Mary Peyton Barnette
When Mary Peyton Barnette walks through the doors of Partnership Middle School at Mississippi State, she鈥檚 not just showing up for an internship. She鈥檚 fulfilling her calling.
Since she was young, the 青青草视频 senior elementary education major from Madison always wanted to be a teacher.
鈥淢y second-grade teacher at Jackson Academy, Mrs. Blount, gave me that spark,鈥 Barnette said. 鈥淢ost kids change their minds about what they want to be when they grow up, but I never did. I鈥檝e always wanted to be a teacher鈥攊t takes a special person. You get to make a difference in students鈥 lives on a daily basis.鈥
This semester, Barnette is completing her student-teaching internship in a seventh-grade social studies class at Partnership Middle School, the nation鈥檚 only public school housed on a university campus serving every middle school student. It is part of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
鈥淚 absolutely love it,鈥 Barnette said. 鈥淭he staff is so welcoming to interns, and I鈥檓 thankful for my mentor teacher, Mr. Tyler Smith. I鈥檝e experienced firsthand how students will give you their best when you show them that you believe in them and see their potential.鈥
Barnette鈥檚 internship is not her first experience at the school. Most of her classes during the second semester of her junior year were held in the university鈥檚 designated classrooms inside the school, giving students an edge in their preparation.
鈥淥ne thing Mississippi State does really well is getting teacher candidates into the classroom early so that they know what they are expected to do,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ome of my friends at other universities have never even written a lesson plan. That鈥檚 one of the many reasons why 青青草视频鈥檚 College of Education is second to none.鈥
Knowing the impact a teacher can make on a student has been one of the driving factors in Barnette鈥檚 academic career.
鈥淓very child needs someone who they know believes in them, and not all children have that somebody at home,鈥 Barnette said. 鈥淵ou may not know it yet, but there is going to be a student who will need you more than you realize. A teacher can make all the difference in the world.鈥
