EHHS has been adding many new academic opportunities for students. One new opportunity is the new Southern Connecticut State University Dual Enrollment class, Introduction to Education. This class will be taught by Mrs. Lindsay Wright during the spring semester this school year. The class will teach students the inner workings of education careers, and also bring the students new opportunities, with things like field work experience.
Any juniors and seniors can take this class, whether it be because they are interested in education, or have thought about a career in education before. Mrs. Wright thinks that the class is for “Ideally people who want to figure out if they want to get into teaching, this would be the place to be. But I also think that if you [are thinking] about [education] at some point, it’s a great way to dip your toes in and see if that’s what you like. It’s a really great way to find out early on and see what your next steps will be.”
Dr. Joseph Marangell, the EHPS 6-12 Social Studies Instructional Leader, is excited for this new class to begin. Dr. Marangell teaches the prerequisite class that students have to take before taking Introduction to Education. His class is Digital Media and Civic Life, where students will gain important knowledge about technology and digital literacy. This prerequisite will teach students how to use technology effectively and translate that knowledge into the classroom setting. Dr. Marangell says that Introduction to Education teaches more about “the historical emphasis on schooling and how that developed over time, some of the day-to-day aspects of being a teacher, like planning a lesson and learning how to engage students in different ways.”
Both classes are dual enrollment credits. Our school has a partnership with Southern Connecticut State University to create different dual enrollment opportunities. Dr. Marangell shared that “one area that they’ve been trying to expand their offerings in high school is through education type courses, especially for students who want to go into teaching professions.” Through the dual enrollment courses, students can earn college credit from SCSU. These credits also are commonly able to be transferred to different colleges and universities. The Digital Media and Introduction to Education pathway can also be used to fulfill the EHHS capstone graduation requirement.
One of the most exciting aspects of the class is the field work experience. Dr. Marangell said that, “Students will be able to go out into different classrooms and work directly with teachers in classrooms… it doesn’t even necessarily have to be here. If they want to do it, say, in an elementary school, they can go to a different grade level with a teacher that may be willing to work with them in those schools.” Mrs. Wright says that “the best way to learn teaching is to do it” and that is why she thinks that the field work is such a great aspect of the class.
Mrs. Wright wants students who are thinking about taking the class to know that “even though it may sound scary, don’t let that hold you back. We will work through difficulties with public speaking. And… just try it! It will be fun, it’s a completely different style of a class!”
The Digital Media & Civic Life class runs this semester during Block 1AC and Introduction to Education runs block 3AC second semester.
