning
The Sage Series features veteran AirPark Campus faculty who are willing to share “pearls of wisdom” they gained over the arc of their careers.
Julie Bilz, Ph.D.
Friday, February 28, 2025
Dr. Bilz is a Professor and Program Chair of Elementary/Secondary Education and alternative licensing at Ivy Tech Community College Columbus since 2005. Bilz’s educational background includes a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (Teacher Education Specialty), Walden University; an M.S. in Educational Leadership, Indiana University; and a B.S. in Secondary Education-Social Studies Education. Bilz has taught as an Elementary Teacher in a private school, directed Early Childhood and School age programs through Children, Inc. in Columbus, Indiana, and taught in the Brownsburg school corporations as a Social Studies Teacher concentrating on Differentiated Instruction and Cooperative Learning and as a US History Teacher. Bilz believes passion is the main ingredient in becoming an effective teacher and encourages evidence-based and inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment practices to provide authentic and active classroom experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Always wanted to be a teacher – early jobs (homeless shelter, social work) led to a career as an educator
- Embrace change – try new things/new strategies – don’t get bored
- There are always new approaches emerging – stay current
- Teaching provides an opportunity to motivate and inspire others – especially the next generation of teachers and leaders
- Humanize yourself as an educator – commit to our students as we expect them to commit to our classes
- Encourages pre-service students to gradually shift from a student perspective to an educator perspective
- Follow your passion – do what you love and love what you do