Polk State Education grad “finally passed” reading certification, becomes intensive reading teacher & role model for students

Lauren Lightsey teaches intensive studying at Lake Wales Excessive Faculty, the place she will relate firsthand to her college students as a result of she, too, struggled with mastering the studying curriculum. She accomplished the Educator Preparation Institute at Polk State School in 2012 however didn’t begin testing for her educating certifications till 2019.

“I’m not an important check taker and needed to take the studying certification examination 5 occasions till I lastly handed it,” Lightsey stated. “Studying is a topic that college students wrestle with on the Florida Requirements Evaluation (FSA). Some college students haven’t handed it. Having to fulfill that requirement to graduate is plenty of strain.”

“I perceive what it’s prefer to really feel what they really feel,” she added. “I attempt to encourage them and assist them really feel like they don’t seem to be lower than others as a result of they’re in my class. Some folks assume there’s a stigma to the category, however I attempt to preserve the vitality excessive and provides the scholars the boldness to go the check.”

Lightsey graduated from Warner College in 2009 with a bachelor’s diploma in Communications with a minor in Social Work. She labored full-time on the Lake Wales Care Middle when she felt a calling to do one thing completely different. That’s when she discovered of the Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) at Polk State.

EPI is a competency-based certification program that gives a state-approved pathway to a Florida Skilled Educating Certificates for people with bachelor’s levels in any self-discipline. By EPI, trainer candidates study the talents to develop into extremely certified academics in a fraction of the time and price required for a traditional education degree.

After finishing this system in 2012, Lightsey was provided a job at a neighborhood college as a resident director for pupil life.

“So, I didn’t full my checks then, which was foolish of me,” she stated. “However I used to be nonetheless known as to show. I had seven years from the time I accomplished this system to finish my certifications and thought to myself, ‘I’ve to get this carried out.’”

She was in a position to enter the classroom in 2019 on a brief educating license whereas she labored to finish her certification exams.

“I used to be given two years to show within the classroom whereas I took my exams. Final yr, I lastly handed the studying portion. It meant I didn’t need to go search for one other job,” Lightsey stated with a sigh of aid. “A fantastic advantage of Polk State’s EPI Program is that it prepped us nicely for these competencies together with two of 5 helpful endorsements – ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] and Studying.”

The EPI certificates contains credit for Studying Competency 2 and ESOL.

This system was particularly useful for Lightsey as a visible, hands-on learner, she added.

“This system included an internship which was nice as a result of I used to be in a position to observe a trainer, speak to the scholars, and study the day-to-day schedule and operations of the classroom,” Lightsey defined. “I used to be in a position to then create a lesson and train that lesson, which was nerve-wracking, however the trainer was in a position to observe me and supply constructive criticism.”

Lightsey shared that going again to highschool was intimidating, and “educating sounded scary.”

“However Polk State’s EPI Program actually offered me with a robust basis of what to anticipate within the faculty system. The professors did an important job at taking the strain off and offering us with the fabric and help to achieve success,” she stated.

Now she serves not solely as a profitable trainer but additionally as a job mannequin for her college students.

“I get pleasure from my job and the rapport I’ve constructed with the scholars,” Lightsey stated. “I let my college students see me as an individual, not simply their trainer. That helps break down these partitions.”

In her third yr of educating, Lightsey feels assured in her position.

“Polk State ready me to enter the classroom and I’m grateful for this system,” she shared. “It’s simple to enroll, it ready me for my job in training, and I’ve already advisable it to a number of of my associates. Like I inform my college students, you are able to do it.”