Wartburg West has far exceeded my expectations in all aspects of the experience. I am a fourth year Elementary Education major, with a middle school math and science endorsement, as well as reading endorsement. This semester, I am completing my student teaching placement at Place Bridge Academy. Denver, Colorado has already provided me with numerous opportunities to grow, and I look forward to the remainder of my time here for any additional experiences that the city has to offer.
Currently, I am placed in a sixth grade science classroom at Place Bridge Academy. This is a refugee school of 1000 students, consisting of students from 60 different countries and speaking over 40 languages. Tarena Zake and her sixth grade science class have blown me away. After four weeks I was allowed the opportunity to completely take over her classroom, which is giving me a fulfilling experience as a future educator. The students have embraced learning from me while also giving me the opportunity to learn from them. They offer me an experience in which I can learn about other cultures, perspectives, and how to educate students that come from more diverse backgrounds.
Tarena has been a pivotal point in my experience at Place Bridge Academy. Each day we sit down to talk about my progress in the classroom, considering where I started and where I need to continue to grow. I have never had someone in my professional life dedicate as much of the personal time as Tarena has dedicated to me. Not only am I learning about educating students, but I am learning about the politics of school, the importance of self-care, and the value that an educator can have on the student, no matter what their age.
Along with the relationships with my students and Tarena, I have had the opportunity to build relationships with other teachers and staff. Each week, I have the opportunity to participate in school wide professional development. Often this includes sessions that fellow teachers have requested, or instruction that the district of Denver Public Schools requires. On Tuesdays, I also join the Sixth Grade Team for meetings, in which we discuss students of concern and how we can all make their educational experience better. The opportunities that Place Bridge Academy have provided me have already impacted the type of teacher that I will be, and in my last few weeks, I hope to leave as lasting of an impact on the school as they have on me.
With such an excellent experience in my placement, it is not hard to believe that my overall experience in Denver, Colorado has been amazing. The diversity, accessibility, and scenery draw me to city life, despite my experience growing up in a small town. Currently, I have been given many opportunities through the Wartburg West Urban Lifestyles course, including our retreat to Leadville, MLK Day Marade, and the Mosaic. Outside of these experiences, I have also gone to Breckenridge for the National Ice Sculpting Competition, as well as saw the Swon Brothers perform at The Grizzly Rose.
Our experience at the Mosaic has had the biggest impact on my experience outside of my placement at Place Bridge Academy. The Mosaic are centered around interfaith dialog. We were given the opportunity to talk with individuals who, in one way or another, were listed as terrorists in the country of Turkey. I had the opportunity to speak with three women who were put on the list, not for endangering others or conspiracy, but for being involved with education. As a future educator, this infuriates and saddens me. I have spent my life learning, and my adult life learning how to educate others. Education is not the problem, but it is very much the solution.
As I round out my experience at Wartburg West, I am reminded of how important education is. My love of education has never been thwarted by those who deemed it less important. On the contrary, this has only reassured me that I am in the correct profession. All people deserve access to education. All people deserve a brighter future than the one that they are born with. My passion for education has been challenged and strengthened during my time at Wartburg West, and I look forward to using this new perspective in my future classroom.
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