Creating Future Teachers

Practicum students are college students who are studying to become teachers. Practicum is a learning method that includes actually doing what you’re studying, or putting it to practical use.

Spencer Stuart, Amy Johnson’s practicum student, shared, “Working in an actual environment is a tremendous benefit because it gives future educators  a taste of what teaching looks like. For me, being in an actual classroom environment encouraged me to stick with secondary education as my major. The classroom is where I can interact with students and build relationships.”

The job of a practicum student is primarily to just be in the classroom. They can sometimes be asked to help grade, instruct, or otherwise help out around the classroom, but the main thing they are there for is to observe on the instructor’s side of the classroom. Practicum students are required to teach at least two lessons to be able to pass their course.

“I spent time prepping with him (Stuart) to get an idea of a lesson topic that would fit with my current curriculum. Most colleges require 2 -3 practicum experiences before student teaching. I think these are great opportunities to gain experience in front of a class and build confidence in your field of study,” Amy Johnson, the high school’s Government, Geography, and Psychology/Sociology teacher, said.

To graduate, practicum students are required to work 30 hours in a classroom and teach two lessons. The high school art teacher, Stephanie Brown, had a practicum student named Madeline Quamme. Brown explained, “I made notes on her (Quamme’s) lessons, as well as how she presented it to my students. I mostly did this to help her understand her strengths and weaknesses so that she can better improve for future experiences teaching while a practicum student. I also filled out a survey at the end of her placement that was provided by her college. There were a variety of questions that covered her time here.”

“Working in a high school has reinforced my desire to teach because I enjoy interacting with high school-aged students. I was able to connect with most of my students which resulted in two things: (1) Students began to trust me and were willing to learn from me, and (2) Students were willing to be themselves. There were multiple visits to FGHS where a student sharing a funny  story with me made my entire day,” Spencer concluded.