Senior Emily Wasserstrom helps a student with reading at Cassingham Elementary Oct. 29.
Sticky fingers, a stampede of little legs and endless energy of young students: the chaos of elementary hallways is not an experience most would describe as desirable. However, three seniors have chosen to return and pursue student-teaching opportunities.
Senior Emily Wasserstrom student-teaches at Cassingham. She explained she has a varied schedule in the elementary school. She works in the library and helps a first grade reading group and a music class, she said.
Wasserstrom explained her student-teaching opportunity arose this summer when she ran into Cassingham Principal David Schottner.
“I told him that I would have two study halls and I was interested in teaching,” she said.
Schottner said he was thrilled to hear from Wasserstrom.
“Anytime middle or high school students want to volunteer in any capacity with our elementary kids, I think it’s wonderful,” he said.
Wasserstrom said she has thoroughly enjoyed her student-teaching experience so far.
“Wednesday is my favorite day,” she said. “I have a small group that I work with on developing their English literacy skills and letter recognition.
“I’m always being thrown into something new, which is good practice because that’s what education is,” she added.
Senior Vivienne Frank said she will be pursuing a student teaching opportunity in middle school music teacher Ann Schertzer’s room starting next semester. Frank said she will be working with Schertzer’s sixth grade class.
Frank realized she wanted to pursue music education during her freshman year when a senior at the time assisted her choir, she said.
Frank added she felt inspired to pursue a job in teaching because of her family’s history in education.
“Almost everyone on my dad’s side of the family was or is a teacher,” she said.
Senior Abby Levi volunteers in Adie Young’s first grade class Tuesdays and Thursdays.
She said what she does in Young’s classroom changes every day.
“I did Camp Invention over the summer which Mrs. Young runs, so I had already been in contact with her,” Levi said.
Frank explained she has been looking forward to teaching since her experience conducting a piece for the sixth grade choir at the middle and high school concert Oct. 5.
She explained she expects to take on more responsibility next semester when her student-teaching experience begins.
“I want to be able to conduct more pieces and learn how to do things that aren’t taught in college,” she said.
Levi said she isn’t sure what she wants to pursue professionally, but student-teaching has been a great experience.
“I like kids and I think it’s fun to work with them, but I don’t know if that is what I want to do,” she said.
Wasserstrom explained she plans to major in elementary education and minor in Spanish, which gives her the choice between early elementary education or Spanish education as a career.
Levi explained the students have become accustomed to having her in the classroom.
“I’ve definitely gotten to know them and their learning styles better and their relationships with one another,” she said.
Wasserstrom has already formed meaningful relationships with the students, she explained.
“These kids are some of the sweetest people,” she said. “They have so much of my heart already.”
Published and digitized November 2025.
