By Sonam Shahani
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Back to school! After a fun and busy summer I was ready to be a student teacher again. I attended my first class at UT Methods of Reading & Language Arts and waited anxiously for my semester placement. Each of us would switch schools this semester meaning that I would no longer be at Metz Elementary. Where then would I be placed?
As my cohort coordinator passed around the placement sheet for the semester I could barely pay attention to the lecture until I found out where I would be placed.
When I scanned the list for my name it read: Sonam Shahani UT Elementary 3rd Grade".
UT Elementary School a charter school nationally known for its research-based curricula and alliance with The University of Texas at Austin would be the focal point of my teacher preparation for the next semester.
Ive heard so much about this school: longer school days a longer school year research-based practice directed by the Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts and the Meadows Center for Educational Risk a push for Social and Emotional Learning and….uniforms for the kiddoes! Such differences…will the students be different too?
During the first week of school my mind was still programmed to Pre-K (my placement last semester). No more nap time?
No more double recess sessions? No more sing-a-long songs?
As I entered the classroom on my first day students extended their hands to me in a warm welcome as they put away their backpacks and prepared for
the day.
Good morning Im Rachel*. Whats your name?"
These eight year olds introduced themselves and welcomed me to their classroom before I could even initiate an introduction. This is definitely not Pre-K anymore!
Throughout the week I began to understand why these students seem so socially aware. In the mornings students conduct an assembly to acknowledge birthdays and
UT Elementary Peacekeepers" (students who illustrate conflict resolution skills). At the close of each morning assembly the principal provides students with an interesting tidbit from the daily news.
One day he announced a technological discovery made by a well-known university in Texas. Students have the opportunity to voice their opinions about these news announcements. The first morning the principal introduced the UT Interns and encouraged students to ask us questions at appropriate times to learn more about us.
The school administrators and teachers are visible throughout the school day and are seen in the middle of the road directing the cars and seeing off kids in the afternoon. Due to the schools small size parents teachers students and administrators can all play an active role in school operations.
I suspect this closeness" fosters a sense of school pride and develops students who are comfortable interacting with other students and adults.
The UT Elementary Longhorns continued to surprise me as they sang their school song to the tune of The University of Texas Fight Song. We are the future UT Longhorns…"
How will these Lil Longhorns surprise me this week?
Sonam Shahani is a 4th year undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin pursuing a B.B.A. degree in Finance & a B.S. degree in Applied Learning & Development: Early Childhood - 6th grade. She can be reached at Sonam.Shahani@bba07.mccombs.utexas.edu
