Exploring the Teaching Profession
Published May 2023
At Two Rivers we offer many ways of helping our students get career and college-ready. One way juniors and seniors can earn both college and high school credits is through our College in the Schools (CIS) course Exploring the Teaching Profession. The program is an excellent opportunity for students interested in one of the many careers available in the field of education.
This semester, Two Rivers students enrolled in the course spent two mornings a week at our elementary schools to observe and assist in the classrooms as part of the course requirement—this field experience is similar to the hours teachers complete as part of their college teacher education program. “One of the goals is to address the teacher shortage and "grow our own,” according to Linda Zurn (FACS Department Lead).
Part of their coursework also included a day trip to the University of Minnesota where students heard from some local educators and discussed trending topics and challenges in education during breakout sessions with college students and teachers.
We are so proud of our students for working hard and preparing for their bright futures! Several of the graduating seniors will be attending the University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State University, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Hope College in Michigan, and University of Pittsburgh.
We caught up with a couple of juniors and asked them a few questions about their experience. Read more below!
Lilly L., a Two Rivers junior, plans to attend college in the midwest, play soccer, and study elementary education after high school.
Already considering a career in elementary teaching at the kindergarten level, the field experience helped Lilly realize she prefers working with older students, especially at the fourth-grade level.
We asked what she thought about the Exploring the Teaching Profession course and how it challenged her. Here’s what Lilly had to say:
“I really enjoyed this class, my favorite part was making relationships with the kids because it's so fulfilling. One of the things I did in the class was read with kids that were struggling, I was with the same kids so I saw them get better each week. Seeing them grow and improve with reading is so rewarding."
"Being in the class really challenged me the first couple times because I got to teach vocab but it made me very nervous the first time I had to do it, but it also made me grow to become more comfortable teaching.”
Two Rivers junior, Sam A., took the Exploring the Teaching Profession course and is considering a career in teaching at the elementary level or maybe social studies—he wants to make an impact in the community and the lives of others. After high school he plans to play college baseball and study teaching or political science.
We asked Sam how the course challenged him and he shared, “The course opened my eyes to a lot of the struggles teachers and students face everyday.”
Helping teach vocabulary and multiplication during the semestre-long elementary field experience was a positive experience Sam enjoyed!
