This proposal would involve a distance learning project that would impact students within the K-2 South Dakota school community and prospective elementary and early childhood teachers at Northern State University.  The activity would be integrated within the Curriculum and methods in Early Childhood Education –EED 317 class required by early childhood education students.
 

     This enrichment activity would require prospective preschool through second (2nd) grade teachers to ask questions of a student teacher or teachers that are taking part in the rural placement program at NSU via DDN(Dakota Digital Network). 
 

     Teacher education students impacted would be approximately thirty (30) per year at Northern State University. 

1. In the spring semester of 2002, volunteer student groups would be targeted to connect with a teacher or teachers on the DDN system. 
2. Effectiveness and learning would be evaluated to improve the development of use for all classes in the spring semester of 2003.

     On April 22, 2002, at 4:00, nine early childhood students took part in this activity.  The project originally was for four student teachers to be on the other end of the transmission.  Because of different reasons, only one from the Sully Buttes School system was able to connect.  Before the interview, I asked participants to write what they knew about student teaching.  Then when the activity was over, I asked what they learned.  It was an open and safe environment and the students and student teacher felt free to ask any question and have honest answers.  It took approximately 30 minutes.  The responses in red are the post-reflections.

“When education students have the chance to go out in the field and experience teaching a class, not just observing.  It is a set amount of weeks; 12 for ELED, I believe 6 for Early Childhood.  I think you can pretty much chose where you want to go, also within a certain mile radius.”

“Hands-on makes the difference.  Make sure that you’re very flexible, which has always been known.  It’s fun, may require work, but gets you very prepared”.

“I know that you are a guest in a teacher’s classroom.  I know that you should get involved in the community that the school is located. "You are in charge of teaching lessons.  You are evaluated by you ability to instruct within a classroom.”
“7:55-8:20 get ready, two weeks you will do all day teaching, 4:30-average day ends.”  Directions, behavior for all ages of kids…sit in on conferences.  At the rural program at Onida, you get to do extra curricular activities.”

“It is where education students go into a school and teach some lessons and eventually teach the whole day.”
“I learned that is probably a lot less scarier than I thought.  I think at first it will be overwhelming but she looked like she was having fun”.

“This is where the student observes a teacher for full days and practices giving lessons and eventually teaches the class all day.”
“It’s nice to talk to someone who is actually living through it and saying how fun it is.  It does not look as scary as I have made it seem in the picture in my head.  The rural program also looks wonderful!  Definitely something to keep in mind!!”

“12 weeks- 5 weeks-5 weeks-Pre-K. Gradually incorporated into teaching all subjects, work with cooperating teacher, work in a school system, observed lessons by an assigned supervisor”
“Hands-on activities make things work better. Be able to do various activities plus teach, must be able to work in various class sizes. Rural program pays you a stipend of $1000 and observations done via webcam and talk through e-mail and faxing.”

“Make lesson plans, teach students, correspond w/cooperating teacher, 12 weeks in classroom, eventually are allowed to teach all day by themselves, sometimes keep journal of their activities and have individual supervisor.”
“It sounds like student teaching is a really fun experience.  Not only do you get to meet the students and observe the students, you get to teach them, too.  I’m excited to get to do this!”

“You student teach when you do your professional blocks.”
“I can’t wait to get out there and student teach.  This was very helpful in letting us know that it’s not that scary.  Gives us some ideas on how things are gong out in the world”.

“You student teach your last semester and you observe and help the teacher before you take over”.
“I have actually learned a lot from this.  It makes me really excited knowing that I will be able to do my student teaching in Gettysburg hopefully, because I am getting married this summer and we will be making our home there so that will be much easier for me.  I also learned that you have to be flexible as a teacher but you stress that well, too.”