BHS education students connect with elementary teachers, gain classroom experience

On March 27, 33 students from Heidi Eichten's Child Psychology and Development 2 class at Burnsville High School visited William Byrne Elementary and Gideon Pond Elementary to engage with teachers in panel discussions, where they had their questions answered about the profession. Additionally, they shadowed teachers throughout the day, gaining firsthand experience of what it’s like to work in an elementary classroom.

"I think it's just getting them to see teaching in a school setting and from a different perspective," Eichten said. "I think it's important to give them exposure to what it's like and all the different personal and professional skills that are needed to be a teacher, and connecting those to our curriculum."

Senior Kamryn Gerten appreciated the opportunity to gain more experience working with kids. She plans to become an elementary special education teacher. 

"I've enjoyed the experience of making connections with kids today. I've learned more about how they perform in school and how they act," she said.

Sophomore Karli Akins learned a lot from the teachers she talked to and said the experience made her more interested in a career in education.

"I feel like this is a very good opportunity to see how education actually happens and how kids learn and the process that they have to go through," she said. "I enjoyed hearing from the teachers and advice on how to adapt to kids, the process you have to take to connect with each and every single one of them. I started by just trying (the Education Pathway) out but I feel like experiences like this are definitely pushing me to want to become a teacher more."

The event also gave BHS students the chance to reconnect with teachers who made an impact on them during their time in elementary school.

"I had the privilege of speaking with a student who attended Gideon Pond and shared that her dream is to return as a teacher one day. She spoke fondly of the meaningful relationships she built with teachers, including Mr. Gallus and Mrs. Andrea Traetow, who also attended Gideon Pond as a student and is now an amazing educator here," Gideon Pond Principal Salma Hussein said. "Experiences like today matter—they leave a lasting impact and help shape the future for our students."