The teaching profession can be a stressful one, but as young future educators find themselves on the path of becoming an educator, they can find many new opportunities to learn more about the classroom through hands-on experiences. FHN is able to give a handful of these future educators the exposure to classroom time through the Pathways to Teaching class. This class has helped junior Abbey Seemes prepare for her future in education.

“I have wanted to teach since I was a little kid,” Seemes said. “I have changed my mind a few times. I have thought about dental hygiene, pediatrics or a graphic designer, but it always comes back to teaching.”

Pathways to Teaching begins with the first semester of in-class work. Students learn about classroom management, school safety and have different guest speakers come in such as FHN Head Principal Dr. Nathan Hostetler, Special Education Department Chair Beth Roberts and Human Relations Director Matt Dulaney. Second semester is a full-time cadet teaching opportunity at feeder schools such as Henderson Elementary, Becky-David Elementary and Hollenbeck Middle School.

“The internship is when I see students drive to teach,” Pathways teacher Sara White said. “You really start to see first semester come to life. It’s neat to see how students process things in the classroom and really come alive.”

Seemes will be majoring in elementary education. She hasn’t decided on a school yet, but will be graduating a year early. She has thought about Lindenwood or Northwest Missouri State.

“She takes her education seriously and I think that it’s super important to focus on that now, especially when you would like to be a teacher in the future,” Abbey’s Mom, Kim Seemes said. “She also is always willing to help others, whether it’s peers or adults or children, she’s always willing to help out.”

Abbey will be a part of the second-semester internship. She is placed with first-grade teacher at Becky-David Elementary, Mrs. Jansen. Seemes will begin her internship with observing and slowly start to teach partial lessons and eventually full lessons.

“I feel like it’s going to be a lot more different than I expect,” Seemes said. “I feel like I’m almost going in blind, but in the best way possible. I’m excited to see the other side of teaching.”