My name is Stacie Shields and I teach at the University of Vermont in the Elementary Education Department. I have been teaching for 23 years and I LOVE it more today than when I began.

I am excited to introduce you to an amazing group of students studying to be teachers. This group is kind, supportive and conscientious. For some, this is their first time in a school taking on this type of practicum student/teacher role and for a few others it isn't. I know this group will work hard to support you, your students and learn as much as they can about teaching from your example and guidance.

We are grateful to you for opening your school and classroom communities to us to share the amazing work you do each and every day. Thank you for this opportunity to learn and grow as teachers. We will work hard to make every minute count and to soak in as much learning as we can in our time with you.

Please reach out to share celebrations and/or any questions you have along the way.

Warmest regards,

Stacie Shields
stacie.shields@uvm.edu

I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I was in the fourth grade, after participating in a Special Olympics program and falling in love with helping others. While I have strayed away from the idea of becoming a full-time special educator, I of course stuck with the education career. I have limited experience in the classroom, but did teach a religious education class with a group of first graders every Sunday for an hour during my sophomore and junior year of high school. I have also worked at an overnight sleepaway camp for children grades 3-10. I am hoping to teach 5th graders in the future, and have decided to focus on history (which is all subject to change). I am super excited to get to know all of the students in my placement class, and to learn from my mentor teacher!

For the past four years I have worked in elementary schools as an intern and substitute teacher. I have experience working in grades PreK–3 and worked as a long-term sub for a special education teacher. I want to become a teacher because I love to watch students grow as learners and as people, and be there to celebrate their achievements with them. I enjoy challenging myself and find joy in working with students to cater to their individual learning styles. 

I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to grow as an educator and cannot wait to learn from the incredible staff and kiddos this Spring!

I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember; playing school with my stuffed animals and dolls was one of my favorite activities when I was young. I’m very excited for this opportunity to experience the inner workings of a second-grade classroom and further develop my skills working with young people. I can’t wait to meet the students and get to know them! I’m also looking forward to working alongside a seasoned teacher who can offer advice and act as a model as I work toward my own career.

One of the reasons I chose to attend UVM was because of their frequent student teaching opportunities, so I’m very grateful for the chance to spend time in my mentor teacher’s classroom this spring!

My name is Clarinda McAllister, I also go by Cc, and I am a sophomore majoring in Elementary Education at the University of Vermont! I have lived in Vermont my whole life and grew up about 35 minutes from UVM in a small town called Ferrisburgh. I have always loved working with kiddos because of their overwhelming positivity and love for life. I love watching them become their own persons and developing more desires for their own interests. 

In my spare time, I enjoy painting, crocheting, and rock climbing which I have been doing for about 12 years now. You can also find me cuddling with my two kitties, Casey and Coal. I have coached for a couple of years now at the Petra Cliffs climbing gym in Burlington where I was on the competitive team for about 10 years and I absolutely love helping these kids find their passions!

I am so excited to partake in this experience and learn from these skillful and knowledgeable teachers since I hope to become a first-grade teacher eventually. I can’t wait to join the Rick Marcotte community and meet each of you soon! 

I am super eager to get into the classroom this semester and learn as much as I possibly can! My mom is a third grade teacher in the town that I am from, so I’ve grown up being very involved in the school community for a lot of my life! I want to be an educator to make a difference and help students learn in a safe and inclusive environment and I feel as though I am ready to take on this amazing challenge of being a teacher! I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity to join the Porter’s Point community!

My name is Samantha Alves and I am a Sophomore at the University of Vermont with a major in elementary education. I'm originally from Massachusetts but I now live in Vermont full time because I just got an apartment that I'm moving into this summer! I am also a big animal lover, I have 6 cats and 2 bunnies, and I enjoy hiking and skiing!

I have wanted to be a school teacher ever since I was young! I can remember being in elementary school, looking up to the aspiring teachers helping out in the classroom, and now it is finally my turn! I am excited to get to know my students and to help provide them with a comforting, encouraging space to engage with the content of their class. This is a wonderful, hands-on opportunity that UVM offers and I feel so grateful to be a part of it. I am beyond excited to join the community at Porters Point and to learn from my new classroom!

I worked at a summer camp and afterschool program in South Burlington and I found it to be such a fun and fulfilling experience, I loved knowing that I could make a difference in the lives of the kids that I worked with. I’m very excited to begin this experience and learn from my mentor teacher and students. I’m also so thankful to be given this valuable opportunity, and I can’t wait to join the RMCS community and meet everyone soon!!

My name is Erin Farrell and I am a UVM student in the Elementary Education program. I am so excited to be working with students and experiencing the environment of the 1st-grade classroom! I am a local Vermonter and love spending time outdoors. You can find me hiking up Camel’s Hump when I’m not in school or searching for a new favorite restaurant. Before deciding to join the education program at UVM, I did some traveling and worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club in New Hampshire. I lead youth outdoor trips for the AMC and spent lots of time with kids in the backcountry. I knew I wanted to be a teacher after my experience as a trip leader and hope to continue my education in the field of outdoor education somewhere down the road! One of the biggest lessons I have learned over the past few years is the importance of community. I am excited to be a part of the Porter’s Point community while I learn and grow through my time in the classroom.

My name is Jackie and I’m a sophomore at UVM studying elementary education. I’m from a small town in southern New Hampshire, but I’ve really loved getting the chance to live in Burlington for college. In my free time I enjoy skiing, hiking, and many things outdoors, so Vermont is the perfect place for me to be.

I’m beyond excited to be a part of a kindergarten classroom this semester. Working with kids has been a passion of mine ever since working at an after school program/summer camp in my hometown, and this experience will be an exciting first step on my journey to becoming a teacher! I look forward to meeting everyone!

My name is JoAnna Ray. I’m currently a sophomore at UVM and majoring in Elementary Education (K-6)! I’m from Pittsford Vermont and have lived in VT for my whole life. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher because of my mom. She is someone I have always looked up to. She has been a 4th grade teacher for over 30 years now, but plans to retire once I graduate!

A couple things I love are my family, friends and being with my pets. I have 3 cats, 1 dog and 4 rabbits at home. In my free time I enjoy doodling, skiing, listening to music, and just being outside! 

This past summer I worked at a summer camp in Middlebury, VT and it was my first time working with elementary students and it was so much fun! I also was able to work at the afterschool program this past winter break as well, with the same students as the summer camp so it was nice to have that connection with the same children. 

I cannot wait to start this practicum experience at Porter’s Point Elementary in a first grade classroom! In the future I really would like to teach 4th or 5th graders! 

My name is Alex, and I am currently a sophomore at UVM. I am majoring in elementary education and minoring in special education. I am from a small town in Massachusetts and moved to Burlington two years ago. I love reading and art, and one of my goals this winter is to learn how to ski!

I have always wanted to be a teacher because I believe that how someone receives their education can play a big role in their success and happiness in the future. I want all of my students to feel safe and welcome in the classroom because it benefits their self-esteem and increases their motivation to learn.

I am excited to learn from everyone and their perspectives and experiences during this practicum experience, especially how to create engaging and effective lessons and activities students are interested in.

I am so excited to meet each one of you and work together as a team. I am sure we will have a lot of fun this year!

I am so thrilled to start my time as an elementary teacher. I’ve wanted to be a teacher as long as I can remember. My mom was a behavioral support elementary teacher, and I have so many memories of my four siblings and I spending time in her classroom, helping her practice her lessons. I watched her teach and immediately realized that’s what I wanted to do with my life. I was a camp counselor over this past summer for children in 2nd-5th grade at my old elementary school. I have also worked with children through various theater programs, teaching them to love music, accept mistakes, and have fun!

I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow from all of the staff and students at Rick Marcotte!

I want to be a teacher because I like children and want to work with them. What I hope to get out of the practicum experience is learning how to create a lesson plan and experiencing the classroom environment. I am really excited to meet everyone at Porter’s Point School!