During the third quarter of this year, there was a change in many classrooms. It was a time for the teachers to step aside and let someone else handle a room of teenagers on a daily basis- student teachers.

One of these teachers was Carolynn Keal, a student at Southern Connecticut State University. She taught five biology classes: one core class and CP classes with Charles Swan and then one CP and one Honors class with Tom Feige.

“My favorite part of being a student teacher was to be in the life of a teacher.” said Keal, “I got to know my students, to know my staff and to have the responsibility of what a teacher really is.”

Keal enjoyed time in the office, laughing and enjoying time with the other teachers.   

Keal loved her students, even with the amount of work that came with it.

“There are definitely some characters I won’t forget when I move on.” Keal said, “ I know that they will help inspire some different lessons and some things that I teach at my new job.”

After Woodland, Keal wants to continue lacrosse, a sport she currently plays at Southern. She wants to move to Boston and be able to coach lacrosse at a higher level, as well as continue to teach biology.

Keal’s favorite memory from being a student teacher was when a student told her that, after the DNA unit she taught them, they had gotten the highest grade ever on a test that year. For Keal, hearing that she made a significant impact made a difference for her.

Keal also stated that she believes that Woodland is an ideal place to student teach. “The students are great; everyone’s well respected and respectful. It made my job easy, Keal said, “I didn’t really have to do much disciplinary action or behavior management. I just had to focus on teaching, focus on the material and just getting to know the students on a more personal level. So, thank you to everyone that I taught and my students were great first kids to have.”