On Monday, Dec. 1, more than 110 students in the College of Education & Human Development gathered for the Student Teaching Match Day. This was the second time that the event had been held, and the first during the fall semester.
The evening started with an introduction from Diana ElAlami, assistant dean of undergraduate student success.
“We are very excited about this new group of student teachers who are going out into the community,” said ElAlami. “They have chosen to be educators because they have the minds and hearts and the ability to share the skills that they have with others.”
Afterwards, Wanda Washington, Washoe County School District recruiting projects coordinator, and Donald Easton-Brooks, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education & Human Development, both delivered remarks to the soon-to-be student teachers. Washington stressed the importance of students making connections with the staff and teachers they will be working with, while Easton-Brooks reminded students of the impact they can have on their students, sharing an anecdote from his time as a teacher.
Dean Donald Easton-Brooks, Ph.D., congratulated students on their accomplishments.
Easton-Brooks noted that Match Day represents both a personal milestone for future educators and an investment in the profession itself. “Student teaching is where future educators begin to transform preparation into practice and passion into professional purpose,” he said. “The classrooms, mentors and communities our students are matched with will help shape their careers—how they refine their craft, develop their confidence and commit to the kind of teaching that creates life long learners.”
“This has been exciting for me to see so many young people following in the footsteps of other educators,” said Washington. “They’re going to be the new, promised hope of our youth tomorrow.”
Once they received ElAlami's go-ahead, students opened envelopes revealing the names of the schools and teachers they will be working with. They then had a chance to mingle with University faculty, school supervisors and lead teachers.
Students had an opportunity to meet with University faculty, school supervisors and lead teachers.
“I still love teaching, and I’ve been doing it for close to 25 years now,” said Jamie Gustafson, a first-grade teacher at Alice Taylor Elementary. “I want to make sure that there is a teacher who loves education as much as I do, and gets into it and has that same passion.”
Sarah Leary, a senior who will be teaching in Gustafson’s classroom next spring, is looking forward to the experience. “I’m super excited to start student teaching, especially under Jamie, because I know she has so much passion for the career, and I do as well,” said Leary. “I’m really excited to make connections with the students and help make a difference in their lives early on.”
Ultimately, the future of teaching in Washoe County and beyond is bright, according to Wanda Washington. “Our educators are the global producers of our society when they are giving education in the classroom, making those connections with their students, and being that beacon of hope and light,” she said. “So, I am truly excited about this.”
