Michigan Student Teacher/Intern of the Year Julia McLean with her students at Dublin Elementary.
For the fourth consecutive year, a College of Education graduate has been named the Michigan Student Teacher/Intern of the Year! This year’s recipient is elementary education graduate Julia McLean (BA, ’13).
The Michigan Association of Teacher Educators (MATE) hosts a contest each year to identify and recognize a Michigan pre-service teacher.
Intended to sharpen teaching skills, contest preparation included preparing a lesson plan and providing context, such as instructional strategies, as well as a 30-minute video presentation of the lesson plan being implemented in the classroom.
“Michigan State taught me the importance of looking back on my teaching practices and changing them so that I can best reach all of my students,” said McLean, who has been student teaching at a classroom within Michigan’s Walled Lake Consolidated School District. “I am excited to show my students that I am a lifelong learner just like I hope they will be one day too!”
McLean also thanks her mentor teacher, Laura Brown, for offering opportunities to try new things that helped her grow as a pre-service teacher. McLean is seeking to work within an elementary classroom.
Selection is based on a variety of criteria, and MATE judges consisted of former and current educators, administrators, teacher educators, and a previous winner of the Michigan and National Student Teacher/Intern of the Year award.