Education Majors Venture to Goessel

by Kristin A. Kreider

"Ow!" " Hey, scoot over!" "Watch the road Claire!" "Gee Dave, why don't you just leave your bag in the middle of the isle for everyone to trip over!"

These are some of the all too familiar phrases that can be heard on one of the Bethel education clan's cozy trips to Hesston and Goessel. The Bethel students all carpool together in a big van with a Bethel logo back and forth to Hesston, Goessel and Newton. One can only imagine some of the things that occur during those 12 miles back and forth!

The class consists of fifteen students: Melissa Carlson, Newton; Trisha Clark, Wichita; Kara Dixon, Topeka; David Flores, Montclair, Calif.; Stephani Friesen, Henderson, Neb.; Claire Heiks, Appleton, Wis.; Jorge Hernandez, Salinas, Calif.; Riann Hill, Hillsboro; Melissa Johnson, Hutchinson; Kristin Kreider, Newton; Pamela Nickel, Goessel; Tricia Oetinger, Hesston; Aaron Pulscher, Laporte, Minn.; Megan Schmidt, Newton; and Ginger Trummel, Halstead.

All of these students are enrolled in an elementary mathematics and sciences methods class taught by Goessel's principal John Fast which meets every Thursday.

Throughout the semester, these hard working Bethel students have engaged in many math and science activities with students from Hesston and Goessel Elementary Schools. Each Bethel student was assigned a classroom in which they were to spend a semester observing and interacting with the children.

"It's kind of like how the nursing students spend a lot of time at their clinicals," said Nickel. Most of the Bethel students agree that the requirements for this class have taken a lot of time and effort, yet all of their experiences were worth the hard work.

"The interaction with the students has been really beneficial," said Kara Dixon.

"That's been my favorite part of this class," added Melissa Carlson.

Along with the observations in the elementary schools, time is spent learning different methods for teaching math and science. Thursday afternoons are a time when all of the Bethel students get together with Fast to hear lectures, see demonstrations, and share ideas about math and science.

Unlike many college courses where students sit through long tedious hours of listening to their professor drone on about some foreign subject, John keeps his students actively involved in their own learning process. Using bowling to demonstrate the use of multiplication, making terrariums, constructing various mathematical games, and growing mealworms are only a few of the activities that Fast has had the methods class engaged in. Fast's use of the discovery method (a more hands-on approach) and enthusiasm makes the course both interesting and stimulating.

Overall, the group of elementary education majors feel that this class is very beneficial and worth all of the hard work involved.

"This class is very time consuming, but has been a great experience," said Flores, "We learn something new every day."

The knowledge that everyone has gained from their experiences in the elementary school classrooms is immeasurable. Though teachers can never be fully prepared for the experiences ahead of them, this lively bunch of Bethel students have gained a little more insight, information, and a few techniques to keep under their belts for their future teaching experiences. Experiences and opportunities like this are what separates Bethel from many other colleges, making Bethel and it's students Grade A!