NINA HANNA
Staff Writer
Raelyn Nicholson wakes up at 6:30 a.m. After a quick breakfast, she leaves at 7 a.m. and carpools with a fellow student teacher to Lang Ranch Elementary School in Thousand Oaks. She arrives at her third-grade classroom around 7:30-7:45, just in time to scan her lesson plans and confer with her mentor teacher before the school bell rings at 8:25.
For the next six hours, Nicholson observes, tutors, assists, runs small groups and gets her fair share of teaching in herself. When school lets out at 2:35 p.m., Nicholson stays after to prepare for the following day’s lesson, grade papers, and review the day.
Usually, Nicholson has just enough time to make it back to Pepperdine for a five o’clock class. After two hours, she finally returns home, eats dinner and goes to sleep no later than 10:30 p.m.
Now that’s a day’s work.
Fortunately, Nicholson only has class Mondays, but for student teachers, days are still long and strenuous.
“After a full day of being in a room with kids constantly moving, and with your brain having to do five things at once – trying to teach the lesson, making sure that everyone’s paying attention, noticing the one kid who isn’t paying attention and having to figure out a way to deal with that without stopping the lesson,” said Nicholson, “you are exhausted by the end of the day.
“But,” she quickly adds, “at the same time, it’s the most rewarding thing I have ever done.”
Part of the Teacher Education Program at Pepperdine requires students to complete two eight-week, full-day placements in K-5 classrooms. They also must teach in one Title I school with English language learners. Title I refers to a school in which most of its funding comes from the government and at least 40% of the students live in low-income areas.
Having taught in a Title I school with English language learners for her first placement, Nicholson notices a stark contrast with her current Thousand Oaks school. “Especially in the area I was in before, the student’s don’t have the reinforcement at home to go with what we’re giving them in the classroom.” Nicholson’s previous school was located in a working class neighborhood, where a majority of the residents were immigrants.
Lauren Dougherty, a graduate of Pepperdine University last April, is finishing up her last placement. She recalls the amount of resources available as a key difference between the students of the two schools. “When I taught at an elementary school here in Malibu, the parents were on their students about their schoolwork, coming and helping in the classroom and providing them with tutors. At my Title I school, most of the parents couldn’t speak English and many of the letters sent home were in Spanish.”
Teaching at a Title I school provides students with a fresh understanding of diversity – ranging from ability levels to the different values and backgrounds that pupils bring to the classroom. The students “just don’t have that same motivation level and it shows through their work and their behavior,” said Dougherty of the challenge she faced when working in the Title I school.
However, the contrasting placements provide invaluable classroom experiences and allow student teachers to become familiar with a variety of grades and school environments to help them deduce which works best for them.
“We’re lucky here at Pepperdine because they do a great job of getting you exposure,” said Dougherty, who has student taught in first, second and third-grade classrooms. Unlike most other schools that require one placement, the program at Pepperdine University calls for two on top of 290 hours of classroom experience when taking the beginning foundation and method courses.
Observing the master teachers at work is also a great source of inspiration and information. “I’ve been lucky enough to have wonderful master teachers who are very supportive and show me a variety of techniques and strategies to incorporate in the classroom,” said Nicholson.
At the same time, watching the ease in which they teach and their firm handle on the students can be daunting for student teachers who can’t always achieve the same affect. “There are days, when I get up there, and absolutely nothing gets through to them. Like it’s in one ear and out the other…and those days are so frustrating,” said Nicholson.
Life as a student teacher is not easy. It’s multi-tasking times 10. It’s being adaptable, motivational, resourceful, expressive, fair, patient and effectual all at the same time. It’s a full-time job in every sense of the word.
According to News 33 WYTV, a recent study concluded that teaching was one of the top five most stressful professions. However, it’s also one of the few careers that offer the opportunity to make a difference and impact the lives of others in a positive and powerful way.
“When just one kid succeeds in your class and that light bulb flickers on, it just makes your day,” said Nicholson.
Because of Pepperdine’s comprehensive education division, the end product is a skilled, quality teacher who has the ability and experience to make a smooth transition into their professional career.
“Don’t forget the hand sanitizer,” adds Dougherty. “Kids are GERMY.”
04-16-2007