Many educators are convinced that teaching the next generation is one of the most rewarding occupations. Educators from Adrian College and Siena Heights University shared their passion, and options for the next generation of teachers at the Aspiring Educators Kick-Off, on August 3rd. Through tours, presentations, and activities, 7th-12th graders learned about the skills it would take to become a teacher, dual enrollment opportunities, and the benefits of obtaining the Future Teachers Certification before graduation.
The students began their exploration at Siena Heights University. Sally Rae, Education Program Coordinator began by sharing her vision for the day, noting she wanted participants to develop a love for teaching, not necessarily Siena Heights University, and her philosophy that teaching was more than just a vocation, but a lofty calling.
To get a hands-on examination of the field, current Siena Heights students prepared activities to simulate the duties of a teacher, including lesson planning, and team building.
Current underclassmen demonstrated the need for forethought and consideration of state standards when preparing lessons. To show this, education majors assembled several state standards and had middle and high schoolers match them to the appropriate subject. Subsequently, they were tasked with creating an activity to augment the state standards.
The common practice of building bridges with popsicle sticks proved a unique way of teaching teamwork and self-reflection. Participants were able to work together to construct a bridge out of popsicle sticks. Afterward, they contemplated what went well and what parameters could be modified for the next group. No two groups had the same set of directives. Students learned about how teachers reflect on their classes and modify them for the next group. Therefore, a class at the end of the day may have marked differences from the same class at the beginning of that day.
At Adrian College, individuals learned about opportunities at the institution from professors of education, Michelle Stansley and Kathleen Conway, and a panel of students. In addition to sharing their background about education, they informed tour participants about options available to them, including dual enrollment and specifically, the Future Teachers Certification, which entails nine credit hours, which would transfer to any university, giving students a better understanding of the field, and put them ahead in their college career.
Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking spoke to the group, imparting to the students his thoughts on education. According to Dr. Docking, the best educators are curious, both about how the world works and about themselves. Also, they are inspirational and go above and beyond to show individuals what is possible. Lastly, they love helping others and want to make the world a better place for the people they care about.
When reflecting on the day, many students found the presentations and activities very eye-opening, as they noted it, they never knew the nuances of how much planning, revision, and time teachers put into their students’ learning, as well as showing how rewarding such a career can be.