The Pekin Professional Development School (PDS) is a year-long partnership between Illinois State University and Pekin Public School District 108.  The purpose of the Pekin Professional Development School is to create an exemplary learning environment that embraces innovation and best practices for children and interns in a technologically orientated society. The year has been broken down into three phases:

Phase One:

I began the school year in my Phase One placement in a 5th grade classroom.  During the course of Phase One I was able to practice classroom management, assist in implementing instruction, and participate in teacher-parent conferences. 

Phase Two:

My Phase Two clinical experience was in an alternative placement, in junior high math.  In this phase I completed many of the same tasks at the junior high level.  I was also able to function as part of the team in the junior high and learn how they work together to meet the needs of their students. 

Phase Three:

The third phase of my internship has provided me with an in-depth student teaching experience under the guidance of my Phase One mentor teacher. Due to my previous experience in my phase one classroom, I was able to take over subjects in the first full-week of my student teaching experience.