“I loved the HELP Program. I thought it was very beneficial to my experience here at Hendrix and my major. I was able to write lessons and actually teach them… it [teaching] gave me immediate feed back on my lesson's and allowed me to track how I was teaching the students and how they were learning. “

“It [HELP] really showed me all that is involved in teaching a child to read. It gave me a really good understanding of the difference between students in the two grades. I liked having all the necessary tools that I would need in teaching these children and helping them get to where they need to be.”

“This program allowed me to become a better teacher because I was able to work with a small group of students….I was able to practice new concepts and ideas I have learned at Hendrix.”

“The students enjoyed it [HELP] and it was such a help for me…to have extra remediation time for them.”

“It allowed the Hendrix students to have a practical, realistic teaching experience with children in a small group setting.  The Hendrix students were able to take what they were learning in the classroom about children’s literature, reading, and pedagogy and apply the knowledge to a teaching situation.  It really allowed them to see the connections between theory and practice.  Through the program, the students were involved in all phases of classroom instruction – planning, teaching, assessment, and reflection.  Observing in a classroom and watching video clips of effective classroom instruction are helpful; however, actually working with students in a supportive environment is one of the best ways to prepare for student teaching and a teaching career.”

“I am appreciative of my experience with the HELP program.  This program gave me the opportunity to experience being in front of children, teaching them each week.  I learned how to write lesson plans that corresponded with what the students were studying in the classroom.  I learned how to be flexible and adapt my lessons if a student was absent or if the students needed further explanations.  This experience will have a tremendous effect on how prepared I am for student teaching. “

“This program provides an opportunity for early childhood education majors to experience writing and teaching their own lessons each week.  It allows them to develop classroom management skills and learn to be flexible.  This program definitely enriched my Children’s Literature experience.”

“The HELP program is wonderful way for me to put the theories and methods found in the book into action. I have learned that reading about a teaching style or method does not mean that you can adequately perform it. Through the HELP program, I have had the pleasure to work with and read to students and put techniques to work. I have learned how to modify and adjust as a teacher. I have a better feel for what to expect from the students and the classroom environment.”

“This program did enrich the standard curriculum of Hendrix because it provided me that field experience that I can not get from a book. Having my own classroom and putting on the shoes of a teacher is essential when learning how to teach.”