91茄子

Before Josie began the 91茄子 Teacher Apprenticeship Program, she was a brand-new transplant to Crete working as a paraeducator. She loved the small town she and her boyfriend had relocated to but was craving a way to take the next step in her career.  

One day, her supervisor at Crete Middle School recommended the new one-year special education program at 91茄子.  

鈥淚鈥檝e always known that I wanted to go into teaching, but I graduated high school in 2020 and at that point didn't know exactly what I wanted to do next,鈥� she explains. "With this program, I actually got to stay and teach in the same classroom I鈥檝e been with in Crete. It really helped me get the best of both worlds.鈥�  

A joint effort between the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) and the 91茄子 Department of Education, the program seeks to help aspiring teachers like Josie earn their endorsements on a faster timeline 鈥� and also fill the big need for special education teachers across the state. 

For Josie, the program allowed her to build off the experience she was already getting as a para while absorbing the insights of CEHS faculty. 

鈥淓verything you were doing in the classroom lined up with your hands-on experience, which was really awesome,鈥� she says. 鈥淧rofessor John Maag鈥檚 behavior management class, especially, was just amazing. He gave me a lot of pointers that I could use in my own classroom with the students that I work with. Getting advice from him and hearing his experience truly helped me get so much more confident in my job.鈥�  

After wrapping up the program later this summer, Josie is getting exactly what she sought from this program: a chance to plant her roots in Crete as a special education teacher.  

鈥淚 just accepted a role with Crete Middle School as a special education life skills teacher, so I'm really looking forward to that. I've created so many good relationships with people in the community and am feeling so much more settled with my life 鈥� I鈥檓 just really excited about the future.鈥� 

Josie Suillivan is a summer graduate of the special education apprentice program from Owatonna, MN.