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| Haley, Hannah, Shelby, Rachelle, Rogelia, and Brianne |
Imagine that an
education major from your college is considering student teaching at Chicago
Semester. Consider what you would tell that person in order to encourage
him/her to apply to Chicago Semester.
Shelby Carmichael –
University of Mount Union
Chicago Semester is a
decision I will never regret. If I could, I would recommend it to every single
student who is devoted and eager to evolve into an amazing teacher as well as
grow personally. Chicago Semester gave me the opportunity to live in the heart
of Chicago and get involved within the city. I enjoyed experiencing the variety
of cultures that Chicago has to offer, whether it be just speaking to different
people, going to festivals and of course, my favorite, the food experience.
Through student teaching
in Chicago I learned accountability for myself, how to deal with situation
involving students that I had never dealt with in Ohio. I became much
more independent as well as confident while doing my student teaching. I’ve
learned to voice my opinion but also how to sit back and take in the concerns
of others. Student teaching in Chicago made me grow as an individual in my
faith as well as in the classroom as a teacher.
Rachelle Cole –
Northwestern College
I understand why some
people may be hesitant about choosing Chicago Semester for their student
teaching. You would be giving up (possibly) your last semester on a
college campus with friends, moving to a huge city full of unknown, the “scary”
stories of students in Chicago Public Schools. For my mom, it was the
fact that I was going to be living in such a dangerous city, where statistics
say your chance of becoming a victim of crime is 1 in 99 (yes, my mom looked it
up). However, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else.
What I’ve enjoyed the
most about this experience has been the times that I’ve spent in the
classroom. I remember coming into this experience telling myself, “I am
in no way prepared for this. I don’t know how I’m going to handle such an
urban experience. I can’t handle inner-city kids. I’m not strong or
tough enough.” However, I’ve learned that I can teach. I am strong
enough. Inner-city kids do not mean that they don’t care, that they
aren’t loving, that they don’t want to try. They want to be successful,
love grasping new concepts, adore their teachers, and enjoy school. I
have fallen in love with my students and have loved getting to know them at a
personal level; their interests, their strengths, their needs, their
dreams. From this experience, I’ve learned that I would love to teach
students who may need the love, support, and stability they may not be
receiving at home. I believe that I’ve become a better and more confident
teacher due to my experience here in Chicago working with students whose cultural
backgrounds are different from my own.
I’ve felt that this
experience has been a great transition into the “real” world. I pay rent,
maneuver around the city using public transportation (my biggest fear), buy my
own groceries, created friendships with strangers, make my own meals, start
conversations with strangers, and also learned how to be okay with saying “I
don’t know” or “I need help.” I’ve learned that living in a huge city
isn’t so scary, there isn’t crime happening everywhere you turn, and there are
friendly people with huge hearts wherever you go. Chicago is a wonderful
place to live because there are so many new things to experience, sights to
see, and there is always something going on. I encourage you to take a
leap of faith and come to Chicago. I guarantee that you will come
out feeling stretched, challenged, and prepared for whatever the world throws
at you!
Brianne Dekker –
Calvin College
If you are interested
in inner city public school teaching, Chicago is a great place to see if it’s
the place for you. You will experience firsthand how teachers struggle within
the bounds of a public school, how troubled students can thrive or flounder in
the school setting, and how you as a teacher can make a difference. This
experience comes along with all the expected challenges and joys, as well as
some unexpected ones. Most of all, this semester offers a multitude of learning
in a unique and diverse city. I learned so much about the ways I prefer to
teach, what environments I thrive in and what environments are hard for me to
work in, and how to create relationships with some wonderful kids. Although the
challenges and difficult setting might be intimidating, the students you’ll
meet and touch are what make it all worth it. They’re full of love and wonder
and so much intelligence. Learning to bring that out of them even in the most
challenging of settings is such a rewarding experience, and that’s something
all Chicago Semester student teachers are challenged to do and, with the
required amount of work, succeed in.
Haley Luurtsema –
Calvin College
I would encourage all
education majors to student teach in Chicago. What I liked the most about the
Chicago Semester experience was the community and the professors. Lisa, my
student teacher supervisor in particular, helped me so incredibility much
during my experience in Chicago. During our seminars she taught us not only how
to become a better teacher, but she was very helpful if we had any questions.
Whenever she observed us, she had so much to say and could always find areas
where we needed to improve. We learned about diversity in Chicago, social
justice, culture, classroom management and more. We were able to create a
literacy edTPA, perfect our resumes, and develop our online portfolios as well.
During my Chicago
Semester experience I also enjoyed living with other student teachers. We often
would bounce ideas off of each other and talk about the hilarious things that
happened at school that day.
Throughout this
experience I have learned that I can teach in a public school. I believe that I
have the skills to manage a classroom full of 30 students. I learned that I
constantly want feedback as to how I can improve my teaching and how I want to
keep growing as the years go on. Chicago was such a great experience that I
would never take back. Exploring the city and experiencing the diversity of the
city was incredible. I was able to become more independent by riding the trains
and subway by myself even though it was scary at first. Chicago opened my eyes
to life outside of West Michigan and challenged me in my teaching profession
and Christian faith as well. I would highly recommend this program to anyone.
Rogelia Pena – Judson
University
Student teaching in
Chicago has given me a broader worldview. Chicago Public Schools is the third
largest district in the nation and, therefore, one of the most diverse ones.
The struggles, experiences, opinions, and passions that students bring into the
classroom cannot compare to the ones one would hear about in the suburbs. I
would strongly recommend student teaching in Chicago because education becomes
the door for social change in the hands of these students. Teaching becomes
more meaningful, and the challenge is worth it. Plus, Chicago is a wonderful
and culturally rich city to explore.
Hanna TeWinkel – Dordt
College
