Shepardson Elementary School and Harris Bilingual Elementary School

For my primary education experience, I was a mentee under Carlos Meikel, an art teacher in Poudre School District with over 20 years of experience. During this time, I received invaluable feedback and engaged in a wide range of extracurricular responsibilities, including breakfast duty, crosswalk duty, community art show installation and hosting, as well as participation in staff and district meetings. These experiences deepened my understanding of the broader responsibilities of being an art educator.

As I began my primary placement, I was eager to explore the differences between teaching at the secondary and elementary levels. Throughout the experience, I received consistent and constructive feedback that supported my growth as an educator. Mr. Meikel provided thoughtful reflections after each lesson, allowing me to immediately implement adjustments and refine my practice. This not only strengthened my teaching but also enhanced the quality of instruction for each class. Additionally, I developed skills in delivering meaningful and effective feedback to others.

An important component of my experience included staff duties such as crosswalk duty at Shepardson and breakfast duty at Harris. I genuinely enjoyed these responsibilities and often volunteered for crosswalk duty. Drawing from my previous experience as a crossing guard, I valued the opportunity to interact with students and families outside the classroom. At Shepardson, I could end each day on a positive note by wishing students and parents a good evening. At Harris, breakfast duty created a relaxed setting to greet students each morning, helping build relationships more quickly than in the classroom alone.

During my time at Shepardson and Harris, I also participated in staff meetings, district meetings, and one of the most meaningful experiences: preparing student artwork for a major exhibition. I assisted with installing the artwork and attended the event, where I witnessed students and their families engage with the work in a gallery setting. Although attending meetings was not required, I found it important to participate in these professional spaces. Observing how discussions unfolded—and how even small agenda items required time and collaboration—provided valuable insight into school operations. However, the most impactful experience was supporting students through the exhibition process and attending opening night. Seeing their pride and excitement reinforced the importance of showcasing student work as a vital part of art education.

As I engaged with the art curriculum Mr. Meikel designed, I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with students to create imaginative scenes incorporating a wide range of concepts—from “Granny walking Godzilla on the Death Star” and a “whale leprechaun,” to Minecraft-inspired flowers, crayon-and-watercolor planets, ephemeral art, and structured critiques that tied projects together. This hands-on experience allowed me to simultaneously take on the roles of both learner and instructor, deepening my understanding of student thinking and creative development.