Elementary Education M.Ed. and initial licensure student Mychi Nguyen discusses how student teaching during a pandemic can be a struggle, but has helped her become a better teacher.

When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?

I realized that I wanted to be a teacher in my sophomore year of undergrad. At that point, I had no idea what I wanted to study so I enrolled in an introduction to elementary school class to explore my options. In this class, the instructor facilitated discussions about elementary education within the social justice framework. I had always loved working with kids and social justice was a priority of mine. This class helped me realize that teaching could be my form of social justice work.

What drove you to enroll in the M.Ed. and initial teaching license program?

I enrolled in the program because I saw it as an extension of my undergraduate education [as an elementary education foundations major and racial justice in urban schooling minor]. I liked the idea of getting my teaching license as well as my master’s degree in just one year. I also know that the U’s teaching program is very social-justice oriented and I wanted to be able to work with like-minded people as I continued my education.

Were there any surprises and challenges along the way?

With the pandemic this year, there have been many surprises and challenges. One of them was finding out that I would be student teaching in a hybrid format. It’s been challenging trying to teach students who are in-person and those who are online simultaneously.

What do you see as the benefits or challenges of student teaching during the pandemic?

I am currently working in person with some of my students and with others through Zoom. A challenge of student teaching during the pandemic is that it’s difficult to keep students engaged during synchronous lessons with students who are in the classroom. It has also been challenging trying to teach students everything they usually learn in a year because of the shortened school days.

While there are many challenges to student teaching during the pandemic, there are benefits as well. One of these benefits is that I am learning how to teach students using many different modes. I’m teaching in-person, creating online lessons, and also conducting synchronous lessons with in-person and online students.

Has the student teaching helped you feel prepared to enter your own classroom?

Student teaching has helped me to feel more confident in my ability to teach and to be a leader in the classroom.

What has been your experience with the faculty?

I have found the faculty to be extremely accommodating. Due to the pandemic, school policies and instruction methods are constantly changing. As a result, my professors have been very flexible with deadlines because they know that it can be hard to get assignments done within my student teaching placement. I have also found that my professors are very helpful when it comes to answering any of my questions or concerns.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

After graduation, I hope to secure a full-time teaching position at an elementary school.

Learn more about M.Ed. and Initial Teaching License in Elementary Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.