From Practicum to Classroom: Arden’s MAT Journey

The main thing that drew me to the OSU-Cascades MAT program was the opportunity to complete the program in beautiful Bend. Additionally, having more hours in the classroom than other programs felt like it would truly prepare me for my first year of teaching and beyond. I didn’t want to just go through the motions. I wanted a program that was thorough and would give me as much experience as possible before starting in a classroom of my own.

During one of the final observations in my program, I conducted a lesson on gas laws in chemistry. Before digging into the content, I asked students what they already knew about wind and to design something that would show how wind behaves. During class, students presented to each other and used scientific language to talk about their creations. It was the coolest moment because students were looking and talking to each other, not to me. My goal as an educator is to empower student voice and confidence, and it happened in that moment. It gave me validation that what I was doing worked.

Juggling teaching, planning lessons, completing homework, attending classes, and creating my capstone project and paper prepared me for my first year of teaching. I learned how to prioritize and ask for help. As a first-year teacher, the to-do list is never-ending, and the program gave me plenty of opportunities to practice managing my time. These executive functioning skills are essential from pre-K to adulthood. It also gave me perspective on how to help students when they feel overwhelmed. Even when it seemed impossible, I was able to get everything done, and done well, with the help of my cohort, professors and mentors.

I am currently teaching physics, chemistry and AP Environmental Science at Bend Tech Academy. It has been so rewarding to work where I completed my practicum. Nothing can prepare you 100% for your first year of teaching, but I am thankful the MAT program gave me so many opportunities to reflect and refine my teaching practices.

If you're thinking about joining the MAT program, do it. It changed my trajectory in the best way possible. Be prepared to work hard and make a lot of mistakes. After graduating, you'll leave the program with excitement for education and a community of connections that you will have for life.