Haley Terrell is a USF College of Education senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She will graduate in the Spring of 2023.
Which class are you interning in at Sessums Elementary?
I am interning in the fifth grade English Language Arts (ELA) classroom taught by Christen Henrichs.
What are your favorite things about interning at Sessums Elementary?
I love being a part of the school community here at Sessums. The students are full of life and keep me going on my most challenging days. I strive to be my best at Sessums as an intern.
How does it feel to return as a teacher when you were a student at Sessums Elementary?
I am surrounded by the teachers where I started my education. It is the best feeling. I am grateful and inspired each day to be at an incredible school in a community that is home to me. It is an unique experience to leave as a student and return as a teacher a decade later. I have been given the opportunity to meet new teachers while calling my former teachers my colleagues. It feels like I never left!
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Teaching makes me feel that I am on the right path in life. I enjoy getting to know my kids as people before getting to know their needs as students. Each day I walk into school, I want to make a difference and it puts a smile on my face! I truly believe teaching is what I was meant to do. One of my favorite moments is when my students can't stop asking questions or making connections during our conversations. I will never tire of my students’ hugs, high-fives and good mornings. I love when I can teach students how to be goal-setters and achieve what they think is impossible. I teach to help my students understand how they can make a difference in the world.
How has the USF College of Education prepared you to be a teacher?
The USF College of Education has prepared me to commit to my lifelong learning philosophy. By having two years of clinical experience, I was able to understand what a day in the life of a teacher looks like, which is something a textbook cannot begin to cover. I am ready to start my career in teaching. I could not have progressed to where I am today without the tremendous support provided by USF and the College of Education team. I learned from the best, an alliance of supervisors and mentor teachers.