BYU-Idaho has so many different resources for its students to jump right into their field of study with campus jobs, like working at BYU-Idaho Radio, or taking classes like the Scroll. BYU-Idaho students can experience hands-on work with the resources provided by the school.
For education students, resources are virtually everywhere, starting with teaching practicums.
Ellery Killian, a junior at BYU-Idaho studying elementary education, is in her literacy practicum, the second of the four different levels of student teaching. She says being in the classroom has helped her realize that teaching is much harder than it seems.
“So, when I went into the school starting off, I was like, ‘This will be easy. I’ll just prep my lesson head to toe, get it all done, and then just go in, teach it, and be done,’” Killian said. “But when you go in, it changes completely. Kids, they talk, they like to run around, they don’t like to sit still. So, you have to find ways to motivate them to do the lesson that we’re doing. So that was a big change when I went into the classrooms.”
But she says she has found ways to make it easier by relating to the individual students.
“I found that if you relate to the students and find things they like to do, the lessons become more entertaining and they like to listen to you more,” Killian said.
Other BYU-Idaho education students Savannah Howell, Ashton Birch and Ariana Liberatore say having a passion for teaching is crucial for a successful semester of teaching in schools.
“I have a little brother with autism, and I grew up volunteering for Special Olympics because of him and involved with that kind of crowd, and I loved it,” Howell said. “I figured special education; I mean that would help me work with kids with special needs.”
“I really enjoyed working with kids,” Birch said. “Andi felt like teaching was a way that I could make an impact with kids.”
“Just being able to help kids and just be with them and help guide them in their futures is something that really drew me to it,” Liberatore said.
Howell says that understanding each student and their individual needs has helped her to continue to love education, even through the tough times.
“it’s been so cool to see that with every student, as you come to understand them, you can really help them and help them to progress and help them to learn,” she said.
Birch says BYU-Idaho has so many specific opportunities for education students in each practicum they take teaching in schools.
“They meet with principals, often with those schools and take a look at your minor and major and say, ‘Where can we put this student? Where will they have the most beneficial time and learning experience?’” Birch said. “And so, I know that like I was matched in the kindergarten because my minor was literacy and it’s about reading.”
Liberatore said she had a similar experience, being put in a science classroom as a science minor.
“BYU-Idaho does a great job at trying to give their practicum students as many resources and opportunities as possible to succeed in their practicum, as well as the mentor teachers,” she said.
Each student says they feel so blessed to be here at BYU-Idaho in the education program and they encourage other students to dive in and utilize the many student teaching resources the school has to offer.