On May 12th, Willowcreek Middle School is hosting a Student-Teacher Training Program for our eighth grade students. 
This day will allow participating eighth graders to spend a day in the life of a teacher by delivering classroom instruction to their fellow ‘creekers. The eighth grade students are selected through an application process. Students are screened for current classroom grades, behavior, and the reasons for wanting to participate in student teaching. Once selected, the students meet with Mr. Lynch and Mrs. Smith to discuss professional dress and other expectations of a typical teaching day.
Mr. Lynch, a sixth grade social studies teacher, and Mrs. Smith, a guidance counselor at Willowcreek, enjoy working with the eighth graders during this project in hopes of creating future Portage educators. “This is a great opportunity for sixth and eighth graders alike,” Mr. Lynch states. “We have found that our eighth graders look forward to the day’s responsibilities and carry themselves with pride. Furthermore, the sixth grade students have great respect for their upper classmen and take the lessons presented by the eighth graders seriously.”
Over fifty participants will take on the role of teachers, custodians, principals, media specialists, and counselors. Our students will have a part in carrying out a full day’s success in the life of the professionals here at WMS. “An interesting aspect of the student teaching includes several meetings with the professional each student is replacing for the day. Students who will fill the responsibilities of a teacher discuss the content that will be taught, lesson planning, setting the day’s agenda, and carrying out the lesson. For those serving as guidance counselors, they might meet with students in small groups, superve lunches, and assist our principals. All of these important details are what allow our teacher training program to be such a success,” Lynch expressed.
Be sure to check our Willowcreek Middle School homepage on the Portage Township Schools website for pictures after May 12th.