High School Students Get Taste of Teaching

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High school students work together on a lesson plan.

The Education Renewal Zone at the University of Arkansas brought 85 high school students to campus Oct. 29, where they learned about many aspects of majoring in education in order to become teachers.

Elizabeth Smith, director of the Education Renewal Zone, and Jake Ayo, coordinator of undergraduate student recruitment for the College of Education and Health Professions, put together the program. Smith said the idea came after hearing from a local school district superintendent who was hopeful that more students would be interested in teaching and, after graduation, be available for hiring. Smith and Ayo put together a panel of education students – Anna Bono, Meredith Cupp, Caleb Heath, Isela Mercado-Ulloa and Ethan Robinson – to answer questions from the younger students. They covered such topics as the differences between education courses and other courses, internship and practicum requirements, living arrangements on campus, Greek organizations and financing education.

Tom Smith, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, welcomed the students to campus. Ayo also spoke to the students at the beginning of the day. Most sessions were held at the Arkansas Union.

The students took a tour of campus and had lunch at Northwest Quad. Smith led them in a mock education class. The students reflected on excellent teachers they have known and identified attributes of effective teaching.

Leah Chamberlain, director of the Office of Field Placement and Teacher Licensure, talked to the students about the types of field experiences that would be available to them if they major in education.

The Arkansas Department of Education awarded funding to the College of Education and Health Professions last year to create the Education Renewal Zone. It is focused primarily on helping local schools implement Common Core educational standards.

See more pictures on the Colleague website.