-: The number one way that Ball State prepared me
for where I am is that I had the wonderful opportunity
to be in schools almost every single semester.
The Music Education program here does a beautiful job
of putting students in field experiences from the beginning.
So once you're a sophomore in the program,
every single semester you are in a school
whether it's just observing or you get to teach.
But I felt so comfortable by the time
I went to my student teaching.
Just of being in a school setting and being there
and with the administrative things.
I know other schools, sometimes teachers don't get
in a classroom until they're student teaching.
So then you have to worry about getting a syllabus together,
and doing all the first day of school things,
and just being comfortable with the principal
and with another teacher in the room and actual students.
It's very different to pretend to teach in a college class
than it is to actually teach 12 year olds.
They're very different.
And so thankfully, Ball State puts you in classrooms early.
And that can be stressful and that can be scary,
but it is the best thing that they can do for you.