Shana Schmidt, a recent K-State graduate, is teaching 10th grade World Literature and 12th grade British Literature at nearby Rock Creek High School. She’s also working on a master’s degree in English Composition and Rhetoric.
“I love how supportive the staff is at Rock Creek HS,” she said. “My favorite thing about teaching is watching students engage and understanding text. We started out the semester reading a novel, and their observations were good, but, by the end of the book, they were running a Socratic Circle and holding a trial and using the text as evidence to support their claims.
She said the most challenging part of teaching has been trying to keep all her classes at the same pace.
“I sometimes will have one hour fly through what I have planned, to only have another class get halfway done with what I have planned. So I have learned to be flexible! I also learned to use post-it notes in my planner, so I can move things back if needed.”
She credits the K-State faculty with helping her make a smooth transition to her own classroom.
“My preparation at KSU College of Education prepared me to have high expectations for my students and myself,” she said. “I keep in touch with my professors at K-State, who are still great resource and have been an amazing support system this first year of teaching. I could not have achieved my goals without their guidance and advice.”
