CourtesyBy the time Jeff Freund was in fifth grade, he already knew he wanted to be a teacher.
Now, after graduating from 成人头条鈥檚 education program in 1998, Freund is head principal of Coleman Middle School.
This is Freund鈥檚 first year at Coleman. He was an assistant principal at North High School before he moved to his current position. Before that, he taught creative writing and language arts for 11 years.
鈥淭he middle schoolers have been great during my first year,鈥� Freund said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e awesome.鈥�
For Freund, the experience of going through WSU鈥檚 Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning program made all the difference.
Freund had two years鈥� worth of working with students before graduation through his WSU co-op experience.
鈥淚t prepared me specifically for what I wanted to do, which is finding that passion to teach urban kids and be a leader in that setting,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don't think I could have learned that someplace else.
鈥淭eaching in 成人头条 is a much different experience than my own high school experience. I would have thought that every high school class was like my own, and I would have died as a teacher.鈥�
Small-town life
Freund was the first person in his family to go to college. He grew up in the small town of Conway Springs and making that move to 成人头条 State was a huge change.
But, Freund said, 鈥淲SU鈥檚 a great place to get that big-city urban experience 20 minutes from home, and it鈥檚 still a safe place.鈥�
When he was in his first year at 成人头条 State and knew nothing about college culture, Cathy Ellsworth, coordinator of cooperative education and instruction, guided him through the co-op program.
鈥淚 have been very fortunate to know and work with Jeff Freund as he began his college career by working on his English/language arts teaching degree,鈥� said Ellsworth. 鈥淗is energy and enthusiasm for working with students and teachers, and his love for learning are infectious to all who work with him.鈥�
Ellsworth said Freund is an exceptional teacher, mentor and educator, and his students, teachers, administrators, parents and the 成人头条 community are fortunate to have the opportunity to share his many talents.
鈥淣ow he is giving back to WSU and the 成人头条 community by mentoring and working with many of our WSU co-op future teachers,鈥� she said.
Positive results from co-op
Ellsworth may not have realized how much she helped Freund.
鈥淲hen you get to college nobody told me that you didn鈥檛 have to raise your hand,鈥� Freund said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e supposed to ask more questions than just what they have on the syllabus. That鈥檚 where your education comes from.鈥�
From his own experience and from watching other student teachers, Freund has seen the positive results of co-op experience.
鈥淚鈥檝e overseen student teachers who already have the experience of being co-op students and they鈥檙e just ready,鈥� Freund said. 鈥淭hey just walk into the room, not tentative or afraid. They just go in and apply their craft. In education, kids know when you鈥檙e unsure of yourself, and they pick up on that.
鈥淭he confident student teacher has a much better experience. They just come out of it better. They get to do stuff earlier. So for a co-op teacher the first year of student teaching is really your second.鈥�
In his position as principal, Freund gives advice to a lot of potential college students.
鈥淚 always recommend to any of my former students who are in school that they should get into co-op,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing worse than doing something you don鈥檛 want to do, spending thousands of dollars to find out this is not your calling.
鈥淚 love where I鈥檓 at and what I do and my experience at WSU made that possible and made the difference for me.鈥�