March 28, 2025

By Shaniya Golden-Riddle 

Drexel is known for its renowned Co-op program, where students get the opportunity to work for 6 months in their field of study. In the School of Education, student’s complete co-op experiences in a variety of education settings. For students pursuing teacher certification, their co-op takes them into schools where they gain valuable teaching experience. Co-op allows them to experience what it truly feels like to be a teacher in a real classroom setting. Mary Grace Dempsey and Tasneem Motan are both students in the School of Education who recently completed their co-ops at Science Leadership Academy Middle School (SLAMS). While they both have different mentors and teach different subjects, they share a common appreciation for the invaluable preparation Drexel has provided them.

Mary Grace Dempsey, a BS in Secondary Education with a middle-level certification student, who credited the School of Education for preparing her well for her co-op. “I love it. The staff are so supportive,” she said. She explained how some of her instructors are adjunct professors who teach during the day at their respective schools and then lead courses at Drexel in the evening. “It’s nice hearing about their everyday experiences in the classroom and then having them come to us to relay that experience,” she said. As a student on co-op, Mary Grace started her day at 8:15 in the morning. She worked with 5th and 6th grade students, assisting the teacher with lessons, warm-up activities, and end-of-day tasks. She also led a mini course called Communication and Collaboration, where she led a class full of students for an hour and ten minutes on different activities meant to get students to work together and share their perspectives. She did movie days, where students watched a movie and discussed the broader meaning. She also organized team-based games like Jeopardy, where she encouraged students to collaborate with her classmates. Recognizing that middle school is a crucial time for social development, she designed activities that encourage teamwork and push students out of their comfort zones. “I want the kids to learn how to talk to each other and do fun and engaging things while still learning how to communicate,” she said.

Tasneem Motan, a BS in Elementary Education with a middle-level certification student, also worked at SLAMS and shared Mary Grace’s enthusiasm for Drexel’s program. “Drexel is one of the few schools that has actual field experience throughout the years, which is cool,” she said. She highlighted how the School of Education is proactive in connecting students with teaching opportunities, ensuring they gain meaningful experiences before graduation. Tasneem’s day also started at 8:15 and, like Mary Grace, she aided the classroom teacher with lesson plans, warmup activities and group projects. Tasneem taught 7th and 8th grade classes in math and worked one-on-one with students who needed help. “My mentor teacher gives me the room to do as much as I want,” she says, allowing her to develop confidence in leading lessons and working closely with students. For Tasneem’s mini course, she focused on mindfulness with the students, doing different activities every week to promote well-being. One activity involved planting and teaching the students about germination. Planting is known to be a de-stressing activity, and her goal was to give students a chance to unwind after a long day. Tasneem enjoyed watching the children learn new things and connect them to their own experiences. “There are some kids who say this is their first time planting something, so that’s really cool having that first-time experience and them relating it to a family member who may have done it before,” she said. She also incorporated movie discussions and cookie decorating, using them as engaging ways to build connections with students while reinforcing key lessons. Initially, leading a class felt overwhelming, but she now sees it as an invaluable way to build her classroom management skills. “I enjoy doing them,” she says. “It’s nice to get that classroom management experience.”

The experiences of Mary Grace and Tasneem highlight what makes Drexel’s School of Education unique. Unlike some education programs that delay hands-on teaching experience until junior and senior year, Drexel integrates real-world exposure throughout the curriculum with students spending time in real-word classrooms starting the first year. This early and continuous classroom involvement ensures students graduate with confidence, adaptability, and a good understanding of classroom management.