This year, you may have walked into class to find an unfamiliar face at the front of the room. You may be wondering: who are they?

Thirteen students from MSU have come to ELHS through the internship program, offering them a firsthand look at the world of teaching.

From the science department to the math wing, these future educators are getting an early taste of what it’s like to lead a classroom of their own. Portrait spoke with three of them to learn more about who they are—not just as teachers, but as people.

On a first name basis:
When he’s with his students, English intern Danilo prefers to be called by his first name and nothing more. This choice reflects his belief in mutual respect, something he rarely experienced during his own education but strives to offer his students.

Growing up, Danilo attended a public middle school before transferring to a private high school. He observed significant differences between the two educational environments.

“I always thought there could be room for change and improvement,” Danilo said. “Growing up, it was very much ‘this is what we’re doing. This is a worksheet, fill it out, turn it in, next worksheet.’ It was just the same cycle. They were never adjusting to a student’s needs.”

From his educational experiences, Danilo drew one key lesson: he wanted to become a teacher. He wanted to provide students with what he and his peers lacked—a teacher who listened, fostered growth, and tailored teaching to individual learning needs.

“My goal is to make a positive impact on the students, not when it comes to the content, but when it comes to them growing up and being able to take that next step in life,” Danilo said.

In high school, Danilo struggled with English and excelled in math, but his experience with film showed him the freedom that comes with English.

“A few years ago, I was a film major, and there was a lot of interpretation—going beyond what’s shown, thinking, inferring, all that fun stuff,” Danilo said. “I know with English, there’s just so much freedom to do that as well, but you have to have concrete evidence.”

This year, Danilo is working alongside experienced English teacher Steven Neal, learning how to make a meaningful impact on students—not just through teaching, but also by listening. It was during this time that Danilo decided to drop the formal “Mr.” and go by his first name.

“I’ll always want my students to call me by my first name because I feel I should have the exact same respect for the students that they have for me,” Danilo said. “I think respect goes both ways, and until it’s earned by the teacher then maybe the mister can come in front of it. Until then, Danilo is just fine.”

From exploring the glass tanks of
the Shedd Aquarium to wandering
the vast exhibits of the Museum of
Science and Industry, Ella Bullard
has had a passion for learning from
a young age. As someone full of
questions, it was no surprise to
Bullard when she discovered her
love for teaching.
“It was like a calling,” Bullard
said. “There’s that ‘a-ha!’ moment.”
Shortly after arriving at
Michigan State University (MSU),
she joined the Outdoors Club,
where she embarked on road trips
and excursions that took her deep
into Michigan’s diverse ecosystems.
As she ventured through forests
and explored the shores of the
Great Lakes, she began to form
a deep connection to the state’s
natural beauty.
“In case people didn’t know,
people outside the state of
Michigan gawk at how pretty it is. I
think it’s fantastic. You guys have so
much going on here,” Bullard said.
“I came here for the school and fell
in love with the state.”
In the classroom, Bullard makes
sure to apply science to the real
world so her students can grasp
a better understanding of what’s
happening around them.
“I want you to feel like a
scientist, because no matter where
you are in life, you’re always doing
science,” Bullard said. “If you have
a question and you have to figure
out an answer for it, you’re doing
science.”
In her few months at ELHS,
Bullard has worked with science
teacher Heather Mueller. During
this time, Bullard feels Mueller’s
influence has made a mark on her
own teaching.
“Ms. Mueller has taught me a lot
in both classroom and materials
management, but also in character,”
Bullard said. “[In teaching,] you
need to figure out what works best
for you, and what pieces of your
mentor teacher you want to take
with you.”
With Mueller’s guidance and her
own growth as both an educator
and an individual, Bullard is
focused on making a lasting impact
on her students, preparing them for
whatever comes next—whether it’s
science related or not.
“At the end of the day, my goal is
to get my kids ready for whatever
their next step in life is,” Bullard
said. “Wherever you’re going to go,
I want you to have these skills in
your back pocket so that you know
how to solve problems.”
Claire Ackerman’s cursor
hovered over the math major
option as she sat at her computer,
ready to enroll at MSU. It should
have been a no-brainer–math had
always been her strongest subject.
But one question held her back:
what would she do with a math
degree?
Little did she know, she would
soon find out.
“It kind of fell into my lap,”
Ackerman said.
After being offered an
Undergraduate Learning Assistant
(ULA) position at MSU, Ackerman
discovered a passion for teaching
she hadn’t explored much before.
“MSU knew that I liked math,
and I knew I liked math, that was
my major, but I didn’t really know
what to do with math,” Ackerman
said. “The more responsibility I
had, the more I enjoyed [teaching]
and could see myself actually doing
something with my math degree,
which was a change.”
At ELHS, Ackerman was placed
with math teacher Jodi Wheeler,
who she previously worked with
at the high school. With Wheeler
by her side, Ackerman feet she had
someone to rely on when teaching
got tough.
“I feel very under [Ms.
Wheeler’s] wing,” Ackerman
said. “When I don’t know what
I’m doing, I see Ms. Wheeler.
She’s been wonderful to me and
she pushes me to make my owndecisions and act as a teacher on
my own.”
Due to her experience with
education in college, Ackerman
feels she has to adapt her style to
better suit high-school students,
but also stay true to herself.
“I’m there for the support, or the
scaffolding, but also letting them
have some sort of agency over their
own learning,” Ackerman said.
“It’s a hard learning curve for me,
like if a kid isn’t turning in their
homework, I can’t just let it go like
in college. [In college,] if someone’s
not doing their work, it’s not my
problem.”
But for Ackerman, teaching isn’t
just about education.
She also sees it as an outlet to
connect with younger generations
and gain insight into their
experiences and emotions on
current times.
“I feel pretty progressive and in
touch at this moment because I’m
in my early 20s, but when I’m 50, I
hope that I can still learn from the
high school generation and hear
from younger voices,” Ackerman said.