Through his work at the Pierce school Beyer was able to achieve his personal of goals.
Co-op Term: Fall 2022
Position: Building Aide & Substitute Teacher
Employer: Pierce School, Brookline, MA
Beyer’s position as a Building Aide with the Pierce school is one he had looked at previously for his first co-op. He maintained his desire to work at Pierce for his second co-op because of his passion for working with kids. The Pierce School in Brookline is a Kindergarten to Eighth grade public school. While there as a school aid, Beyer was able to experience and interact with students of all ages. He mostly covered classes for a day or two while a teacher was absent, covering a wide range of subjects.
For about half of his co-op duration Beyer got the opportunity to lead a Spanish class full time as a result of the previous teacher being out on maternity leave. He covered grades four through seven for about two months, teaching about eight classes a day. While in this position he planned curriculum for the first time. He determined lesson plans, and how much time the students would spend on reading, comprehension, speaking or discussing the subjects. A significant challenge for him was learning how to properly instruct his students through a set amount of information within a time block
Beyer’s goal for this co-op was to learn how to work in school settings, and he feels like he successfully achieved that. This position was different from his first role in a residential treatment program. The student backgrounds, resources available and work culture were all very unique. What Beyer enjoyed most during his time at Pierce was the support and assistance he received from the staff. He felt welcomed, supported and united with his coworkers as he was adjusting to the school and the neighborhood. Having experienced such a wonderful community atmosphere which left a lasting impact on him, and he knows that’s a criteria he will look out for in his future career endeavors.