I have grown tremendously during my year as an intern in the Pekin Professional Development School. I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher, and after this year I know that there is nothing else I could imagine myself doing. 

 

There is a lot of hard work and planning that goes into being a teacher. All the planning pays off when you see the students’ growth, throughout the year. The bond I have created with my students in the past year is unforgettable and rewarding. I know I have helped students grow as students and as people, and that feeling is priceless. 

 

I feel that this year long PDS program has given me the knowledge and confidence to be a first year teacher. Mike Muren and Mary Lange made sure that we got the experiences that would help us become better teachers. They pushed us to be reflective and continually improve our teaching techniques and become involved in the community. I will continue to use the knowledge they passed on to us, for years to come. 

 

I had a wonderful relationship with my cooperating teacher, Madeline Decker. She was more than a cooperating teacher, but a real mentor. Her open and honest constructive criticism has helped me become a better educator. I have formed a relationship with her that will last beyond this program.