TAMPA – Twelve University of South Florida students pursuing degrees in Exceptional Student Education gained teaching experience while helping children with learning disabilities at Pepin Academies.
The four-week Summer Institute wrapped up recently, giving both groups a chance to learn and grow.
Pepin Academies students in grades 3 to 12 received individualized support from aspiring special education teachers, while USF students applied what they are learning in their coursework to a classroom environment.
“This has been great. It’s been nothing I could have prepared myself for,” USF student Solee Boutilier said. “I think this is the kind of thing where you can read about it in a textbook, but you’re not going to understand it until you’re in the classroom. So, this has been awesome.”
Boutilier said her time in the classroom deepened her understanding of teaching.
“It’s made me more appreciative of my teachers because, wow, there is a lot that goes into it,” she said. “Being able to adapt what students need into every single lesson… I feel very grateful for all my teachers growing up.”
Learning alongside future educators gave Pepin Academies students encouragement and extra support as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
“I feel that they want us to learn more and be ready for a new grade, a new level,” said Pepin Academies student Savannah McGowan, an incoming sixth grader. “They made it fun and treated you with respect. If something was hard for us, they would find a way to help us understand it in our way.”
USF student Maya Moneze said the experience has reshaped how she approaches instruction and lesson planning.
“I took what they know and enjoy and morphed it into our daily routine,” Moneze said. “We learned through games, so everything I taught used activities that engaged them. I changed my lesson plans at least three times a day based on comments they told me, and that’s been a really big part – being able to adapt to their needs.”
The Summer Institute concluded with a student showcase featuring performances created in partnership with Arts4All Florida, a USF-affiliated arts education program. Students spent part of the summer working with dance, music and visual arts instructors to develop an original production celebrating America’s 250th birthday and the nation’s diverse cultures and traditions.
