Postlewait gets a taste of teaching

enior at Perkins County Schools, has been learning from two Perkins County Elementary teachers as part of the school’s CTE internship program.

Postlewait has been working with Mikaela Stephenson and Kristin Borman throughout the school year. She assists in Stephenson’s fifth grade English class and Borman’s third and fourth grade music classes.

Postlewait has known for a while that she has wanted to do something involving music as a career, as she has loved music since she was a small child.

“It’s always just been something that really moves me and it’s something I can really expreses myself with,” she said.

She added she isn’t sure when exactly she realized teaching was something she enjoyed, but noted her relationships with her teachers definitely made an impact.

At some point, she realized it would be “super cool” to teach other people what she loves to do.

The school’s CTE program provided Postlewait with the opportunity to gain experience in the field before moving on to post-secondary education.

Postlewait said she thought it would be great to get a jumpstart on seeing what teachers do and what goes into their day, as well as getting to know them and what they like about their position as educators.

So far, Postlewait has learned about grading papers and how that process goes, as well as spent a lot of time interacting with the kids in the classroom. She also noted she makes a lot of copies each day.

Stephenson noted Postlewait started out simply observing before learning how to grade simple assignments, and this week she will be doing a small Thanksgiving writing activity with a fifth grade class.

“I’ve also learned that teaching, especially smaller kids, is really about being quick on your toes and knowing what you’re talking about because you don’t know what they’re going to ask or say,” Postlewait said. “It’s also important to be able to problem solve and resolve conflicts in the classroom without letting it affect the class as a whole.”

At some point during the school year, she will have the opportunity to make a lesson plan over something with which she is interested and comfortable, and she will get the hands on experience of teaching her own class.

Overall, her goal with the program is to take notes on what she can do to be an effective educator someday.

Postlewait believes the program has been beneficial to her education in a number of ways.

“I think it has brought a lot of knowledge of how to handle how kids learn and how to educate about things in ways other people can understand,” she said.

She also feels the program has showed her a positive teaching environment and has given her an idea of what it should be like working at a school, with everyone working together and communicating well.

Borman noted Postlewait has a friendly rapport with the students, and she thinks it is nice for the younger PCS students to have a high school role model in the classroom.

“She has a lovely singing voice and is so very helpful,” Borman added. “Summer seems genuinely interested in our program and is a pleasure to have in class!”

Stephenson remarked that students love having Postlewait in the classroom, and “she is always a positive light.”

When she graduates, Postlewait plans to attend Hastings College to major in Music Education and minor in Theater. She also has plans to audition for the college’s speech team.

“I think this program is a really great opportunity and everyone who can should try to get into a program like this,” she said. “It could turn out to be a great option and help with the future.”