Teaching Teachers

Some of us may remember student teachers as an exciting addition to the classroom. Others may remember hearing all about a student teacher during their child’s summary of their day at school. Student teaching may be the most visible and iconic part of an education student’s college education, but the process begins much earlier than that.

Student teaching –formerly known as practice teaching at Northern State University– is similar to clinicals, residencies, or internships.

“Student teaching is required for a teaching degree in South Dakota,” Aberdeen School District Human Resources Director Jillaine Smith said.

During student teaching, students take content and skills that they’ve learned and are able to apply and practice them.

“They can get used to it before going out and doing it themselves,” Teacher Education Department Chair Nicole Schutter said.

The process involves more than just a semester of teaching their own classroom. For most students, student teaching is one of the last courses that they will take for their degree. Future teachers begin with field experience, which consists of a few hours or a day in a classroom.

As sophomores, students will complete two full days of pre-admission experience before they continue on to the full education track.

After that, students move on to 30 hours of junior field experience. The Aberdeen School District has a partnership with NSU, and many early education students complete this field experience at O.M. Tiffany. Secondary education students usually complete this experience in other local schools.

The last step before student teaching is a 60 hour field experience class. NSU’s reading clinic is one field experience available to students, and there are plans to introduce a math clinic as well.

“This gets them used to being teachers,” Schutter said.

A few more of these placements are outside of the Aberdeen School District, but many students, especially student athletes, tend to stay in town to complete their field experience.

“We allow a lot of choice with field experience,” Nicole Schutter said. “Some students go back to their hometown, or they might go to a school where their parent is a teacher.”

Official student teaching is a twelve-week long course that usually takes place during a student’s final semester of school. Some students will also choose to complete an endorsement, which adds another four weeks to their course. Endorsements include music, art, and special education.

Schutter said that future teachers have gone on to complete their student teaching all across the country. While most students tend to stay in the region, some go back to complete their student teaching in their hometown, and some have followed a spouse that has taken a job in another part of the country.

“Matches are unique at NSU,” Schutter said. “Many places don’t offer students much choice.”

Northern students are asked about their top choices – some have specific teachers that they would like to work with, and others have a preferred school district they’d like to return to. Last year, 35 student teachers worked in the Aberdeen School District.

In addition to student teaching, education students must complete Praxis exams before graduation. Schutter said that there are three Praxis levels: Praxis Core, Praxis Subjects, and Principles of Learning and Teaching.

“Students usually take the Praxis Core before their program, their content area tests before student teaching, and PLT during student teaching,” she said. “Certification isn’t what we do, but we prepare them for that.”

Smith and Schutter both said that student teaching is important to students and the school districts they work with.

There are other opportunities for those seeking a career in education. The Aberdeen School District provides hired Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that provide alternative certifications to people seeking employment as an educator that have degrees or experience in non-education fields.

Joel Matehs, Mia Fries, Mariah Wilkinson, and Sydney Hepperle shared their thoughts on their student teaching experiences. Matehs is currently student teaching at Holgate Middle School. Fries, Wilkinson, and Hepperle all attended school in Aberdeen and are currently working in the school district that they attended as children.

Joel Matehs

Q: What subject are you student teaching?
A: I am currently student teaching a 6th grade ancient history class. Working alongside Chance
Torrence, we discuss different teaching methods and techniques to teach content more effectively. Throughout the day, we see six classes.

Q: Why did you decide to work in education?
A: I decided to go into education to prepare students for the world. As I specialize in Secondary
Social Science education, I believe it’s important for students to understand their country’s
foundation, government, and civic relations with the world.

Q: Where are you from originally?
A: Originally, I am from Rugby, North Dakota, a small and more rural community. Aberdeen is like a little North Dakota, so coming to a bigger town was not as much culture shock as I initially anticipated.

Q: Were you nervous to begin student teaching?
A: Yes, but I was nervous because I wanted to put forth my best self. Student teaching is meant to be a combination of everything we’ve learned in our content and pedagogy courses as well as lessons learned from previous field experiences. So, as I came into Holgate Middle School, I needed to be open to continue learning from my cooperating teacher.

Q: Do you have any advice for young people interested in teaching?
A: You’ve got to have a big heart. The good days will be the best days throughout your year, but the low ones will have you questioning your career choices. Teaching is a more selfless profession and at the end of the day, you must be there for your students first.

Q: What do you hope to gain from your student teaching experience?
A: From this experience, I hope to gain hands-on experience with classroom management and
implementing effective teaching strategies. With these, I could develop my classroom to be
fully accommodating to the different needs and abilities of every student that I’m fortunate
enough to have walk through my door.

Mia Fries

Q: Where did you student teach?
A: The first part of my student teaching experience was with Chelsea Scruggs at Limestone Central Elementary in a 2nd-grade classroom. When COVID-19 disrupted traditional learning, I was placed with Brandy Smith at South Carolina Connections Academy, where I worked with 4th-grade students.

Q: Why did you decide to work in education?
A: My decision to pursue a career in education was deeply influenced by my family—my mom and grandparents—and the teachers I had growing up. Their passion for teaching and their ability to inspire excitement in learning left a lasting impression on me. I aspire to bring that same enthusiasm to my own classroom, fostering a love for learning in my students.

Q: What were some of the biggest lessons you learned while student teaching?
A: One of the most important lessons I learned during student teaching is the importance of flexibility. Every day as an educator is unique; lessons you plan may not always unfold as expected, and life’s challenges can arise unexpectedly. What matters most is ensuring my students receive my best efforts each day.

Q: Do you think that student teaching was a good experience?
A: My student teaching experience was incredible, providing me with valuable knowledge and skills that I continue to apply in my classroom daily.

Q: Do you have any advice for young people that are interested in teaching?
A: My advice to younger individuals entering the field of education is to always bring excitement into everything you do. Students notice and feed off the passion you bring, even for the smallest things. Your enthusiasm can spark their curiosity and engagement, making a lasting impact on their learning experience.

Q: Why did you decide to teach in Aberdeen?
A: I decided to teach in Aberdeen because I wanted to be able to be a part of the community of educators/coaches who shaped me into the person I am today. It’s surreal to teach/coach in the same school district I attended, working alongside educators I have admired for years. Learning from them continues to be an honor, and I cherish the opportunity to contribute to the community that has meant so much to me.

Mariah Wilkinson

Q: Where did you student teach?
A: I did my student teaching experience at Holgate Middle School with Erin Fiegler. She is the 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher. It was cool because I had her at Holgate when I was in middle school! I taught 7th Grade Geography.

Q: Why did you decide to work in education?
A: I decided to go into education because I wanted to make a difference in students’ lives just like my teachers did in mine! I wanted to make a difference in my community and this seemed like the best way for me to do it!

Q: What were some of the biggest lessons you learned while student teaching?
A: Education is about so much more than teaching content. My cooperating teacher, Erin Fiegler, was literally the best. No matter what, in every circumstance, Erin had a smile and she was ready to handle whatever situation came her way. I was truly in awe of how she could connect with every student and colleague. Her students looked up to her, respected her, and clearly wanted to learn from her. Erin is such a light for our district. Being able to work with Erin taught me that good educators do not just teach content, they also teach students and those around them how to be good people by simply pouring love and grace into others.

Q: Do you have any advice for young people that are interested in teaching?
A: Try to get an experience in a school early! Ask to observe a classroom or apply to be a substitute teacher! Being immersed in the education world is the best way to find out whether you want to be an educator or not. I loved my time substitute teaching before I started my job at Simmon Middle School. I had the opportunity to meet and connect with so many other educators and students. It helped pave the way for my choice to be a middle school teacher at Simmons!

Q: Why did you decide to teach in Aberdeen?
A: Aberdeen has always been my home. I could not imagine teaching anywhere else. I love this community and I love the Aberdeen Public School District. I look around at my colleagues in the district, and I am truly humbled by the experience and dedication put into this profession. I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would look like without the Aberdeen Public School District.

Q: What is it like to work in the same school district that you attended?
A: It’s an experience like no other. I am filled with so much pride and joy when I enter my building every day. Getting to be a teacher in the district you attended is a lot like being hired on to work in the family business. Once you’re an Eagle, you’re always an Eagle.

Sydney Hepperle

Q: Where did you student teach? Who did you work with?
A: I student taught at Lincoln Elementary with Rachelle Retzer.

Q: What did you teach?
A: I taught in a kindergarten classroom which was really fun because I love the little kids.

Q: Why did you decide to work in education?
A: I have several family members who taught for many years in education, and they always talked about how difficult yet rewarding it was. That had a big impact on my decision, but I also always loved working with kids and watching their excitement when they learned something new!

Q: What were some of the biggest lessons you learned while student teaching?
A: One of the biggest lessons I learned while student teaching is that I have to be flexible. Things won’t always go as I planned, and the students won’t always behave the way you want them to. The most important part about this lesson is how you respond when things don’t go as planned. Staying calm and being able to move forward with the day will be most beneficial for the students. Once the day is over you can reflect on what happened and how you can make the lesson better for the students.

Another lesson I learned was to ask questions and to ask a lot of them. Rachelle was amazing to work with for many reasons and one of them was that she was so willing to answer any questions I had. Whether it was lesson planning, classroom management, or even applying for jobs, she was always happy to help!

Q: Were there any surprising things that you learned while student teaching?
A: I was surprised by the amount of special education students at Lincoln Elementary alone. I knew there was a great special education department at Lincoln, but I didn’t know just how many kids they served. It was really cool to see how they integrated all of the students into the general education classroom and how the kids viewed all the students as another friend in their classroom.

Q: Do you think that student teaching was a good experience?
A: Yes! I learned so much by being in a classroom and teaching the students. I also found it extremely beneficial to work with a teacher who has years of experience in the classroom. Rachelle shared so many valuable ideas and pieces of insight into what it is like to teach young kids. I was also able to build a good relationship with other staff in the building, including the principal Tasha Gatzemeyer. This was super important for my career because Tasha encouraged me to apply for a position they had at Lincoln, teaching special education preschool. This was not in my original plans, but I couldn’t say no to the possibility of being able to work with staff I already knew. This is now my second year in that position as a special education preschool teacher, and I have the privilege to work with an incredible group of teachers at Lincoln Preschool who have a wealth of knowledge in this field. Plus, I still get the opportunity to talk with Rachelle and work under an administrator that cares about her students and staff!

Q: Do you have any advice for young people that are interested in teaching?
A: Teaching is not an easy job, you will experience a lot of ups and downs, but it is so worth it if you truly care for the kids!

Q: Why did you decide to teach in Aberdeen?
A: I really like the size of Aberdeen and the majority of my family and friends are in or around Aberdeen.

Q: What is it like to work in the same school district that you attended?
A: Some of the staff development days I see a lot of my past teachers and I feel like a student all over again! However, it is nice to see a familiar face amongst all of the staff on those days. I did run into my preschool teacher on my first day of student teaching at Lincoln and she brought out the class composite from the year I was a reverse inclusion student in her classroom. That was fun to look at and talk with her!