Indiana State University Newsroom

Carly New stood in front of the three college freshmen and gave directions.

"Draw what I say," said the Otter Creek eighth grader.

The three Indiana State University students bowed their heads following her directions of drawing lines, circles and curves across their blank papers. New then had the college students discuss how their art designs were similar and different in her lesson on self expression through art.

New and seven other Otter Creek Middle School students visited Indiana State Thursday (March 15) as part of their Future Educator's Club. In addition to eating lunch in the Hulman Memorial Student Union and visiting the Student Recreation Center, six of the middle school students taught short lessons on history, grammar and art to ISU freshmen education majors.

"If they are indeed future educators, I can't think of a better place for them to see and consider," Susan Rozgony, club advisor, said about her students visit to the university. She said it is important to promote teaching to the next generation with the Baby Boomers beginning to retire.

"We're just trying to get them to realize that college education is not that far off," she said. "It's a rewarding career."

Rozgony worked with Amy Bosley, a clinical faculty associate in the Bayh College of Education, to create the day of learning for the future educators in college and middle school.

"My college students will gain from this because we have been talking about the components of a lesson plan and this will allow them to kindly critique the middle school students' lessons while reflecting on information we have learned so far this semester," Bosley said about her best practices in teaching class.

New said with a mother who is a kindergarten teacher and a grandmother who taught third grade that teaching runs in her family.

"I want to help people and see them grow," New said, adding she would like to teach at an elementary school level.

After the lesson, New told Bosley that she would have done it differently and explained more about the lesson.

"You can try again," Bosley said. "As a teacher you always have a chance to do it again the next day."

Lyndsey West-McVey, a freshman elementary and special education major from Terre Haute, participated in New's lesson, which she described as "good and interesting."

"She chose art, which is not something that many of us do," she said.

Eighth grader Sam Grant taught a lesson on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

"They were listening and attentive," Grant said about university students during his lesson.

In preparing to teach the university students, Grant said he learned to plan ahead.

"You need to know what you're saying and doing," he said. "What you say can make a difference, if you're a teacher."

West-McVey and Chelsea Reed, a elementary and special education major from Covington, both said they wished they had such a club when they attended middle school.

"They're learning what we're learning about lesson plans," West-McVey said.

"A lot of people want to be teachers, but they don't know where to start," Reed said.

After a question and answer session, college students gave advice to the middle school students such as to apply for scholarships early, Bosley encouraged the students to stay with their dreams of teaching.

"You've chosen the best profession on earth," she said. "Stick with it."

Photos:http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Otter-Creek-students-teaching/i-GBHJTFG/0/L/031512ottercreekteaching-5910-L.jpgEighth grader Sam Grant teaches his lesson on President John F. Kennedy to ISU students. ISU Photo/Tony Campbell

http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Otter-Creek-students-teaching/i-nhwRv3b/0/L/031512ottercreekteaching-5944-L.jpgOtter Creek Middle School student Carly New finishes a lesson in art with the ISU students. ISU Photo/Tony Campbell

http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Media-Services/Otter-Creek-students-teaching/i-RmxPjbn/0/L/031512ottercreekteaching-5961-L.jpgLyndsey West-McVey listens as eighth grader Carly New teaches a lesson. ISU Photo/Tony Campbell

Contact: Amy Bosley, Indiana State University, clinical faculty associate, at 812-237-2417 or Amy.Bosley@indstate.edu

Writer: Jennifer Sicking, Indiana State University, associate director of media relations, at 812-237-7972 or Jennifer.Sicking@indstate.edu