Derinda McKinstry MSEd '17 (Image provided)
Geneseo will celebrate its newest master's degree recipients at a ceremony on Friday, May 12, at 7 p.m. in Brodie Hall's Alice Austin Theatre. Educator Derinda McKinstry '17 MSEd will speak at the commencement.
McKinstry specialized in reading and literacy for children from birth to age 12 at Geneseo’s Ella Cline Shear School of Education and is an early childhood educator with the Rochester City School District.
McKinstry says she focuses on meeting her students social and emotional needs while creating a learning environment that thrives on providing curriculum through a play-based lens.
McKinstry received the Helen Bach Moss Memorial Better Beginnings Award from the State of New York Education Department in 2015. The honor is given to teachers skilled at engaging young minds and developing nurturing relationships that foster a love for learning. In 2021, McKinstry was awarded a Staples "Thank a Teacher" grant for her efforts to provide developmentally appropriate hands-on lessons and materials, even during COVID, when classes were held remotely. McKinstry held weekly visits with each student and their family.