Lee University’s Helen DeVos College of Education recently hosted its inaugural Teaching Preview Day, providing high school students interested in education an opportunity to experience the teaching profession firsthand. 
 
Held June 11, the event welcomed high school students from across Tennessee for a full day of interactive learning, lesson planning, and classroom instruction. Participants represented several school districts, including Cleveland, Bradley County, Murfreesboro, Maryville, and Knoxville-area schools. 
 
Organized by the teacher education program within Lee’s Helen DeVos College of Education, the event was designed to help students explore the teaching profession before selecting a college major or career path. 
 
“We wanted to provide students with more than a traditional campus visit,” said Rachael Pitts, assistant director of teacher education at Lee. “Teaching Preview Day gave them the opportunity to see what teaching is really like and consider whether it is a path they would like to pursue.” 
 
The day began on Lee’s campus, where participants learned about the university’s education programs and attended breakout sessions led by faculty members based on their preferred teaching age groups. Working in small teams, students collaborated to develop lesson plans and prepare classroom activities while receiving guidance and feedback from Lee faculty. 
 
In the afternoon, participants traveled to Cleveland Middle School and Candy’s Creek Cherokee Elementary School, where they taught lessons to students attending summer learning programs through a partnership with Cleveland City Schools. 
 
Under the guidance of Lee faculty, participants led classroom activities and worked directly with K-12 learners.  
 
Students interested in elementary education worked with second- through fourth-grade students on a STEAM lesson that challenged children to design and build a raft capable of helping raccoons escape a fictional “Raccoon Island.” Participants interested in secondary education led activities for sixth- and seventh-grade students focused on developing a growth mindset. 
 
“My favorite moment was seeing the excitement our participants had while working with the students in the summer learning program,” said Pitts. “One student commented on how excited she was to have the opportunity to work with children. Experiences like that are exactly why we created this event.” 
 
Student feedback reflected the impact of the hands-on learning and faculty mentorship provided throughout the event. 
 
“I really valued the time with the professors,” one participant said. “They taught me so much about controlling a classroom, being prepared, improvising, positivity, learning styles of students, and how to accommodate each and every student.” 
 
Another participant noted that the classroom experience was the highlight of the day. “My favorite part truly was being in the classroom and learning how to better work with a class full of kids,” the student said. 
 
Following the classroom visits, students returned to Lee’s campus for a debrief session to reflect on their experiences and discuss what they learned about the profession. 
 
The university plans to make Teaching Preview Day an annual event and will continue expanding opportunities for early field experience. 
 
For more information about Lee’s teacher education program, visit leeuniversity.edu/teacher-education or contact the Teacher Education Office at (423) 614-8184 or [email protected].