Studying Elementary Education at Furman

Hi everyone! My name is Joanna Taylor and I am a rising senior double majoring in Elementary Education and Communication Studies. 

A Change of Heart: From Business to Education

Coming into Furman, I wanted to major in Business. I had a fascination with marketing and took several marketing classes in high school. I figured that a major in Business would be the way to go. However, I always had teaching in the back of my mind, and I grew up playing school with my sister and neighbors across the street.

The summer after my first year at Furman, I worked at a daycare and this really solidified my decision to focus on Elementary Education. The process of learning to be a teacher at Furman is very hands-on and engaging. Students are working in the classroom up to all four years during their time here. This could be in different capacities such as one-on-one tutoring, working with small groups, or even teaching whole-group lessons.

Hands-On Learning:

The Furman Education Faculty emphasizes this real-world experience because they know that students learn best by actually working with elementary students. Throughout their four years, students will take methods courses in each elementary subject (literacy, math, science, social studies, physical activity, and the arts). These courses teach students the best practices for teaching elementary students these subjects in an engaging way. In all of these courses, students have the opportunity to create and carry out lesson plans of their own design, testing out what works and what does not work when they are actually put in a classroom.

By junior year, students are spending a good bit of time in the classroom, getting to teach lessons on their own to the entire class and getting feedback from their professors. One of my favorite placements during my time at Furman took place at Cherrydale Elementary School in a first grade classroom. During this experience, I was able to teach a whole-group reading lesson on fables, lead small groups often, help students one-on-one, help with class celebrations, and form meaningful relationships with students. I looked forward to visiting this classroom every week, and my cooperating teacher was very helpful in giving me feedback and helpful tips for my future classroom.

Reflecting On My Experience:

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Teacher Education Program at Furman are the sweet relationships that I have been able to develop with students. Whenever I visit classrooms,
students are always excited, and it is always sad when I finish a placement and have to say bye to my students. I love that Furman gives us so many opportunities to interact with students in a
variety of settings, and I feel that I’ve gained valuable experiences that I will take with me to my future classroom.