Three New Student Teachers Come to East

Seen conducting choirs, giving advice to a young artist and working with the next generation of businessmen, several student teachers have found a home at SM East for the semester. East has many internship opportunities such as these available to those pursuing degrees in secondary education, and as any teacher will tell you, these options are essential to learning how to teach in a classroom environment.

“It doesn’t matter how many classes you take on education, you don’t learn too much until you teach,” East choir director Ken Foley said as his student teacher, Sam Green, conducts the women’s choir behind him. “I always let my student teachers have the class, let them succeed or fail, because they have to learn that process. I had a great teacher who just gave me the choir and said ‘Here ya go, figure it out.’ Its so important because that’s how you find out how to teach.”

This is Foley’s second student teacher this year. As always, he looks forward to mentoring someone going through the same process he had years before. As with the other teachers that have taken college students under their wing, he understands that this is the best possible training for those hoping to succeed in education.

“I’ve been fortunate to have two great student teachers this year,” says Foley. “Its important to me that they figure out what works, and especially what doesn’t work.”

Here’s a quick run down of the student teachers currently at east:

Stefano Byer | Harbinger Online

Lauren Phillips
Mentor: Adam Finkelston
Currently studying at: University of Central Missouri in Warrensberg – Graduate School
Why SM East:“I listed the Shawnee Mission school district in my top choices of assignments, and then they in turn chose me and assigned me to East.”
What have you learned so far: “I am really impressed with everything you guys have here. The art teachers are really involved and give the students a lot of opportunities that I didn’t have in high school.”
Reason for student teaching: “I want to be a high school art teacher, and this is giving me the experience to get a job as a teacher.”

Stefano Byer | Harbinger Online

Mentor: Ken Foley
Schooling: Graduated from Webb City High School in 2007, Currently a student at UMKC
Why SM East: Assigned to East by University advisor.
Experience so far: “It’s a great fit. I mean, Mr. Foley’s great and I think we work together really well. I am really enjoying learning from him.”
Current Residence: “I live in a house with three other room mates so I’m living cheaply and driving every day.”
Reason for student teaching: “Music has always been a passion of mine, and being able to share it with other people and being able to teach it to younger students is just an incredible opportunity that I feel very lucky to be able to do.”

Stefano Byer | Harbinger Online

Bryce McElroy
Mentor: Mercedes Rasmussen
Currently studying at: Kansas State Univerity
Why SM East: “ I knew I wanted to come in the Johnson County area somewhere and Mercedes went to KSU and happened to have worked under my advisor.”
Current Residence: “I really love the area of Kansas City. I have an older sibling who lives here so I have free rent and that’s really nice.”
Reason for student teaching: “I would like to teach any kind of high school business courses. Marketing, accounting, computer classes, financial literacy or finance classes.”