Looking back, being an intern of the Pekin PDS program has been an unforgettable experience.  When I first decided to do this program, I was nervous because I knew I would be in a classroom filled with 25 students eager to learn.  Upon meeting my class at ‘Meet the Teacher Night,’ I knew that I was going to have a wonderful experience.  Being in a third grade classroom was an adventure, but a good one at that.  After spending about seven weeks in third grade it was time to move into an intermediate building with sixth grade.  I always thought that I wanted to work with younger students but after my first day in sixth grade, I knew my feelings had changed.  I realized that it did not matter what grade level I was teaching, all that mattered was that I was teaching. 

Within my first semester, I spent over 300 hours in the classroom with my students and loved every minute.  Throughout this past year, I have not only grown as a teacher, but also as a person.  I have been given the opportunity to challenge myself to explore the different types of instruction that I felt would benefit my students while having the guidance and support of my mentors.  The Pekin PDS program has given me the strength and confidence to become an effective educator.