Not only is school a learning experience for students, but also for the staff. Woods-Tower has student teachers coming while in college to get a taste of teaching. When you walk into room 213, you will notice one of these student teachers is Mr. Kevin Thomas.
Graduating from Wayne State University in September, Mr. Thomas is majoring in secondary education and minoring in history. While here at Woods-Tower, he is required to teach one semester all on his own, not including pre-student teaching. “I really enjoy history and working with kids, so teaching is the best of both worlds,” Mr. Thomas said.
His responsibility as a student teacher is to grade and make assignments, just like any other normal teacher. He is here all day, not only working with Mr. Rohloff, but with Mr. Dougherty and Mrs. Walczy. The whole department is behind him. He is supposed to teach all of Mr. Rohloff’s classes- American History and World History- while expecting both criticism and reward. This allows him to become more experienced and able to know what he is doing wrong and then change it.
As Mr. Thomas teaches, Mr. Rohloff is observing, planning, and grading. “Having a student teacher is fun because you get a chance to reflect on your own teaching,” Mr. Rohloff states. He has experience with student teachers, having 2 previous ones, and thinks Thomas is very determined to become a successful teacher. “I give suggestions and encourage him to try things on his own,” Rohloff adds.
After graduation, Mr. Thomas plans to start teaching either at the high school or middle school level in the Warren area. With student teaching, he is more likely to get a job and be comfortable doing it.
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