Music education alum Kale Barnes ’23 was named one of the top five finalists for the North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NCACTE)’s 2023 Student Teacher of the Year. They were recognized at the NCACTE Fall Forum in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Being named a state finalist feels amazing,” said Barnes. “I am so glad that I am able to represent App State, the Reich College of Education, and the Hayes School of Music in such a large capacity.”
Barnes was “excited to meet the other finalists and share ideas about how to be the best educators for our students.”
“My advice to current student teachers is to use all of the available resources you have”, they noted.
“Reaching out to alumni and asking for advice is something that greatly helped me,” they added. “Speaking to first-year teachers specifically is also so important.”
Students can reach out to alums through the new “Ask A Mountaineer!” portal offered by the Office of Alumni.
“I also think it is incredibly important for student teachers to remember that you are not expected to be perfect right now,” Barnes continued. “Student teaching is an experience of learning! I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect, but the truth is that you will never be "perfect."
Barnes currently teaches band for grades sixth through twelfth at Cochrane Collegiate Academy. Read about Kale being announced as the App State Student Teacher of the Year.
Each member institution in good standing may nominate one candidate for the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators Award of the Year. One teacher candidate from the NCACTE member institutions will be recognized as the Outstanding Student Teacher of the Year in North Carolina. This recognition is celebrated at the annual fall NCACTE Teacher Education Forum. The overall NCACTE Student Teacher of the Year for 2023 was Shannon Carney from North Carolina State University.
Kale Barnes at NCACTE
