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In the Classroom: Mary Colwell

Mary Colwell is masked up and ready for her students this fall.

Name: Mary Colwell

Location:Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, NE

Class/content area taught: 4th Grade

What are you most excited about with your new career? I’m just excited that we are getting to start! I know everything will look pretty different, but as a first year teacher I was dreading having to start the year remotely. As of right now, my district has not postponed the start of classes at all, so we start with 100% of students in about a week! (Except for the students who chose to stay remote, I have 3 students who have chosen that so far.)

What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy getting to know my students the most, their personalities, sense of humors, likes and dislikes…etc. I find it fascinating that someone so young can be so personable, because I remember exactly how I felt about some things at that age! Plus, I feel as if my students teach me just as much as I teach them, and I love that aspect of teaching.

In what ways has your school/district supported you? So far, I have been to a week’s worth of trainings that will help me be successful in my career. These trainings have included a technology orientation, a mandated reporter training, classroom management tips, and an in depth instruction on the curriculum for my grade level. Here in the next week I will be at my school learning the schedule, how the rest of the 4th grade team interacts and plans, as well as just day to day things that are done at my school.

What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? In my classes at K-State, collaboration and cooperation were emphasized in all of my classes, and I think that has helped me the most so far in my career. It taught me that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and you should use those to your advantage.

Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? I have a TON of teachers in my family, from grandparents, to aunts and uncles, to siblings, to my in-laws. I grew up around schools and in classrooms, and I was blessed with amazing teachers for myself growing up. I didn’t always see myself becoming a teacher, but now I could never see myself doing anything else.

Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: The biggest piece of encouragement I can say to new teachers is that IT’S OK to feel unprepared. There will always be someone at your school or in your district that you will be able to reach out to or ask for help. As long as you are trying your best and being a positive role model for your students, you will do great!

Also, don’t make any specific plans until you have talked to your team/principal. Most likely they already have a plan in place for what you will be doing/teaching for the first week, so don’t worry about that in the very beginning!

Other thoughts? Tip: In your student teaching, get involved with your school–student council, building leadership activities, after-school programs–as much as you can. It’s important to make as many connections as possible because you never know if you may get a job there one day or if you need a reference for a different job!

Bonus question, thanks to the Pandemic: How has the Pandemic shaped your classroom—the environment, safety precautions, etc.? How has it affected you as a new teacher? Right now, Lincoln is in the Orange section of the risk dial. That means that students have the choice to come into the school or learn remotely. If they choose to come to school, masks must be worn, and social distancing must be enforced when possible. As a new teacher, it’s been hard for me to imagine what my classroom will look like during instruction. Students aren’t allowed to be in table groups, they must all be facing the same direction in the classroom. Specials (except for PE) will be held inside the gen ed classroom, and students will be eating lunch inside the classroom. Since the students will have to eat with their masks off, they will not be allowed to talk or socialize.  This will be incredibly difficult for students who are not used to this, and personally I think it will have a negative impact on the social skills of the students. As sad as it is that so many things will be so different this year, I think it’s important to try to stay positive, both for yourself and for your students. This year will be a challenge for sure but I know my district is already doing great things!