Metcalf School partnership provides middle-level teacher candidates window into world of emerging adolescents 

“I am much too quirky to teach high school,” is just one of the reasons Halle Modloff chose to teach middle-level mathematics and English language arts.  

For Annalina Nelson, studying middle-level education is the opportunity to advocate for adolescents, build a safe environment for her students, and make a difference in their educational and personal endeavors.  

Brian Tondi ’21 returned to Illinois State University after receiving a bachelor’s degree in communications and a three-year substitute teaching career. He plans to teach middle grades science.  

Justina McGuinn enjoys teaching and learning not only with her middle-grade students but also with her peer colleagues.  

Modloff, Nelson, Tondi, McGuinn, and their classmates are all part of Dr. Meghan Kessler’s course Introduction to Young Adolescent Development and Middle Level Schools. Kessler, an assistant professor of middle level education in the School of Teaching and Learning, has partnered with Mike Jones ’96, M.S.E. ’18, and Andy Goveia ’13, M.S. ’18, both teachers at Metcalf School, to provide her teacher candidates with an immersive and meaningful semester. 

Kessler explained the importance of providing teacher candidates with hands-on classroom experience to explore middle-level philosophy and practice, as well as young adolescent development. “We take a holistic approach, placing particular emphasis on how middle level teachers can facilitate social-emotional learning through culturally, individually, and developmentally responsive pedagogies,” she said.  

Jones, who teaches seventh and eighth grade science at Metcalf School, has seen the positive effect the partnership has had. He believes that the value lies in teacher candidates doing more than simply observing as a first classroom experience. “It helps demystify middle schoolers.  We always talk about the importance of relationships, but we don’t have a way for teacher candidates to practice building them in meaningful ways.”  

Jones is especially proud of the work that has gone into the panels: “It really does take a village. We started a panel on others who support our students, from the nurse, social worker, custodian, office staff, and technology.  The University students get a larger sample of adults who are invested in the students.” 

Both McGuinn and Tondi agree that their time at Metcalf has allowed them to focus on their students, and to apply what they have learned in Kessler’s class. “It is easy to brush off young adolescents,” said Justina, “but this has helped me to build relationships by understanding that each child is an individual.” 

Tondi emphasized what it has taught him about what it means to build relationships. “I have learned that it takes more than one time meeting a student to get them to open up and trust you,” he said. 

Now in his 12th year at Metcalf, Goveia, a social studies teacher, identified the active role his students have in the partnership. “They get to let down their guard a bit, and there’s some real honesty about their school, and their learning that they share with their college partners,” he observed. 

Kessler, Jones, and Goveia recognized the need for teacher candidates to understand the full scope of middle-level teaching. That led the team to host roundtable discussions with parents, administrators, and staff who support student mental health.  

The partnership is also a reminder of the powerful connection between the School of Teaching and Learning and Metcalf School. “The experience lets our students live out our mission in tangible and meaningful ways past just having lessons or interns in the class,” said Goveia.   

For the teacher candidates in Kessler’s class, the opportunity to work closely with middle school students at Metcalf under the guidance of the professor and faculty associates has shown them that middle school is the right choice for their teaching career. When asked what advice they would give to someone interested in majoring in middle-level education, Nelson said, “If you have the heart and drive to make a difference in education, middle school is the most rewarding.”  

Modloff’s advice was simple: “Give it a shot! It is so much fun! Also, join CMLA!” 

Learn more about the middle level education program in the School of Teaching and Learning today!