Fellowship experience
Working with students is the most rewarding experience. Each day I walk into the classroom, I feel blessed to have chosen teaching as my livelihood. Although I have received the title of “teacher,” I know that I have learned as much (if not more) from my students as they have learned from me. This Fellows year has been a whirlwind of amazing experiences—all of which have enriched my year and pushed me to become a better version of myself in all aspects of my life.
When I received my undergraduate degree in 2013, I knew I was not ready at that point in my life to pursue a master’s degree. My desire was to go out into the world and gain as many hands-on experiences as possible. I hoped I could then bring those experiences back to a future classroom of mine. It was important to me that I could speak to my students about life from a place of experience and with a sense of realness, knowing what the world has to offer beyond the classroom walls. So, after spending two years away from a conventional classroom setting, where I discovered I was missing the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with students, I applied for the Teaching Fellowship Program, recognizing that this would be the next step in assuring me teaching was the place I belonged. When I learned that I had been accepted, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in such a highly esteemed and respected program.
Upon receiving my teaching placement, I was eager to learn how this non-traditional high school rooted in the philosophy of “Freedom with responsibility” functioned. The 9th grade Civic Studies PLT welcomed me into the department with open arms and quickly showed me that this high school is committed to “doing what is best for kids.” This meant I had a great deal of autonomy in how curriculum was implemented within my classroom and how the classroom environment was cultivated. I learned from my Civic Studies PLT that successful collaboration among teachers of two content areas provides students with a unique opportunity to learn and experience content and skills.
Possibly the most important contributing factor to creating my successful classroom environment was the partnership with my co-teaching partner, also a Teaching Fellow. Our mentors and administration took a huge risk in doing something they had never done before: placing two Fellows within the same classroom. I had never worked in a co-teaching model before, but in reflection, I feel spoiled to have been fortunate enough to work with someone as fun, intelligent, and caring as she is. Those who had a role in placing us together, though nervous to try something new, in the end have made a positive impact on not only my experience as a professional educator but also our students’ experiences as learners. Although she and I took a many ideas from the veteran teachers in our PLT, we worked to turn each idea we were given into an innovative representation of our teaching styles. My partnership has taught me that honesty, open communication, and trust are the essential foundations to creating and maintaining a successful teaching partnership. My co-teacher partner’s leadership and character within the classroom, as seen through working with our students, has inspired me each day to keep learning and improving upon my skills as an educator.
I have looked forward to coming to school each day because I have loved my students and the people I work with. The environment my co-teaching partner and I created within our classroom was a clearly defined safe space where the sharing of ideas can happen. I have used this year to grow as an educator not only from my Fellows coursework but also from my students. It can be difficult for teachers to empathize with their students’ needs as learners, but because I was also completing course work as a graduate level student, it became easier to learn and grow alongside my students. I thought through the purpose of every assignment in an effort to consistently provide meaningful learning objectives. I strived to ensure that I was listening to my students’ feedback to improve upon future activities and teaching strategies that would recur throughout the year. I worked with my colleagues to embrace all the wisdom they had to offer me as a first year teacher. Furthermore, I recognized that I did not have all the answers and needed guidance at various points during the school year. Because of our joint and diligent efforts, my students and I established a high level of mutual respect, which served well in fostering positive relationships.
Outside of the classroom, I became great friends with a few of the middle and secondary Fellows. I hold great respect for all of the Fellows in the program, but a few stood out clearly from day one as people I could connect with and rely on. My Fellows year contained trying and stressful moments. However, I found that the relationships I was successful in forming with other Fellows gave me a support system, which helped all of us during the tough times. I am proud to have formed these relationships and enjoyed our sharing of vastly different experiences, particularly knowing that we were challenging each other to continuously find new ways to impact our students’ lives.
Throughout this first year of teaching, I focused on implementing a variety of unique teaching strategies to engage my students in their learning—specifically with regard to arts education integration. It is clear to me that my educational pedagogy has evolved from my early teaching experiences and has been further shaped by each of the experiences I have had the privilege to be part of since graduating from college. I still strongly consider myself a supporter of constructivist theory; that fundamental piece has not changed. My university’s College of Education emphasized the importance of constructivist theory as a means to promote authenticity in the way students learn. This learning theory has been further supported by my experiences within the field of arts education. In addition, the classroom management course offered through the Fellows program has given me the tools necessary to effectively execute student-led learning. A classroom community in which students feel a strong sense of membership that is rooted in respect is the only way the vulnerable experience of learning through an artistic lens can thrive.
This Fellows year has exceeded my expectations. I thought I had an idea of what to expect when applying for the program, but it has been like nothing I could have ever imagined, in the best ways possible. Because I have had the opportunity to work with insightful colleagues (including my Fellows mentors and liaison), learn from an intelligent team of professional educators at the university level, and most of all, work side by side with my inspirational students, I have grown as a person, learner, and teacher.
When I received my undergraduate degree in 2013, I knew I was not ready at that point in my life to pursue a master’s degree. My desire was to go out into the world and gain as many hands-on experiences as possible. I hoped I could then bring those experiences back to a future classroom of mine. It was important to me that I could speak to my students about life from a place of experience and with a sense of realness, knowing what the world has to offer beyond the classroom walls. So, after spending two years away from a conventional classroom setting, where I discovered I was missing the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with students, I applied for the Teaching Fellowship Program, recognizing that this would be the next step in assuring me teaching was the place I belonged. When I learned that I had been accepted, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in such a highly esteemed and respected program.
Upon receiving my teaching placement, I was eager to learn how this non-traditional high school rooted in the philosophy of “Freedom with responsibility” functioned. The 9th grade Civic Studies PLT welcomed me into the department with open arms and quickly showed me that this high school is committed to “doing what is best for kids.” This meant I had a great deal of autonomy in how curriculum was implemented within my classroom and how the classroom environment was cultivated. I learned from my Civic Studies PLT that successful collaboration among teachers of two content areas provides students with a unique opportunity to learn and experience content and skills.
Possibly the most important contributing factor to creating my successful classroom environment was the partnership with my co-teaching partner, also a Teaching Fellow. Our mentors and administration took a huge risk in doing something they had never done before: placing two Fellows within the same classroom. I had never worked in a co-teaching model before, but in reflection, I feel spoiled to have been fortunate enough to work with someone as fun, intelligent, and caring as she is. Those who had a role in placing us together, though nervous to try something new, in the end have made a positive impact on not only my experience as a professional educator but also our students’ experiences as learners. Although she and I took a many ideas from the veteran teachers in our PLT, we worked to turn each idea we were given into an innovative representation of our teaching styles. My partnership has taught me that honesty, open communication, and trust are the essential foundations to creating and maintaining a successful teaching partnership. My co-teacher partner’s leadership and character within the classroom, as seen through working with our students, has inspired me each day to keep learning and improving upon my skills as an educator.
I have looked forward to coming to school each day because I have loved my students and the people I work with. The environment my co-teaching partner and I created within our classroom was a clearly defined safe space where the sharing of ideas can happen. I have used this year to grow as an educator not only from my Fellows coursework but also from my students. It can be difficult for teachers to empathize with their students’ needs as learners, but because I was also completing course work as a graduate level student, it became easier to learn and grow alongside my students. I thought through the purpose of every assignment in an effort to consistently provide meaningful learning objectives. I strived to ensure that I was listening to my students’ feedback to improve upon future activities and teaching strategies that would recur throughout the year. I worked with my colleagues to embrace all the wisdom they had to offer me as a first year teacher. Furthermore, I recognized that I did not have all the answers and needed guidance at various points during the school year. Because of our joint and diligent efforts, my students and I established a high level of mutual respect, which served well in fostering positive relationships.
Outside of the classroom, I became great friends with a few of the middle and secondary Fellows. I hold great respect for all of the Fellows in the program, but a few stood out clearly from day one as people I could connect with and rely on. My Fellows year contained trying and stressful moments. However, I found that the relationships I was successful in forming with other Fellows gave me a support system, which helped all of us during the tough times. I am proud to have formed these relationships and enjoyed our sharing of vastly different experiences, particularly knowing that we were challenging each other to continuously find new ways to impact our students’ lives.
Throughout this first year of teaching, I focused on implementing a variety of unique teaching strategies to engage my students in their learning—specifically with regard to arts education integration. It is clear to me that my educational pedagogy has evolved from my early teaching experiences and has been further shaped by each of the experiences I have had the privilege to be part of since graduating from college. I still strongly consider myself a supporter of constructivist theory; that fundamental piece has not changed. My university’s College of Education emphasized the importance of constructivist theory as a means to promote authenticity in the way students learn. This learning theory has been further supported by my experiences within the field of arts education. In addition, the classroom management course offered through the Fellows program has given me the tools necessary to effectively execute student-led learning. A classroom community in which students feel a strong sense of membership that is rooted in respect is the only way the vulnerable experience of learning through an artistic lens can thrive.
This Fellows year has exceeded my expectations. I thought I had an idea of what to expect when applying for the program, but it has been like nothing I could have ever imagined, in the best ways possible. Because I have had the opportunity to work with insightful colleagues (including my Fellows mentors and liaison), learn from an intelligent team of professional educators at the university level, and most of all, work side by side with my inspirational students, I have grown as a person, learner, and teacher.