SCSU Future Educators Club Hosts High School Clubs

Melissa Hanzsek-Brill, one of the the SCSU Future Educator Club (FEC) advisors, shares with us a summary of a recent FEC event that brought high school students to campus.

On Wednesday, October 22nd and Thursday, October 23rd the St. Cloud State Future Educators Club hosted 45 students from five area high schools for “A Day in the Life of an Education Major.”   Students were able to attend and participate in education related courses, go on a campus tour, eat lunch at Garvey Dining Hall, and engage and question education majors during an afternoon discussion panel.

Classes the students participated in were Science for Elementary Teachers taught by Bev Kochmann and Mark Minger, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers taught by Melissa Hanzsek-Brill,  Introduction to Education taught by Jerry Sparby, and Primary/Kindergarten Methods taught by Cassie Froemming.  Two of the classes incorporated the high school students and involved them in activities.  In the math class, students had the opportunity to use iPads and manipulatives to explore the concept of fractions and, in the Primary/Kindergarten Methods class, students participated in games and discussions with the college students.

Students also listened to information from John Hoover about employability and the projected needs areas in education.  Many of the students in attendance were interested to find out their intended majors of Special Education and English Language Learners were areas of high need in Minnesota.  It reaffirmed their intended major and also their intent to attend SCSU.

In the afternoon discussion panel, the high school students were able to ask a wide range of questions of the SCSU Future Educators Club members, such as:
·         What has been your hardest class?
·         How long does it take to finish an education major?
·         What classes would you take each semester?
·         Can you work and take classes at the same time?
·         What do you recommend I start doing now, in high school, in order to be ready for an
          education major?
·         Have you taken an online class?
·         Do you live on campus in the dorms?

Many thanks to the admissions office who treated the group to lunch at Garvey Dining Hall, a major highlight of the day, and gave each of the attendees a t-shirt and other goodies after their campus tour.