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Student teachers gain experience

College students from around PA work with mentor teachers as part of student teaching experience. On Sept. 29 pre-service student teachers arrived to begin their experience. College students must complete pre- and full- semester student teaching obligations at local schools before they can graduate and receive their degrees.

College students from Penn State University Park and other well-known colleges in Pennsylvania come to fulfill their teaching posts at the junior high.This gives the student teachers real-life experience in a classroom before being in a classroom of their own.

Carolyn Khouri, a pre-service student teacher at the junior high, is teaching ninth-grade English alongside Wanda Vanish who has been teaching English at the junior high for nineteen years .

“I love being in the classroom,” Khouri said, “and being with the students.”

The pre-service teachers are here Sept. through Nov. They will then return after the winter break to complete their full-student teaching requirements.

“I tried to give as much information about the school,” Vanish said, “to work with her morning classes and help prepare with next semester.”

In addition, the student teachers are placed in all grades throughout the elementary levels, junior high and high school. They are paired up with a teacher in the same subject they desire to one day teach.

An eighth grade science teacher, Barb Mackereth, has a pre-service student teacher in her classroom this school year. Mackereth has been teaching for 22 years, and this is her fifth student teacher she has mentored during her career. Kayla Hennessey, is a pre-service student teacher working with Mackereth.

“I’ve always loved teaching,” said Hennessy. “I worked with day cares in high school and knew when I was very young that I wanted to be a teacher.”

Although the number of student teachers each mentor teacher gets may vary, some can have more than others. Student teachers are graded on their lessons and are recommended by their mentor teacher once the paired sessions in the classroom are over.

“Depending on the student teacher, you could have good and bad experiences,” Mackereth said. “I have had teachers scared of the students, but with her she is very passionate about her work.”

The students in the classrooms undergo changes too. Some of the students have not had the student teacher yet at all, due to them only being a pre-service teacher and not working with the afternoon classes.

“My school has prepared me with this pre-service teaching,” Hennessey said, “but after these next six weeks of full teaching I will be ready for this job.”

Miss Khouri works works with student Anna DeRubeis. They work in Newspaper to  help with news stories and fix problems during class.
Miss Khouri works works with student Anna DeRubeis. They work in newspaper to help with news stories and fix problems during class. Photo by Hannah Eberwein

 

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