Educators are responsible for teaching the minds of younger generations.
However, have you ever wondered what it takes to become one of these teachers?
According to the Keene State College website, in order to become a student teacher, there are a number of steps one must first complete. These are known as “decision points.” Within the KSC curriculum, there are five decision points.
Students intending to enter one of the educator preparation programs at KSC must first apply for admission to Educator Preparation and meet certain academic criteria.
This consists of completing the education 100 and 200 level courses and participating in a partnership with a nearby school, according to sophomore Taylor Murphy.
Murphy is currently completing decision point one and working two days a week at Marlborough Elementary School had this to say about the process, “I love the program because you get an overview of the teaching experience.”
Murphy went on to add, “There are many Keene State students currently working at the elementary school and it is nice because the participating teachers are just as eager to work with us as we are with them.” Decision points two and three require students to participate in a series of three practicums.
Decision point four is an eligibility check insuring that students have completed all prerequisites.
In the final stages of the point progression, senior Taylor Jones, who student teaches sixth, seventh and eighth grade Spanish at Keene Middle School said, “The faculty treats me as one of their peers and not just a student.”
Faced with the question of what it is like to be observed while teaching, Jones said, “At first, I thought it would be nerve-racking, but the teacher is in and out of the classroom and lets me have control over the students.”
Jones also said she likes, “working with kids of the middle school age group because they are so excited about learning that it makes it easy on me to teach.”
Jones’ supervising teacher, Lisa Hawkins, explained what it’s like for her to have an extra educator in her classroom.“The kids respond well to Taylor and having an extra adult to help out is a lifesaver,” she said.
Hawkins stated, “Giving Taylor feedback on her lessons not only benefits her, but we both learn from each other because sometimes I like the lessons she does.”
Aspiring elementary teacher Annan Walker, KSC senior, said, “I am in a classroom five days a week 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” when asked about her experience as a student teacher.
Walker said her favorite aspect of teaching is, “Watching them [the students] grow and develop and me having a positive impact in how they behave and act towards each other.”
When outside of the third grade classroom, Walker said she, “plans lessons and thinks of what she is going to do with the class the next day.”
Walker stated that having a teacher observe her, “was kind of difficult at first, and you feel more comfortable when the teacher is out of the room giving you time to be more yourself.”
Aside from student teaching, Walker and Jones are required to participate in a seminar for their major every couple of weeks.
“If I actually had to take classes at the same time, it would be very difficult,” Walker stated after being asked if she had a full course load on top of student teaching.
When they are done, Walker and Jones will have completed decision point five, and their supervising teachers will determine their eligibility for recommendation and endorsement for education certification in New Hampshire. One step closer toward completion.
Zach Fournier can be contacted at zfournier@keene-equinox.com