There are two new student teachers from Miami University at EHS this fall, Claire Kormanik and Ally Pittroff. Miss Kormanik is working with Mrs. Guehring, and Miss Pittroff is working with Mrs. Johnson.
Miss Kormanik has known that she has wanted to go into the teaching profession for a while.
“I’ve known this is what I’ve wanted to do for so long, so this has been reaffirming that this is something that is within my skills and abilities,” Miss Kormanik said.
Similarly, Miss Pittroff has wanted to be a teacher since grade school.
“I feel like a lot of kids always want to be a teacher and I kind of went away from that for a while but then I somehow made my back and I’m so glad I did,” Miss Pittroff said.
Student teaching can be such a wonderful experience and be very rewarding
“Back in middle and high school, that’s kind of when I first knew I wanted to teach, I had some of the greatest and most influential teachers who inspired me to try and impact students the way that they impacted me.” Miss Kormanic said.
Student teachers have also been great for the cooperating teachers. Mrs. Johnson thinks it has been beneficial in her classroom to have a student teacher.
“It is so nice the way that we’ve been able to, not that we split up students but like that we can each check on students and like we can tell their certain students who kind of connect with each of us a little differently,” Mrs. Johnson said.
There have been challenges for both the student teachers and the teachers. Mrs. Johnson thinks that working with a student teacher can be difficult but also very fun.
“I think one of the challenging things about being a teacher and having a student teacher would be figuring out how you share responsibilities and like what a student teacher is ready to take on planning wise, there are so many things to do as a teacher so that can be a challenging thing but it’s also really exciting to help upcoming teachers as student teachers,” Mrs. Johnson said.
Student teaching can be perceived in a way that is false and misleading or be seen in a bad light by people who do not have experience in teaching.
“I wish everyone could come and sit in a classroom for a day and like truly understand what a teacher does,” Miss Kormanic said.
Both student teachers are excited to start getting involved at EHS and get to experience what it is like to be a teacher.