“Gladly We Learn and Teach” has long been Illinois State University’s motto, a nod to its roots as a training ground for teachers. This semester, ISU’s education majors are doing a little less teaching and a little more learning, because of the pandemic.
The pandemic has abruptly changed K-12 education statewide, and that’s trickled down to how ISU’s teacher education program approaches clinical experiences and student-teaching. Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Center Director Christy Borders has worked with a committee of faculty from across campus and administrators.
“We've come up with a menu of options to try to leave some flexibility open for our faculty members who teach those courses,” said Borders. “Our faculty are doing all sorts of different things.”
Atlas
One of the changes is a resource called Atlas.
Atlas is a library of videos from nationally board certified teachers. Atlas is being used as a supplement to observation hours that education majors need in order to graduate.
“I would’ve been in a classroom twice a week, all day but we can’t even do that because of legal reasons,” said ISU elementary education major Victoria Antonelli. “We can’t even sit in a Zoom or anything.”
Borders said that every district has different technology policies and permissions in place to help ensure privacy of its students.
“While some of our district partners were ready to move forward with different permissions, some of our district partners were not,” said Borders. “We have a limited list of schools that we've been able to really work through some of those problems and concerns with, and some of our districts, they just can't take on any more.”
Some district partners just can’t take teaching all of their kids remotely and also taking on working with a college student.
“Most of our community partners are more than happy to work with our students and really see that as a mutually beneficial opportunity, which is fabulous,” said Borders.
E-tutoring
The Teacher Education Center has also created a new e-tutoring program, which Bloomington-Normal school districts have been invited to for free.
“We're hoping that will be mutually beneficial to our community members as well as to our teacher candidates who really are longing for and needing that firsthand teaching experience,” said Borders.
The program is being counted as clinical experience towards education degrees. Antonelli said the school is being very flexible.
“We can’t do anything about this. It’s not our fault, it’s not anyone’s fault. They are adjusting to that so we can get our ‘hours,’ but not get our hours at the same time,” said Antonelli. “Nobody is going to be penalized.”
In-person experiences
Unlike Antonelli, ISU student-teacher Lauren Sexauer is in-person three days a week and teaches history to high schoolers in Central Illinois.
Teaching in-person through the pandemic also has isolating elements. One day when Sexauer was eating lunch, a student came inside the classroom to ask a question, and Sexauer wasn’t wearing her mask because she was eating.
“Wow, I had no idea what your face looked like,” the student said.
“These students, whom I have never met, up until a couple weeks ago have only seen me with a mask on,” said Sexauer.
Industry impacts
With these new challenges and changes, will student-teachers have to scramble to catch up?
Antonelli said she isn’t too worried about getting a job because she believes the younger generation of teachers can adapt to the new normal. In fact, she said a lot of older teachers are retiring because they may struggle to adapt to the new virtual platforms.
“They’re going to want us young teachers who are ready to adapt and ready work through the punches that are thrown at us,” said Antonelli.
Borders said ISU is really focusing on how it can best prepare students to be prepared for teaching and this new format.
“In some ways COVID is a gift, sometimes a painful one,” said Borders. “But it's giving us opportunities for our student-teachers and for our pre-student, teachers and clinical students to start to gain some experience and view how our current teachers are working in this format.”
Borders said the Teacher Education Center is trying to mirror and match the format that's happening in PK- 12 schools.
“Teachers are always important and I think the community now realizes the importance of, maybe even more, of strong educators,” said Borders.
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