Practicum Spotlight: Camilla Silvester!

Sarah Wilde

McKay Student Ambassador

Special Education (Severe/Profound Disabilities Emphasis)

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Say hello to Camilla Silvester! Camilla is a student in the Special Education Major emphasizing in Mild Moderate Disabilities. She just finished her practicum! She's been in the Special Education Major for two semesters now, and I asked her about her experiences as a practicum student.

Where she did her practicum (schools, districts, and grades)

Last semester, Camilla had her practicum at Art City Elementary in NEBO School District and taught a class with students in grades K-5. She said this was a dream placement! This semester, Camilla spent time at Shoreline Middle School and Timpview High School, both in the Provo School District. At Shoreline, she had the opportunity to work with 8th graders, and at Timpview, she got to work with freshmen and seniors.

What was her favorite thing about practicum?

Camilla said that practicum improved her confidence in her teaching. She was able to see what a day in the life is like in a classroom. She got to see lots of things, like how to teach a lesson, what IEP meetings with parents are like, and how to use her prep hour. She appreciated that practicum lasted throughout the semester, because it allowed her to see the same class at different parts of the school year. She loved building relationships with the teachers and students, and she loved helping the students and watching them grow.

What have you found to be difficult in practicum?

When I asked Camilla how she balanced everything in her life, her answer was, "I don't." She learned how to prioritize and let some of the less important things go, despite her perfectionism. It was hard for her to balance practicum, her job, her classes, remembering to eat, and everything else! At the beginning of practicum, she felt like she had a lot on her plate, and as time went on, she learned what assignments were the most important and how to best spend her time. She tried to take time at the beginning of the week to review what she had coming for school, work, and other social activities, and she said this practice helped her a lot.

How have you been able to apply what you learn in your classes to your practicum setting?

Camilla liked that the assignments she had in class applied to her practicum. For one assignment, she got to pick a student and work on their math IEP goal. She built lessons and mini-assessments and measured the students' growth over time. She said it was so rewarding to work with the student and watch them improve. That's the whole reason she wants to be a teacher! She described a time at the beginning of the semester when she looked at her practicum partner, and they realized that what was happening in practicum was exactly what they had been talking about in class! It was cool for her to see that the education she is receiving at BYU is going to directly apply to teaching.

How do you strive to be like Christ in your practicum?

Camilla said that she developed a charity as she got to know her students. She always tried to learn everyone's name. She said this was harder in her middle school and high school since more students were rotating through her room throughout the day, but learning names helped the students feel seen and heard. She views teaching as a form of ministering. She also said she developed the traits of patience, problem-solving, and creativity, which she can apply to other parts of her life.

Thank you, Camilla, for talking to us about your practicum experiences! If you are curious about the Special Education Major or Practicum, schedule a meeting with the student ambassadors below!

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