GREENVILLE, PA – Twenty-eight elementary and secondary education students from Thiel College prepared themselves to hit the ground running as they begin a semester of student teaching. 

The education faculty at Thiel College developed a day of teacher education workshops, more commonly known as an in-service day, for seniors who will begin their student teaching on Thursday, Jan 11.

Connie Reinhart, director of teacher education at Thiel, explained that there are three phases of preparation for education majors who plan to become teachers: Mentoring I, Mentoring II and student teaching. 

For some students, Mentoring II was taken an entire year ago and the faculty members at Thiel felt strongly that the students should be given a chance to refresh and get mentally prepared beforehand, Reinhart said.

The day, designed to answer students’ last minute questions and address their individual concerns, also included a review on lesson planning by David Shaffer, adjunct lecturer of education, and a session on Internet support using the Internet as a tool in classrooms led by Dr. Doug Hazlett, associate professor of education.  Mary Reames, adjunct lecturer of education, instructed a role playing workshop on discipline and Reinhart reviewed expectations of future employers.

Thiel College is one of more than 100 teacher training colleges in Pennsylvania and the faculty intends to enhance the training and preparation in order for Thiel students to stay competitive with education students from other schools.

The Thiel seniors will be student teaching in the Greenville, Jamestown, Commodore Perry, Reynolds, Farrell, Hermitage, West Middlesex, and Conneaut Lake school districts.