Raised on UT basketball and football in the small East Texas town of Jacksonville, Halle Hogg grew up hearing her grandmother chant Texas Fight,
encouraging her granddaughter to one day become a Longhorn.
When it came time to apply to college, the high school tuba player knew two things for sure – she wanted to attend The University of Texas at Austin and she wanted to march with the Longhorn Band. Nothing is better than getting to wear the fringe,
Hogg said. She also became a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and LHBlacks.
Still, she always knew her education would take center stage.
Initially majoring in psychology, Hogg realized something was missing. During her first semester in Analytical Reading and Writing, which promotes study skills and critical thinking, she shared her uncertainty with her professor Dr. Leta Deithloff in the College of Liberal Arts. Deithloff encouraged Hogg to explore educational psychology in the College of Education.
Through the college’s Professional Development Sequence (PDS), she discovered her passion for teaching by gaining real-world classroom experience – a pivotal step on her journey as an educator.
Future Longhorn Teacher
As a student in the College of Education, Hogg studied early childhood through 6th grade education and pursued a minor in educational psychology. She will earn her bachelor’s degree in Applied Learning and Development in December upon receiving her official Longhorn pin, a time-honored tradition at the college that honors graduating teachers as they become professional educators.
I knew I wanted to be a support system for younger children and young adults, and I discovered that the best way to be that support system was to become an educator,
Hogg said. I have learned that I love being a teacher. I have the opportunity to build close relationships, support students, and help foster their love for learning. I am so happy to be where I am now and doing something I love every single day.
Hogg credits the College of Education faculty and her mentors with helping her develop strong decision-making and problem-solving skills that she expects to draw on daily in the classroom. I have to decide how to teach a lesson, what will benefit my students the most, how the lesson is most likely going to play out,
Hogg said. If the lesson isn’t going as planned, I have to decide how to pivot and try something else in the moment.
While Hogg has not yet accepted a permanent teaching position, she knows from experience that her future students will play a big role in defining who she is as an educator.
If my students aren’t learning, how can I fix it?
she said. I have to redirect students without disrupting the rest of the class.
She works hard to make her classroom a welcoming space, filling it with bright and colorful colors and displays of student artwork that reflect both her personality and her students’ creativity. I feel confident that I can support my students and keep my classroom running smoothly,
she said.
Shaped by Support
Hogg’s support network – her family, mentors and especially her grandmother – remains a constant source of encouragement and inspiration. Her family motivates her to push past her limits, build confidence and continue growing as an educator.
I’ve often been nervous to try new things and explore who I am as an educator,
Hogg shared, but with the support I’ve been given, I’ve been able to push past those invisible barriers.
When asked what comes to her mind when she thinks of her students, that one’s easy: What starts here changes the world.
