Kaley Peterson, senior, walked into a fifth grade classroom ready to teach her first lesson of the day. “Hello, my name is Miss P,” Peterson said. Without warning, a little girl ran up and hugged her, leaving no explanation of why Peterson was in their class.  The little girl told Peterson that she was excited she was teaching their class.

Peterson was a part of Invite to Teach last semester, a class where students can pursue their goals of becoming a teacher, by helping out and teaching at local elementary and middle schools.

Christine Ellis, senior, was another student who participated in Invitation to Teach. Her passion for teaching came as a child when she would play school with her grandma.

While teaching, one of Ellis and Peterson’s goals was to connect with their students to make them feel comfortable.  “Getting to know my students was a priority of mine, and this helped me to plan my lessons better so they would appeal to the children,” Ellis said.

One challenge for Peterson was teaching students on different learning levels. Understanding the material was a very important goal for Peterson.  “I feel like I accomplished these because the students really opened up to me and told me that when I taught, even math was fun,” Peterson said.

Ellis found the experience of helping those younger than her to be rewarding. “The students made me want to come back every day,” Ellis said.

Peterson shared a similar experience with her students. “Every time I would ask a question, at least five hands would shoot up ready to supply me with answers. They were always excited to learn and would hold onto every last word I said,” Peterson said.

Tears were even shed on the last day, as many students wanted Peterson to stay longer.  “It was rewarding knowing that I got through to these kids and was able to make learning fun,” Peterson said.