Mia Bates, Class of 2020, is currently completing her co-op quarter at the Antioch School, here in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She is a Miller Fellow for the school, and she works with children ranging from kindergarten age to sixth grade.
In her blog, Mia writes about spending time with the children outdoors much of the day, including going to the “forest kindergarten,” taking walks into town, and even camping with older groups. She says the children also spend time practicing and performing plays, and completing more traditional schoolwork such as state reports. Additionally, she discusses her participation in the school’s democratic process, where she helps facilitate student discussions surrounding rules and expectations for their classroom experiences.
About her co-op and her career aspirations, Mia writes, “I’ve wanted to teach for as long as I can remember, surely to some degree because of my overwhelmingly positive experience in schools, including the Antioch School. So I’m so appreciative to be around so many wonderful teachers, overhearing so many daily insights about all the underlying things happening in any interaction. I love being in a classroom every day and having such inspiring conversations with these youthful people.”
