Emerson Foster

CREDENTIALS

• B.A. History and Gender Studies from the University of Utah. 

• Endorsements: History, ESL, and k-12 Special Education Mild/Moderate Disabilities

PHILOSOPHY

Guided by Dr. Seuss’s words, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not,” she takes a reconstructionist approach to education, encouraging students to see themselves as agents of change in their communities. She believes that the true purpose of education is not only to build academic skills but also to empower students to apply their learning to real-world contexts. She is passionate about helping students recognize their own strengths and potential, and sees it as an educator’s responsibility to show them just how capable they are.

PROFESSIONAL

While earning her degrees from the University of Utah, she began working at a local high school, supporting students who were struggling academically and socially. For four years, she focused on helping students develop executive functioning skills and strengthen social-emotional learning, always with the ultimate goal of graduation in mind. After completing her degrees, she earned her teaching license through an alternative pathway program in secondary academics, which allowed her to teach English as a Second Language courses to adult learners in the Salt Lake area.

CREATING STUDENT SUCCESS 

She creates student success by cultivating safe, supportive environments where students feel empowered to take risks, learn from mistakes, and grow in confidence. By focusing on both academic and personal development, she equips students with the skills to thrive in school and beyond, ensuring that success is not just measured in grades, but in resilience, curiosity, and self-belief.

PERSONAL 

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys embroidery, building Legos, cooking, and traveling. A passionate music fan, she often attends concerts across the country. She is also the proud “tortoise mom” of a sulcata tortoise named Tortilla.