After receiving her acceptance to the B.S.Ed. program at The University of Georgia, one of the first educational theory classes Ms. Mitchell took was one that taught and implemented Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) practices in mathematics. As part of this course, Ms. Mitchell worked one-on-one with a student from a local elementary school to support and instruct this student using CGI methods and promoting the use of manipulatives to connect abstract concepts in mathematics.
During her second semester, Ms. Mitchell spent one day of each week at a pre-school placement. The placement was focused on recognition of child development in Piaget's preoperational stage and using this knowledge to find teaching opportunities in their play.
Starting in the second semester, a major focus of the educational theory courses in Ms. Mitchell's program was cultural awareness. Paired with the study of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the program looked at comparing the practices and outcomes seen amongst schools in varying socioeconomic groups. Ms. Mitchell learned the importance of student-centered educational practices during her time in the fourth grade at Alps Road Elementary School. She observed, supported and taught students with the knowledge she gathered about their home life, expectations and interests.
Judia Jackson Harris Elementary School was, at the start of Ms. Mitchell's fifth grade teacher candidate placement, a charter school. The school was 100% free lunch for students and had a majority of students coming from bilingual or non-English speaking homes. While at this school, Ms. Mitchell studied under a mentor teacher who helped her to identify language support practices for comprehension with students who were learning English as a second language. During her time there, she planned and implemented lessons for writing with those language supports in mind as well as differentiating material to students' needs.
Ms. Mitchell completed student teaching in a fifth grade classroom at Gaines Elementary School in Athens-Clarke County in May of 2017. While student teaching, Ms. Mitchell interacted with students of various ability levels and backgrounds in a one-to-one technology environment. The student teaching experience allowed her to identify individual differentiation needs of students while learning to use innovative technology resources in the classroom. The school provided parent outreach programs to help parents of Gaines students learn support practices in preparation for Milestones testing.
Ms. Mitchell accepted her post-graduate teaching position in Rockdale County Public Schools. Shoal Creek STEAM Academy allowed Ms. Mitchell to loop her third grade class up to fourth grade with her from the 2017-2018 school year to the 2018-2019 school year. The school is a one-to-one technology school that promotes a Positive Behavior Intervention System and STEAM content integration. Ms. Mitchell gained invaluable experience in behavior management, lesson preparation and technology integration. Professional Learning experiences included technology-focused seminars and content integration that were taught by content experts and teachers in the county. Ms. Mitchell has had many opportunities to work with her peers and lead seminars during her time in Rockdale County.