From the conversations to teaching classes, student teacher Katie McKee experiences what it is like to be a full-fledged teacher while still finishing her degree.
As she teaches English teacher Justin Bogart’s classes, which include Sports Literature, AP Literature and Composition and sophomore English, she reflects on why she chose to be a teacher in the first place.
“I had some very influential teachers and coaches at the high school level that I developed really strong relationships with, and it proved that I wanted to do the same for others,” McKee said.
Although she now works towards becoming a teacher, it wasn’t always so. Not so long ago she worked towards a different degree.
“I originally wanted to go into psychology and I even claimed it as a major, but I eventually changed it to education,” McKee said. “I think there is a lot of psychology in education actually. I specifically remember in the first grade saying I wanted to be a teacher, or work at Pizza Hut. I definitely know I want to be a teacher now, though.”
There is more to teachers than just their personal drive to teach, however. McKee describes her passion for marathon running in combination with teaching.
“I have always been an athlete, and running a marathon has always been on my bucket list,” McKee said. “I am very competitive, especially within myself, and marathons are an outlet for me at the end of the day. Running and finishing my first marathon is probably one of my best accomplishments.”
Today, McKee is a student at Washburn University, but she loves the University of Kansas and claims the school’s basketball team as her favorite sports team.
“I love Jayhawk basketball, let’s just talk that one up,” McKee said. “I like that KU holds such an outstanding tradition, which is one of the things that makes it my favorite team.”
Now that McKee’s time nears its end with the sophomore and senior classes, her last day being Thursday, April 26, she says she had fun spending time with students that she had the privilege of teaching.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time here,” McKee said. “I love you guys so much.”
