By: Jensen Burnheimer ’21, Special Contributor
Playing teacher in her playroom since she was a little girl, LVC junior Autumn Leese has always known that she wanted to be a teacher.
Tackling two majors, Leese is studying early childhood and special education at LVC. While dedicating her time to studying and in her fieldwork, Leese still makes room in her week for the Building Our Soft Skills (BOSS) Program, which helps a second-grade class work on their soft skills. For example, the program offers advice to students on how to communicate if they are bullied or solving problems.
Her passion for teaching stemmed from her mother.
“When I was little, my mom was a stay-at-home mom. She did flashcards with me every day from the moment I can remember,” Leese said. “We were always learning in my household. I loved how fun she made learning for me, and I want to make learning just as fun for my future students and children.”
Now, her mother is an emotional support aid in a special education and emotional support classroom where Autumn helps tutor students when she visits.
Leese knew LVC’s education program was the perfect fit for her. Her favorite thing about the program is the opportunity it gives students to observe in the field every semester, meeting new teachers in the community along with their students and learning new teaching strategies at each assigned placement. Through her major, she loves that she gets to make a difference in her students’ lives each day she sees them.
“I love knowing I am bringing more knowledge to my kiddos and having fun, of course,” she said.
Leese believes the education department goes beyond its standards because of the care and respect the professors show toward their students.
“The professors are willing to do anything to help each student whether it is with classes, school or personal life,” she said. “Also, I have met friends that I will have for the rest of my life because of LVC’s education program.”
She appreciates the opportunity to be able to go out in the field every week. Each semester, Leese is given a new assignment where she will meet new teachers and students, gaining the experience that will eventually help her as she moves into her career.
“Those students rely on you to help them learn and to bring a smile to their faces, when deep down, those little ones are doing the same for me,” she said.
As she is finishing up her last semester of her junior year, Autumn is anticipating her semester of student teaching in the fall. She will be alongside a first-grade class including a host teacher who she worked with previously.
“It is so bittersweet knowing I have worked so hard to be at this point in my college career to do what I love most, which is teaching everyday with my amazing host teachers and students,” Leese said.
Entering her final year of college, she reflects on how great her experience was with the school and the education program.
“LVC is a community I am so blessed to be a part of and love,” she said.