Andrea Robinson

Hi! I'm Andrea Robinson, an intern in the elementary teacher preparation program at MSU. What attracted me to MSU's College of Education was its national ranking in the top 10 for elementary teacher preparation. In my four years of undergraduate work I was constantly put in classrooms that varied a great deal in ethnicity, socio-economic status, and teaching practices in and around the Lansing area. I had opportunities to see teachers in action, work with my classmates on many projects, and discuss effective teaching practices. The strongest part of the program is the amount of practice you get teaching and then reflecting on your own teaching and what you may do differently next time. I have certainly grown stronger as a teacher through this program but also as an individual and community member.

Angela Marocco

What initially sparked my interest in the College of Education was the hands on teaching opportunities offered by the program. The classroom experiences that were required during coursework is what truly prepared me for teaching. Not only did this program prepare me to physically run a classroom, but it also allowed me to be confident in my lesson planning abilities. Michigan State's program effectively prepares teachers to lesson plan in a variety of styles, while always keeping learning objectives in mind. I felt that I was a strong teacher candidate due to my diverse teaching experiences provided by the teacher preparation program. I am proud to say that I am currently a fourth grade teacher at Windemere Park Charter Academy in Lansing, Michigan.

Cayme Sharp

The College of Education provides a dynamic learning experience for future teachers aiming to inspire a love for learning. The teaching and support staff is extremely dedicated to serving all members of the teaching community, providing countless opportunities for involvement within the college and local schools. My advice to future students would be to get creative and share your passions! Get involved, talk to others and know that in this profession, as Gandhi shared, you truly have the opportunity to "be the change you wish to see in the world."

Evan Jorgensen

My name is Evan Jorgensen. I am originally from Fenton, MI and recently graduated from MSU's College of Education with a major in Elementary Education and minors in Environmental Sciences and English. I was fortunate enough to have been placed in a fifth grade classroom at Bennett Woods Elementary in Okemos, and I absolutely love it. It is great to be in a place where people truly care about learning and each child's future. MSU's close affiliation with the Okemos school district is making my internship experience not only professional, but very personal as well. Everybody in this building and in the college wants me to have the best internship experience I could possibly get, and I know that every intern at any other building feels the same way.

Jennifer Newman

One of the strengths of the MSU teacher preparation program is the opportunity to learn from other teachers. Many of my professors were individuals who had taught in a classroom of their own. They could identify with the experiences I was having and often were able to impart practical, helpful knowledge in preparing for a variety of aspects of teaching in a classroom. In addition, I highly benefited from the year long internship. Instead of having just a few short months to prepare for a classroom of my own, I was given an extended opportunity to see the many different facets of teaching, and also was able to spend plenty of time observing and teaching. I still reflect on some of the experiences from that year even now in my fifth year of teaching. The MSU teacher preparation program helped me transition smoothly and confidently into a classroom of my own.

Katie Hutchinson

Coming to Michigan State University as a freshman in 2005, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career as an educator. I was instantly drawn to MSU because they are highly regarded and have one of the top programs for elementary and secondary education in the country. I feel strongly that the College of Education helped me prepare for my internship/student teaching year. I think that the various projects I completed as an undergrad gave me an appropriate feel for what my internship was going to be like in terms of lesson planning, time management, and interacting with students and CTs. My advice for incoming freshmen is to always plan ahead and keep on top of school work. Time is crucial, and part of being an effective teacher is understanding time management.

Megan Augustyniak

The idea of the College of Education being ranked number one in the country for so many years really helped sway my decision when choosing which university I wanted to attend. Along with that, having the opportunity to do my fifth year internship for a full school year was too great of an opportunity to pass up. The four years up until my internship provided me with the authentic learning experience that you really need when becoming a new teacher. I couldn't have asked for a more diverse undergrad teacher education experience, including both the actual classes and field placements. I feel that this program has immensely prepared me for the real world and I would advise anyone who has the passion for teaching to follow in my footsteps and join us in MSU's College of Education.

Nichole Wood

I started my time at Michigan State as a social work major. After a semester, I learned about the Child Development Laboratories on campus and found a mentor who guided me towards changing my major. I have never looked back since then. The thing that I really appreciated about the program is that faculty in the College of Education really support the relationship between those students with dual-degrees. If it wasn't fellow Child Development majors, it was Special Education, or teaching English Language learners. I feel like the collaboration of so many with different backgrounds and specialties helped produce a very meaningful learning experience which I find value in as I start my internship in Bennett Woods Elementary.

Sarah Laurens

As a non-traditional student, I came to teaching through parenting and volunteering in my children's classrooms. I've had the opportunity to work with seasoned master teachers and MSU's Teacher Ed program was my first choice when I made the decision to pursue my teaching certificate. The strength of this program lies in the year-long internship combined with the graduate courses focusing in all of the core areas of K-8 teaching. Instrumental to preparing new teachers is participating in children's complete academic year, guiding and studying each child's intellectual, social, and emotional growth throughout the full year curriculum. In addition to learning, graduate courses provide a myriad of professional development opportunities. The quality of instruction and advising in the College of Education allowed me to specialize and complete my MA in the College of Arts and Letters, thus enabling me to become highly qualified for today's competitive job market.

Terra Fields

From my time spent as a student in the College of Education at Michigan State University, I have gained the skills and experience needed to begin my internship year feeling prepared and knowledgeable. In my College of Education courses, I learned about important aspects of teaching such as how to evaluate and draw upon students' prior knowledge and thinking, how to incorporate technology into an elementary classroom, and how to write detailed lesson plans for each of the core subject areas. Most importantly, I had opportunity to put these skills into practice on a weekly basis by observing and teaching in an elementary classroom designated to me at the start of each school year. Advice I would give to incoming freshmen would be to come into the program with an open-mind as you will be learning and working closely together with a diverse group of professors and colleagues. Take advantage of the support system that your professors and fellow classmates will become for you, as this is what they became for me. Now graduated, I place great value on the relationships I formed and the knowledge I gained from my College of Education professors and classmates as we worked together, under the pressures of a some-what overwhelming Senior year, to reach our goals.