Balancing two worlds between being a full-time student teacher making lesson plans and being a Music Education college student seeking a Bachelor’s Degree at Elmhurst University, Student Teacher Paulina Walczak assists Choral Director Robert Shellard in many endeavors. She student teaches four choirs and the Advanced Placement Music Theory class alongside Shellard, bringing a unique perspective and a growing energy to helping students. This opportunity provides Walczak with experiences she can use in her future musical and teaching endeavors.

Walczak began her student-teaching placement at South in mid-August and will be here until the end of the first semester, she said. Before coming to South, she spent a semester teaching at Westmoor Elementary School in Northbrook, working with students from preschool through fifth grade, Walczak added.

“Whether it’s with elementary students, middle school students, or high school students, anywhere in a music classroom, teaching’s the ideal goal,” Walczak said.

Unlike typical education placements, where colleges place the student teacher at a school, the route into a music student-teaching position is often built through professional networks and choosing the placement location yourself, Shellard said. Walczak’s collegiate professor, Sarah Catt, Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Elmhurst University, recommended Walczak to Shellard, he explained. Before committing to placement at South, Walczak visited last semester to observe Shellard’s teaching. His teaching expertise and advice made her experience more fun, meaningful, and allowed her to bond with students further, Walczak explained.

“I love the vibes of the students, I love the vibes of the classroom,” Walczak said. “I learned a lot from Shellard, even just in that one observation of the choir.”

Walczak student teaching alongside Shellard allows the Music department to become more collaborative, Shellard said. Her care and reflection in her work brings positive change to the department, Shellard said. Walczak’s positive attitude allows students to connect with her, bringing a comforting sense of community into the program, Shellard said.

“Students can ask Walczak for help in a lot of different ways, but also she’s younger and a little bit more in tune with pop culture or the things that students are listening and talking about,” Shellard said.

For students, Walczak brings a unique teaching style, as she tests out what methods work for her, sophomore Ella Sanders, Bel Canto member, said. This combined with Walczak’s smiley personality brings laughter and joy into the choir, Sanders added.

“We get a little bit more out of having two directors with different perspectives which is really nice because she’s able to teach within our voice part, which for Bel Canto is important because we’re all soprano altos,” Sanders said.

Although the experience has been positive, Walczak acknowledged that student teaching can be challenging and has forced her to reflect on her strengths and weaknesses. She still believes the rewards outweigh the challengings, and connecting with South makes her experience worth it, Walczak added.

“My favorite part is getting to know the students,” Walczak said. “Every choir class has their own vibe, they all bring their own character and it’s fun to get to know everyone throughout.”