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Skylar Mohler – Internship

My name is Skylar Mohler and I am currently interning at New Holland Elementary School. My mentor is Meghan Esslinger, a first grade teacher at New Holland Elementary. I arrive at my internship most days at 12:45. I go over my prepared materials for math class and then leave to pick up the kiddos at 12:55 from lunch. The kids come back to class and head to math class, where they go to separate teachers depending on skill level. I lead the number of the day discussion, where we count tens and ones, count up to that number on the hundreds grid, complete one more, one less, ten more, ten less chart, clock, and piggy bank. We practice counting with them afterward to 120 and then start our stations.

Meghan has the lowest level math class, so three out of four stations have a teacher leading the group. I have my own group where I prepare packets, games, and lessons for the kids. The units we are working on are counting tens and ones, greater than/less than, one more/one less, and memorizing doubles facts. For the Thanksgiving holiday, we created a turkey with math facts on the feathers. The kids loved completing this craft and being able to take it home before the holiday break. For the Christmas season approaching, I have been preparing lots of fun crafts, games, and worksheets relating to the holidays for the kids to do at my station. These are review items for them relating to our current unit, but also some fun!

During the busy daily classroom schedule, I find time to complete homework, grade papers, complete clerical work for my mentor and other teachers, and prepare materials for my math station. This internship can be stressful at times, but it is much more rewarding. I have a genuine connection with the kids in my classroom, and I love that I am able to get experience in my future job. I will be attending Shippensburg University to major in Early Elementary Education PreK-4 with a minor in Mathematics. I am so happy that I was placed with Mrs. Essingler in first grade because I would not want to be anywhere else!

I will be continuing with this internship placement into the second semester, as well as observing in other classrooms once a week. This will allow me to get additional experience in other grade levels and with different teaching styles compared to the one I am used to currently. I will be able to make a connection with more kids throughout the elementary school and affect their lives! I am so blessed to have been able to get this experience and I cannot wait for the rest of the year with my kiddos! Thank you to Mrs. Hackman and the Elanco school district for supporting internships in our school. It is a privilege to be able to do my chosen profession before even going to college!