Now that my student teaching is over and I am preparing to graduate, I realize how much I have learned this past year.  I am grateful for the opportunities that have presented themselves to me this school year.

The Pekin Professional Development School has made my fourth year as an elementary education major very successful.  I will take with me a wealth of lessons, relationships, and knowledge.  Since I have been completely immersed in a school district this past year I have experiences that go past the classroom.  I now know what kind of work goes into meetings, school improvement, and parent-teacher conferences.  I have also been a part of a number of extracurricular activities.

Overall, I have enjoyed the experience of being part of a professional development school.  I am glad that I choose this route over the traditional one.  I feel that my experience has prepared me overall for a successful teaching career.