Child development students recently designed and executed original money concept lesson plans for our Kindergarten and first-grade classes. Students wrote learning objectives, created hands-on activities, and managed classroom behavior. This amazing collaboration gives high schoolers hands-on experience as they work toward their state Assistant Child Care Teacher certification.
Real-World Classroom Experience
Our student teachers stepped up to the front of the classroom to lead engaging, foundational math and financial literacy lessons. Each student tackled the entire teaching cycle:
Writing Learning Objectives: Developing clear, age-appropriate goals for K-1 students.
Creating Interactive Activities: Designing hands-on games to help young learners identify coins, count, and grasp basic "needs vs. wants".
Classroom Management: Co-teaching, handling transitions, and keeping young minds focused and excited to learn.
An Amazing Community Partnership
This project is part of a fantastic ongoing partnership between our child development course and our elementary school. It’s a win-win: elementary students get valuable, focused attention and fun math-based instruction, while our high schoolers gain authentic experience in the field.
State Certification Milestone
This hands-on teaching experience is more than just a class project! It serves as a vital component for students completing the state-approved Assistant Child Care Teacher program. By mastering early childhood education competencies, classroom management, and activity planning, our students are taking the final steps toward earning their official Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction certification!
These future parents, medical professionals, educators, and leaders impressed me with their commitment, kindness, and focus throughout the entire year as they helped shape our next generation of ROCKET learners!