Student Teaching

How do you spot a student teacher? Look for an excited smile and an air of nervous anticipation.

Elementary and secondary student teachers arrived on campus ready to begin training for their professional semester. Their “boot camp” included research, block plans, and, of course, practice lessons!

But there’s more to preparing for the teaching ministry than academics. “I appreciate students’ willingness to listen to suggestions that will help them become better teachers,” says Student Teacher Supervisor Ron Ohm. “I also appreciate how they see relationship-building between their students and them as an important asset in both instruction and classroom management.”

Preparation for student teaching is essential, but the semester-long teaching experience itself is where students develop the skills they need for ministry.

“Reading students’ final Reflection Journal entry on personal growth is very revealing,” says Professor Ohm. “Each student can think back to how far they’ve come in 10 or even all 16 weeks of student teaching. Often they surprise themselves when they think about how they have grown professionally, emotionally, and spiritually.”