So, what is it like being a brand-new teacher? One year after graduation, four Central education majors tell about the first year in their own classrooms:
Hanna Wilson, language arts teacher, West Central Valley Community Schools in Redfield
“I have been totally surprised by how caring, thoughtful and generous my students have been this year. At a stage of development when teenagers are usually pretty focused on themselves, my students have been rock stars serving others! After teaching a unit to my eighth graders about human trafficking, they decided to raise funds to help protect street children in India. After multiple fundraisers, they raised $1,000 — I could not be more proud of them!”
Overheard by Hanna Wilson ‘14, between two seventh graders:
“What’s old school?” “It’s your grandma’s normal.”
Hanna Wilson ’14 takes a selfie with a calf at her eighth-graders’ Renaissance Faire.
“Many things that I learned my first year teaching are not things that anyone could teach me or prepare me for, and I definitely didn’t see them coming. Central prepared me so well to do the foundational parts of teaching that when I was learning the unique challenges of this school, I was able to teach my students successfully. If my professors at Central had not taught me how to do the foundational things so well, I don’t know if I would have been able to survive my first year. I LOVE IT! I love going to school every day and can’t imagine doing anything else!”
Libby Elmitt, second grade teacher, Lincoln Elementary in Pella
“My students are my energy, my joy and my light! I love seeing the improvement in each and every one. They may just be second graders, but they have big brains that already care so much for each other. I find myself learning from them daily!
“Also, I am at the same school as when I was in Central Teaching Academy (CTA), so I already knew the staff and the principal. I work with some pretty incredible individuals. Being part of Central’s CTA program was a huge help! The two years of experience in a second grade classroom prior to my student teaching helped give me experience with one-on-one, small group and whole group instruction. CTA gave me the confidence to be who Miss Elmitt is today in the classroom! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being a teacher!”
“Something happens every day that is funny! One of my students from student teaching last fall came up to me this year and said I looked like Miss Elmitt.
She did not believe me that, yes, I was actually Miss Elmitt.”
Kathryn Manternach, math teacher, Williamsburg Community School District in Williamsburg
“I taught six different courses this year. We also got a new curriculum, so there were no resources from previous teachers to work from. I put in a lot of hours planning! The best part was being able to form connections with students. I learned connections with other staff members are very important too. Teaching can be isolating if you don’t find “teacher friends” to share stories of your day and ask for advice. Other teachers have a wealth of information and ideas to share — you just need to ask! Central has students in the classroom in the very first education course. That classroom experience was so helpful for me as I prepared to be a teacher. No two days are the same, so it keeps things exciting.”
“Central has students in the classroom in the very first education course. That classroom experience was so helpful for me as I prepared to be a teacher.”
Amber Muntz ’14 now teaches third grade in Phoenix, Ariz.
Amber Muntz, third grade teacher, Harris Elementary in Phoenix, Ariz.
“The best part of my year was seeing how much growth my students had made by the end of the year. It was amazing to see some students improve their reading by over 50 words per minute. The hardest part of my year was having lots of extreme behaviors in my classroom and trying to figure out how to best manage those behaviors. This year, I learned to take everything day by day. You will never get everything done that you want to, so prioritize and then leave it for the next day. Also, if you have a bad day you can start the next day off as a brand new day. I LOVE being a teacher! Our students are going to be the future leaders of America and we have to help them get there!”
