Starting this fall, a new group of student interns will begin their teaching experience at the district’s elementary, intermediate and middle schools through the Ready, Set, Teach program. Ready, Set, Teach allows aspiring educators to gain valuable skills through an internship working in a classroom three days a week.

“This program provides the opportunity for students to get a hands-on learning experience,” Ready, Set, Teach! instructor Traci Verdery said. “They are responsible for lesson plannings and [accommodating] students with special needs. The [students] get to see a lot of different sides of what it’s like to be a teacher.”

Verdery was inspired in high school to become a teacher.

“My high school physics teacher was able to connect with me, and that made me want to work harder in her classroom and show her I cared,” Verdery said. “Showing students that you care and making those connections and relationships is going to make for a much better learning experience.”

Senior Lindsey Hammond interned at Hart Elementary School last year in a second grade classroom.

“I really enjoyed spending time with the students; they were always so uplifting and cheerful,” Hammond said. “I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world.”

Additionally, Ready, Set, Teach teaches interns learn classroom management techniques.

“[The most important thing I learned] was to not give in to [the students] when they act up,” senior Alyssa Watson said. “Only encourage positive behavior, that way you will receive what you reinforce.”

Ready, Set, Teach not only allows students to get a glimpse into the life of a teacher, but provides an opportunity to establish strong connections with the elementary school students.

“Throughout the whole year, I got to become closer with a lot of the kids,” Hammond said. “A moment I remember was near the beginning of the year when I started to get to know all the kids. There was this girl, and we [talked] about a camp she was going to. I had also gone to that camp and after that, we hit it off.”

The interns also have to establish a relationship with their classroom teacher. Together they work to design lesson plans for direct instruction and group activities, as well as prepare and develop materials.

“My favorite memory was when I got to teach my first lesson without any assistance,” Watson said. “I’m getting more hands on experience in the field itself.”

Hammond was able to work at alongside second grade teacher Alison Healey.

“She was so welcoming and inviting,” Hammond said. “The most important thing I learned from [Healey] was how to manage the classroom so it would still be fun, but that there would also be [work] going on. She ensured that the class always had a positive environment.”

Though Ready, Set, Teach is an instructional class, it also provides the student interns with memories to last a lifetime.

“At the end of the year, Mrs. Healey brought popsicles to celebrate,” Hammond said. “She also gave me an extremely thoughtful gift at the end of the year to thank me. The kids gave me drawings or cards and lots of hugs.”