By an Elementary Education Major, for Elementary Education Majors. What it’s ACTUALLY like to be an Ed Major:
You Actually Know People in Your Classes (and your professors know you)
On syllabus day you anticipate different ice breakers, name games and the like in order to facilitate community within the classroom. Many of us have met some of our closest friends because of this.
The Sticky-Note Plan
Due to student teaching, all of your courses must be completed in 3 and a half years. Therefore, you have a color-coded 4-year plan which you made prior to your first advising session in order to meet all requirements for both your majors, your LSCs, AND graduate on time.
You are constantly writing lesson plans, upon lesson plans, upon lesson plans.
Your Curriculum Unit is ranked high on your list of accomplishments
Oh that roughly-100 page curriculum unit you conducted a semester’s worth of planning and research for…It gave you a taste of the sheer quantity and information (content, student accommodations, assessment plan, etc.) teachers actually do. Not to mention, you are SO proud of it.
All the Acronyms
You sometimes forget that not everyone knows what ELL, NCLB, CCSS, ABA, RTI, IEPs, FAPE, etc. are and doesn’t use them in everyday conversation.
Placements
While many of your friends who are science majors have labs, education majors begin working in classrooms starting in their first year, observing, teaching lessons, tutoring, working in small groups, etc.
Teacher clothes
“You look nice!” “Oh thanks, I had placement.”
Over four years, you build up your wardrobe of professional, Jessica Day-esque clothing (i.e. cardigans, ballet flats, button ups) until it surpasses number of typical college student clothes, flannels and sweatpants, in your closet.
Praxis
A stress-inducing word, the exam that you are expected to pass before your junior year ends in order to student teach and be licensed in the state of Vermont.
Luckily test-preparation books and practice tests are available in the library.
Speaking of…
You have strong opinions about standardized testing and its effectiveness in assessing student learning.
You probably work with students outside of your classes…
Many of us are camp counselors, nannies, work at an afterschool program, or participate in one of our four mentoring programs on campus.
These roles give you meaningful experiences and can keep you grounded in the midst of your sometimes overwhelming schoolwork.
You’re constantly reflecting and take constructive criticism well.
You know that your professors will do whatever they can to support your success. In both classes and placements, they emphasize the importance of reflecting on your experiences, mistakes, and accomplishments, so that you can apply what you learned to future lessons and teaching.
Overall, your instructors want you to grow and build the skills you’ll need for whatever your future role in education may be. They challenge you to know you’ll always be learning, even when you become the educator.