Last year, teacher Kathy Lehman introduced an elective course at Concord High School. The class is called Future Educators of Michigan, which provides students with the opportunity to learn the basics of teaching and develop essential skills, including problem-solving, creativity, and social-emotional skills.
An experienced educator, Lehman is the perfect person to lead our high school students into the realm of the classroom. Her easy-going yet disciplined personality shapes the foundation of an excellent teacher.
“This class came into place when the school’s superintendent, Rebecca Hutchinson, wished to grow some of Concord’s educators, as this class was created to inspire some students to pursue a teaching career here at Concord to grow our own teachers,” Lehman stated. “The class also explores some of the basics that are taught in college courses to provide the students with a more thorough understanding before entering college teaching classes.”
Lehman continues, “The class also explores the laws and different learning structures that are crucial in teaching. The students also have the opportunity to experience working in elementary school classrooms to determine whether they enjoy working with students or not. With this flexible plan, the main challenge in this class is ‘The limitation of rooms students are able to work in based on the classroom schedules.’” Lehman reported.
Connor Stevens is a senior attending this class with the hopes of increasing his ability to collaborate effectively with others, as he is developing the most important skills and traits that teachers can have. He explains, “Being a student and working with students helps you understand the values students have, and some values I have I prioritize in teachers are their caring and willingness to work with me, and I want to reflect these traits onto other students.” Although working with younger students may be a bit overwhelming, Stevens is willing to problem-solve and persevere through the challenges that come with working with younger students.
Rachel Rundle is a sophomore attending this class with the hopes of demonstrating confidence, respect, and empathy, as she believes every student deserves an excellent role model. Rundle believes that knowing how to handle certain situations is one of the most important skills a teacher can have. While speaking with her, she states, “Being calm and cordial with the students who have a hard time helps to de-escalate tense situations, build trust with students, and respect.” These all create a positive learning environment, which forms engaged students as kids’ moods are influenced based on the atmosphere, and a positive one makes a positive student.
Jaquelinne Calva is a freshman attending this class with the motive to help children and understand the needs of children. While Calva has been in this class, she has learned that certain skills, like “communication,” can help with future careers like “police officers” because they need to be able to communicate with a wide range of people. This class has changed Calva’s views upon her teachers and education in general considering the pros and cons teachers have to face on a daily, as she explained, “Some pros in teaching are the chances to see students grow and help provide to them mentally and or physically, while some cons teachers face is engaging students who may not be willing to accept or want assistance.”
Students at Concord schools are fortunate that they can explore this career path because it allows students to develop valuable skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving. With this exploratory course, high school students have the opportunity to witness students grow, which can be really heart-warming and extremely rewarding. Hopefully, these students are inspired enough to become educators and enrich our community in the future.
