Our continuing partnership with ISU created an exceptional learning opportunity for 21 pre-service teachers from Dr. Jay Percell’s TCH 212 course. Placement in an alternative setting for a future teacher’s first field experience allows the opportunity for a more expansive view of education. This semester, the TCH 212 students worked on collaborative service projects at RAS as part of their course requirements. These projects included organizing thousands of books, building shelves for the library, and adding original artwork to our walls. Dr. Percell stressed the importance of hands-on learning to the TCH 212 students, as opposed to just sitting and observing classrooms.
A debriefing of their experience at our school highlighted the importance of forming relationships, the flexibility of our staff, and the sense of community in our building. As one of the ISU students wrote, “Due to the nature of RAS, it allowed for connections to grow between the students and teachers that might not be possible in a traditional school setting.”
Thank you TCH 212 Students, Dr. Percell, and ISU for this experience and opportunity to help our vision of RAS being the lab school of alternative education!