Two Seniors are Teachers for a Day
Rebecca Silverman and Caitlin Etri recently enjoyed a taste of what it’s like to be a teacher. The two Huntington High School seniors took over Jack Abrams Intermediate School teacher Allison VonVange’s science classes for a day.
Six years ago the pair was sixth graders themselves in Ms. VonVange’s room. The past few years the two have helped their former teacher pull off the annual school play as assistant directors.
The teenagers were a creative duo as student-teachers. For example, they prepared a lesson on protons, neutrons and electrons. To help students remember that protons have a positive charge, they handed out “Proton Stickers” (smiley stickers) and even created a Bingo game designed to review the Periodic Table. The seniors took over all aspects of the class for the day.
“My favorite part was when we played Bingo,” one of the sixth graders said. “They are really great teachers. When they were talking, I really understood the lesson.”
Ms. Etri, who hopes to be a secondary grade level science teacher one day, will attend Cornell University in the fall. She plans to major in environmental studies. Ms. Silverman, who is valedictorian of Huntington’s Class of 2010, is headed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she will major in Earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences. Her eye is on a career as an environmental lawyer.
“Coming back to teach in my old sixth grade classroom was a wonderful experience,” Ms. Etri said. “Ms. VonVange is such an inspirational teacher. I am so lucky to have had her. Teaching her science classes was so enjoyable and the kids loved Bingo! I only hope that one day I will be as influential a teacher as Ms. VonVange was to me.”
The seniors quickly established a classroom rapport with the sixth graders, aided by their work on the school play. “I played Mrs. Potts in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and I thought Ms. Rebecca and Ms. Caitlin were such amazing assistants for Ms. VonVange,” a sixth grader said. “So when I found out that they were coming back to teach in Ms. VonVange’s class, I was so excited because I know how nice they were.”
“During the play I was in stage crew so I didn’t really get to know Ms. Rebecca or Ms. Caitlin,” one of the sixth graders said. “Today they were being our teachers for the day and were doing a great job. As they were explaining where they were going to college, Ms. VonVange said, ‘See, me being mean, rotten and horrible really paid off.’ Then Ms. Caitlin said, “You are never mean, rotten and horrible,” which I thought was very nice.”
The exchange of information and ideas between the high school duo and the sixth graders went smoothly. “My students this year were comparing stories with the girls to see how much I have changed and what is still the same about my classroom,” Ms. VonVange said.
“What a thrill to watch Rebecca and Caitlin teach a science lesson to our sixth graders, Principal Mary Stokkers said. “Watching them made me so proud! They felt comfortable and the students enjoyed every minute of it. It was a tribute to how comfortable Ms. VonVange makes learning.”
“I am so proud of these young ladies,” Ms. VonVange said. “They were special girls when they were in my class in sixth grade and I have had the privilege to watch them grow into the remarkable young ladies they are today. I know they will be successful in anything they decide to do.”
“Teaching in Ms. VonVange’s class has been an absolute joy,” Ms. Silverman said. “I had so much fun playing the part of the teacher; doing everything from writing on the chalkboard to awarding stickers for a job well done. It has been a pleasure teaching all of Ms. VonVange’s wonderful students and I wish all of them lots of luck in the years to come.”
The students loved the experience, too. “I thought they were really exciting and fun,” said one of the sixth grade boys. “We learned a lot.”
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