Former Falk Student Teachers Look Back
continually inspired by the teachers I learned from there , the education and exploration I witnessed , and the overall values that Falk holds dear .”
She recalls working with teachers like Jill Sarada and Cheryl Capezzuti along with the energy and positivity of O ’ Sullivan , her mentor .
“ She was so supportive and optimistic during a very chaotic time to teach — classes split into pods , mask mandates , distancing requirements , and teaching every lesson twice !— and I learned a lot from her ,” she says . “ I ’ m eternally grateful to her for her love , encouragement , and flexibility , and I hope to carry many of those characteristics with me throughout my teaching career .”
Jake Lord
Jake Lord ( A & S ’ 20 , EDUC ’ 21G ) interned with Yalch during the 2020-21 school year . “ I got the ‘ Falk at Rodef ’ experience ,” he says , referring to the fact that Falk relocated some of its classes to the nearby Rodef Shalom Congregation to allow for greater social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic .
After graduating from Pitt Education with a Master of Arts in Teaching in secondary mathematics , Lord stayed in Pittsburgh and now teaches high school math at the University School in Shadyside , where he relishes forming strong relationships with his students .
Lord spends time working through logic puzzles and playing math games with students and facilitates discussions about essential concepts , which he tries to connect to things students already know .
“ I really owe a lot to Mr . Yalch ,” says Lord . “ I try to challenge traditional ways of teaching and to get creative with my classroom structure . I also consistently ask myself ‘ Why am I really doing this ? What good do I think will come from this idea ?’ when I ’ m planning a lesson .”
His best memories from Falk revolve around connecting with students .
“ Those kids made the best out of such a weird , scary , and uncertain time ,” he says . “ Watching ‘ Survivor ’ with my eighth-grade pod at lunch , playing outside with them on warmer days , and Friday trips with the students to Carnegie Mellon [ University ] or Schenley Park are a few of my favorite memories of Falk .”
Casey Edwards Webb
Casey Edwards Webb ( EDUC ’ 21G ) was a student teacher under middle school science teacher Alex Dragon during the 2020-21 school year . Since January 2022 , she has been at Highlands High School in Natrona Heights , Pennsylvania , where she teaches 10th-grade biology .
“ I could not have asked for a better student teaching experience ,” says Webb . “ I always tell people that when I was asked my preferences for student teaching , I asked to be placed in a suburban public high school and [ instead ] got placed at an urban private middle school . While this was the total opposite of what I thought I wanted , getting forced out of my comfort zone worked out tremendously for me .”
Webb sees the challenges of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with her students .
“ On the last day of school ,” she says , “ they gifted me a hand-knitted blanket that they all took part in making as well as a small scrapbook of the memories we made that year .”
She adds , “ I am so grateful for all that I learned at Falk but especially the importance of fostering strong and supportive relationships with my students .” ■
If you completed your student teacher training at Falk Laboratory School , we would love to hear about your life and career since you left . Please reach out at enavant @ pitt . edu . 42 EN AVANT | FALL 2023