Internship Success

Hali Tasler
Major: Math Education
Hometown: Windom, Minn.
Anticipated graduation date: May 2017
Professional Experience: Apprentice, Mathematical Progressions through Habits of Mind

UW-River Falls senior Hali Tasler has spent the last year gaining hands-on experience as an apprentice with the Mathematical Progressions through Habits of Mind project. As part of the federally funded grant project, Hali has been able to step in front of a classroom and put her education into practice. Thanks to her practical experience, she will be more prepared to lead a classroom of her own.

As an apprentice, what are your responsibilities?
"I was assigned to a math classroom. There, I participated in the classroom, updated the grade book, taught different warm ups, and asked questions to the students to deepen their understanding of the mathematics that were being taught. We also had grant meetings with the other participants in the grant where we would look at different problems and concentrate on good teaching methods."

How will this professional experience help prepare you for your future career?
"This experience will help me because I was able to be placed in the classroom sooner. It has allowed me to get up in front of a class and teach different lessons or parts of a lesson. It has allowed me to see many different aspects of teaching, such as grading and the different curriculums that schools have. Also, it has allowed me to meet different math teachers that are working in the field. I can ask questions to make me a better teacher."

What do you hope to take away from this experience?
"I will take different teaching techniques of how to control a classroom and how to teach a lesson. I will also take away the different connections that I have made through this grant work."