The six Bowdoin Teacher Scholars in the Spring 2017 cohort began their student teaching experience on January 3rd. Each of the five post-graduates and one undergraduate will be spending the next fourteen weeks working in an area secondary school under the guidance of a mentor teacher with support from their professional learning community and cohort. Following the successful completion of their practicum experience and defense of professional portfolio, they will be recommended by Bowdoin’s state approved teacher education program for initial teaching licensure. Because Maine participates in the Interstate Reciprocity Agreement, which recognizes teaching credentials between states, these Bowdoin Teacher Scholars will be able to seek employment as a certified teacher in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
From the Class of 2015, we are thrilled to welcome back Adrienne Hanson, Andi Noble and Tyler DeAngelis. Originally from NYC, Adrienne spent a year as an AmeriCorps member in Vermont and has most recently been teaching middle school humanities at Harpswell Coastal Academy. Adrienne will be returning to Casco Bay High School (where she conducted her pre-practicum with Ben Donaldson) to work in the biology classroom of Jenny Galasso Crowley. Andi spent last year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in La Maná, Cotopaxi, Ecuador, and returned to Cora, Wyoming to work on her family’s cattle ranch and substitute teach this fall before joining us back east. She will be student teaching in the spanish classroom of Annemarie Orth at King Middle School in Portland. Tyler DeAngelis has spent the fall teaching math at Freeport High School, and will be moving just a little north to student teach biology with Andrew McCullough at Brunswick High School. Last year we all lived vicariously through Tyler (and his wonderful blog) as he spent several months traveling throughout Europe participating in Nordic ski marathons.
Two members of the Class of 2016 will be returning to campus after just a short time away. Mathematics and education interdisciplinary major Connor Dumont spent the fall traversing central Maine from his hometown of Auburn to a math teaching sub position at Hall-Dale High School in Farmingdale. For his practicum, he’ll be heading down the Turnpike to student teach in Algebra II with Melissa Labbe at Deering High School. Abby Roy’s honors sociology research work during senior year at Bowdoin focused on the post-secondary aspirations of rural Maine youth – she continued that work as a research assistant with the Mitchell Institute this fall while also substitute teaching in the Midcoast area. For her practicum, she will be the first student teacher to be mentored by a Bowdoin Teacher Scholar alum, Luke Potter (BTS ’11) in his history classroom at Brunswick High School.
Our current undergraduate is Kyle Losardo, a mathematics and education interdisciplinary major from Harrisville, Rhode Island. This fall, Kyle conducted his pre-practicum field work in 8th grade math with Ann Young at King Middle School in Portland, and will be returning to work with her again. He will also be conducting an independent study looking at optimization of use of time for King student athletes.
This cohort will work in their schools every day, gradually taking on the lead role in three classes and participating as a full member of the professional learning community. They will come together weekly as a cohort under the guidance of Professor Alison Miller to debrief, share ideas and strategize as they work toward proficiency in Maine’s 11 initial teaching standards. By early May, they will join over 50 other alumni of the Bowdoin Teacher Scholars program as certified secondary educators prepared for the national job market. Learn more about the Bowdoin Teacher Scholars program.