GREEN BAY (NBC26) — The pandemic threw a curveball not only at current teachers, but our soon-to-be educators as well.
Student teachers from St. Norbert College are adapting to the new learning models and could change the future of education.
As a result of the pandemic, student teachers placed in Green Bay for the 2020 fall semester had to trade in the brick-and-mortar building for virtual school.
Isabelle Robertson, a senior elementary education student at St. Norbert College, knew she wanted to be a teacher since kindergarten. It's a career that runs in the family. Robertson's mom, aunt and grandma have all worked as teachers.
When receiving her student teaching assignment at Edison Middle School and Lincoln Elementary, Robertson never dreamed it'd be in the middle of a pandemic.
"I always had a vision of what my student teaching experience was going to be. I was like, 'I'm going to be in a classroom with all of these kids. We're going to be singing and dancing.' Then I was like, 'So I'm teaching out of my bedroom,'" Robertson said.
During some lessons, Robertson went over phonics and read a story virtually to elementary students. She said it could be difficult at times to keep students engaged and on task in the virtual setting. To keep them motivated, Robertson had students create projects that went along with certain lessons.
Although it wasn't the traditional experience she expected, Robertson said she feels more prepared to teach her own class in the near future.
“Going into the classroom I can use some things that I learned virtually for my students that do learn better with a computer, and online and things like that," Robertson said. "Then I can also use some other techniques that I learned with hands on learning.”
Sara Allaire, a senior elementary education student at St. Norbert College, student taught in both the Pulaski and Green Bay school districts. She taught in-person at Sunnyside Elementary School following COVID-19 safety protocols. Her experience in Green Bay was fully virtual.
"I am a lot more equipped with the tools I would need to be able to be successful as a teacher in a virtual setting," Allaire said.
Like Robertson, Allaire has dreamed of becoming a teacher since she was a little girl. The job runs in the family: Allaire's parents are teachers and both graduated from St. Norbert.
Allaire said she loves helping kids and making them feel successful. Although her student teaching experience wasn't what she imagined, Allaire said the pandemic has made her even more motivated to become a teacher.
"It’s something that definitely came with a lot of challenges, but I think every single student teacher who’s going through this can say that they have learned more than they ever thought they would have," Allaire said. "So it definitely has given me a new perspective, and appreciation for teaching, and just the amount of work and dedication that teachers do give every single day for these kids.”
Between 400 and 450 students are enrolled in St. Norbert's teaching program. Around 40 student teachers from the college were on assignment last semester.
Debra Faase, director of field placement at St. Norbert, said the group gained important skills past students likely didn't have the opportunity to learn.
"Our student teachers were so ready, because they had been students in a virtual setting last spring so they knew the importance of motivation, screen fatigue and creating bonds," Faase said. "In order to keep all of those children with you when they're not close to you is a whole new ball game."
It'll soon be time for Allaire and Robrtson to turn the page from student to teacher.
Following graduation in May, Allaire said she hopes to work in an elementary school in a Chicago suburb. Robertson said she'd love to work within the Green Bay school district.
Current student teachers from St. Norbert remain on virtual assignment. Faase said they hope to return to some form of in-person education in March.
