10 Things Every BYU McKay School Student Should Know

Sarah Wilde

McKay Student Ambassador

Special Education (Severe/Profound Disabilities Emphasis)

As a college student, it can be hard to keep track of everything you need to know to be successful in your classes, major, and future career. I have complied a list of 10 things every McKay School Student should be aware of to make college life a little easier.

Things to Help You in School

1: The McKay Commons

The McKay Commons is a recent addition to the McKay School and a great place to study! It has a study room you can reserve as well as a lot of table and chairs to work at with your peers. There is even a printer available to students! The Academic Advisement Center is found here, as well as the Toolbox. There is always productivity in the McKay Commons, and sometimes fun events too!

2: The Toolbox

Within the McKay Commons is the Toolbox. The Toolbox has every resource a teacher could dream of, and it's all free for student use! Come here to find materials for your class projects, spark ideas for your practicum, or just to make fun crafts! The tech are super nice and always happy to help! The Toolbox is run by the IP&T department.

3: Scholarships

The McKay School gives out so many scholarships every year! You must be accepted into the major to apply. The application process is easy, so be on the lookout for information regarding next years eligibility guidelines and deadline dates! More information can be found at this link: https://education.byu.edu/deans/financialaid

4: Juvenile Section of the Library

The Harold B. Lee Library is huge! It can be overwhelming to navigate the building. Luckily, their website can help us narrow our search. The Juvenile Section is found on the 1st floor. To contact the librarian over the Juvenile section and get help sifting through resources, visit https://guides.lib.byu.edu/juvlit. It's handy to have access to so many children's books right here on campus!

5: Devotionals at the JSB (Fall and Winter)

The weekly Tuesday devotionals are part of what sets BYU apart from other universities and are fun to attend! Unfortunately, the Marriot Center is on the opposite side of campus from the McKay building. It can be annoying to walk that far just to walk back for your next class. To save you some time and walking, let me tell you a secret; the devotionals are streamed in the JSB auditorium every week during the Fall and Winter semesters! It's not as crowded, and it's much easier to get there and back within the hour between classes set aside for devotional. The devotional schedule can be found here: https://calendar.byu.edu/devotionals-forums

6: Education Related Minors

The Education majors don't have many credits, so to help you graduate, consider taking on a minor! There are multiple Education minors offered by the McKay School that are easy to integrate into your schedule and will help you in your future classroom. To find a list of these minors and their descriptions, visit https://www.beateacherbyu.com/post/spotlight-on-mckay-school-minors.

7: Help With School

College can be stressful, but you don't have to do it alone! Your professors, TAs, and peers are all here for you. If you need help applying for your major or graduation, visit the Academic Advisement Center found in the McKay Commons. Schedule an appointment with them here: https://education.byu.edu/advisement. If you want to talk to another education student about the education majors and which one fits you best, schedule an appointment with the McKay Student Ambassadors here: https://www.beateacherbyu.com/beateacherbyu. If you're not feeling like the School of Education is where you should be, visit the University Advisement Center at https://universityadvisement.byu.edu/get-started to find something better suited to you.

These are all important things to know while you are a student at BYU, but what about after graduation? Here are a couple more tips for for future career.

Things to Help You While Teaching

8: TeachersPayTeachers

This website has lesson plans and materials for every grade and subject you could dream of! The best part? They're all made by teachers. Teachers can share lessons they have made with other and find more resources for their own classroom. Sometimes the materials are free, but they aren't the money you spend is going right into someone else's classroom! Such a great way to collaborate with teachers everywhere. The website URL is https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/.

9: Canva

Canva is a place to get all your creativity out. It is a user-friendly website for making aesthetic flyers, posters, social media posts, and so much more. It is a great resource for making your own signs and worksheets for your classroom. Go to https://www.canva.com/ and give it a go!

10: Education Related Graduate Programs

After teaching for a few years (or maybe as soon as you graduate!) you may want to pursue a graduate degree! Whether you stick with teaching, go into administration, school counseling, or something else entirely, the McKay School offers many great graduate programs for anyone wanting to work in the field of education. Go to https://education.byu.edu/deans/degrees_programs_offered to see all the degrees offered at the McKay School.

Of course, there are many other helpful things available to McKay School Students! Do you have more resources and tips you would like to share with your fellow students? Tell us in the comments below!

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