1, 2, 3, Eyes On Me

Ready Set Teach Program Prepares Senior for Future Teaching Career

Madison Markunas

Senior Sarah Bodnar works with students at Westside Elementary as part of her Ready Set Teach program. “Working with the kids was a blast,” Bodnar said. “It was frustrating sometimes, but was also really rewarding to get to experience their personalities growing and developing.”

Felicity Shelton, Reporter
May 29, 2019

Ever since she was little, senior Sarah Bodnar said she has wanted to teach children and help them grow. In the fall, she will be attending the University of North Texas in order to pursue that dream.

Bodnar joined Ready Set Teach during her senior year and worked with a class of second graders at Westside Elementary. She said that the reason she joined Ready Set Teach is that she knew it would give her the opportunity to learn and work in her future environment.

“It gave me insight into what my future will hopefully consist of,” Bodnar said. “I got to see a day in the life of a teacher.”

Katie Travis’ RST class, offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors, gives students the opportunity to work with different teachers and students at various elementary schools in the district.

“Ready Set Teach is important because it gives you the opportunity to experience the field you may want to work in,” Bodnar said. “It allows you to figure out if teaching is really what you want to do in your future or not.”

While being a student teacher, Bodnar has taught lessons and read books to the class that related to their ‘seven habits,’ which are words and phrases that inspire the students to be more proactive. However, on a daily basis, Bodnar was also responsible for walking around the classroom, keeping the students under control and helping them understand their work. She had to write weekly observations as well for her teacher, discussing what all she experienced in the class.

“Working with the kids was a blast,” Bodnar said. “It was frustrating sometimes, but was also really rewarding to get to experience their personalities growing and developing.”

Bodnar said that she used to want to be a school counselor, however, after the personal help she received from teachers of her own, Bodnar said she realized the joy of not only getting to teach kids, but also getting to help them through life.

“After being able to be understood by my teachers, I realized that as a teacher they get to help kids but also teach them and learn with them,” Bodnar said. “Being a teacher is sort of a good compromise for me because I get to work with people I love, and I’d get to teach them as well.”

According to Bodnar, being a part of Ready Set Teach solidified her decision on being a teacher.

“I was a little unsure at first because sometimes kids can really drive me crazy,” Bodnar said. “But after working with them this year, I realized how great they are and what a blast they are to work with.”

Bodnar said she is ready to start college in the fall and take her first steps towards becoming a teacher at the University of North Texas.

“I am so excited to go to college so I can start moving forward with my life,” Bodnar said. “Getting out of the every day high school cycle will be so nice. I also get to start observing classes again and actually learn something that goes towards what I will be doing in the future which is exciting.”