Victoria Ronan
Equinox Staff
The education major program at Keene State College goes above and beyond when preparing students for life after they graduate.
Education majors at Keene State College attend classes just like the rest of the students who have other majors.
However, education majors also enjoy the benefits of getting some actual hands-on experience.
A specific class offered here at Keene State College called Methods 1 is an important class for all education majors. It is treated like an internship.
Most students in different majors have to seek out their own internship with the help of the Academic and Career Advising Center or just through their own individual research.
Education majors have this Methods 1 class act like an internship that the school sets up for them and is required for them to take before they graduate.
The Methods 1 education class is a unique class according to KSC senior Kayla Romaniello.
“Every experience is different for everyone, but for mine, it was a lot of observing. We sat at a table that allowed us to observe our teacher. We didn’t do much besides observe. We graded some papers and hung things, but it wasn’t what I had expected,” she said.
The Methods 1 class is the first experience in hands-on training for education majors.
After Methods 1 students move on to the Methods 2 education class.
Then the last thing students do before they graduate is student teaching.
Students are required to take the Methods 1 class before they can take Methods 2.
Methods 1 lets students see a classroom setting from the teacher’s point of view instead of from a student’s point of view.
Romaniello said in the Methods 1 class students are supposed to assist their cooperating teacher in any way possible.
The methods class is the first step in a long process to prepare students to become real teachers.
Romaniello said the Methods 1 education class is the first baby step into the teaching field.
Training teachers is a long process.
“Methods 1 somewhat prepares you for Methods 2, but I feel like being in the education field, you can’t really be taught everything.
Being in a classroom is what gives you that experience and reality of what it’s really like to be a teacher.”
Nicole Cianciulli, a junior at Keene State College and a former education major, said to be an education major you have to be really dedicated.
“Teaching is unlike any other major here at Keene. You have to really want it and be really committed.”
Cianciulli said she never took the Methods 1 class because she switched majors before it got to that point. “All of my education teachers in the lower-level classes tried to prepare me for what it was going to be like, and I realized it just wasn’t something I wanted to do anymore,” she said.
Cianciulli said the Methods 1 class is supposed to prepare you for the more hands-on Methods 2 class. “The way the major is set up at this school lets students get a feel for what they are going to be doing on a daily basis before they graduate and actually get a job.”
Cianciulli believes the methods classes are a great way to prepare students before they begin student teaching. She said it is important for students to see that even though they are in school, they need to act like a teacher.
Dr. Prudence Cuper, assistant professor of education at Keene State College, said Methods 1 is the very first class in the education department that requires teacher candidates to spend a certain amount time each week in an elementary classroom.
“It is one of the most important, exciting and growth-inspiring courses in our program.” Cuper said.
Students not only work on campus but they also work with other professionals off campus too.
She believes the Methods 1, Methods 2, and student teaching courses give education students a lot of preparation for life after graduation.
“In order to become effective classroom teachers, it’s essential to spend as much time as possible working with students in a real classroom,” Cuper said.
In addition, Cuper also said even though the word internship isn’t the terminology used in the education department it has the same basic principle.
Every student in the education program is required to participate in the Methods 1 class before they can begin the Methods 2 class and before they can begin student teaching.
The methods classes teach students how to actually become real teachers. It puts students in a real life learning experience.
Education majors need to not only choose education as their major but they must also choose a certain subject to focus on.
According to the Keene State College Magazine for Alumni and Friends, education is one of the most popular majors at KSC.
Victoria Ronan can be contacted at vronan@ksc.mailcruiser.com