How the Internship has Affected Me

I have taught kids for four years now. Since the eighth grade, I have volunteered
through my church to teach, off and on, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes. Therefore, I
really wasn’t as completely in the dark as some of my other classmates in regards to what
an internship through VTFT could look like. Going into the experience, I knew that I
needed to bring some vital items to the table in order to be successful as an intern and
establish the kind of relationship with students that I was hoping to forge. I knew I
needed to always come with enthusiasm, compassion, and patience, and that as long as I
had those three ingredients, I could be successful.
I was so excited to meet Ms. LoPreste’s 2nd grade class, especially since, thus far,
2nd grade has been one of my favorite ages to interact with. As I suspected, many of
them were immediately enthusiastic and excited to tell me everything they have ever
done in their entire lives. Some, however, were more careful with newcomers and needed
me to let them have their space before they were willing to warm up to me. Fairly
quickly, I could expect to get tackled by the majority of the class whenever I walk in.
This was always a welcome greeting and I never felt unwanted or intrusive no matter
what the class was working on.
As more and more people grew comfortable with me, I began to learn about each
individual kid and their quirks. This was my favorite part of the internship and has always
been why I keep volunteering as a teacher. I love getting to know the kids. They are all so
different and at the elementary level, most of them still hold onto a childhood love of
learning that seems to be lost as middle school progresses. I got to know Harrison’s quiet
wit, Christelle’s compassion, Avian’s love for obscure creatures, Amelia’s passion for
color, Jules’ limitless energy, and Connor’s unapologetic curiosity. I was absolutely
amazed by each and every one of them.
Although I’m not entirely sure which career path is right for me yet, this internship
has really helped cement my love for young kids. I feel that many (if not most) people I
know would do well to take some guidance from the elementary aged. They are not
scared of judgment, instead they are more completely themselves than virtually every
high schooler I know. They are not scared of being labeled as “nerdy,” instead they want
to learn everything there is to know about what they love, whether that be rainbows,
weiner dogs, or tarantulas. They have fewer obligations to fulfill which allows them time
to really explore their creative minds and helps them grow as people. They have such
pure generosity and don’t expect reimbursement for the acts of kindness they willingly
undertake. I didn’t see any of them, not once, make fun of someone else for something
stupid said or done. They laughed at themselves and with each other, but always made
sure everyone was okay and not feeling excluded or bullied.
 I am grateful to have had the opportunity to intern through VTFT I, particularly
with Ms. LoPreste’s 2nd grade class. I hope I will get to see some of them again and I
know they will be successful as they move through John B Dey and into middle and high
school.