The scent of crayons and markers filled the air as a group of Clayton A. Bouton students immersed themselves in elementary school classrooms to learn about careers in education.
The students, who have an interest in becoming teachers, were recently given the opportunity to shadow educators for several hours.
“You get to see what the teacher is doing,” said junior Joe V. “But the most important thing is you get to be in the environment–what it sounds like, what it smells like. All these smells are so familiar to me from back when I was in elementary school.”
Students were able to observe lessons and assist with some activities. Amy Lenseth is one of the teachers who welcomed the teens into her grade 5 classroom.
“It’s a great opportunity to see what teaching is about,” Lenseth said.”You come in and actually work with students and see if that really is something for you or not.”
Shadowing opportunities such as this can be eye opening and inspirational, said first grade teacher Maribeth Countermine. “When I was in high school I did the same thing…It was very good for me,” she observed.
Ella E., who is a senior, already has some experience working with students in Kids Club. She was looking forward to observing children in a different setting. She said she was pleasantly surprised by the energy in the classroom, “I noticed how engaged these kids are and how eager they are to learn.”
The shadowing experience is just one of the unique ways the VCSD Counseling Department helps students learn more about their career interests. For example, students can practice business skills and ask industry professionals one-on-one questions during Career Cafe events. For a less formal setting, students also can chat with professionals at informational booths in The Commons. Already this year, representatives from Hudson Mohawk Area Health Education Center, Modern Welding School; and New York State Homeland Security have already visited the campus to share insights with students. Students have also delighted in trying out careers virtually using VR headsets and the Transfr platform.
Following their time shadowing teachers, several students say they want to dig in even deeper.
“It was great; I’d love to shadow another teacher and learn even more,” said junior Ellie C. “I’d like to learn more about different special education programs, since that’s what I’m really interested in,” added Cheyenne L., who is a senior.
As the students look for more ways to learn about education careers, it is clear that they have a sincere desire to give back through teaching.
“If I can help them learn, or help them become a great person who is going to help others and be a good member of society, then that’s really important to me,” Ella E. concluded. “That’s why I want to go into teaching.”
Joe V. has a similar goal.
“I’ve always loved making connections with my teachers at school and I feel like they are really important people in my life. If I were to be that to a student, I think that would be a very interesting thing to do.”