Speaker: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Speaker: Freshman year I came in undecided.

Speaker: I'm finance, entrepreneurship, anthropology.

Speaker: I'm a senior architecture student.

Speaker: I'm involved in the blockchain club here.

Speaker: I'm very passionate about studying abroad.

Speaker: Classes are going great.

Speaker: And then obviously very involved with my sorority.

Speaker: I'm thriving.

Meredith Aliff 

Hi, I'm Meredith Aliff. And this is major insight. This is the podcast where we talk college life with amazing students about how to find your place and purpose on campus.

As someone who loves teaching and learning, Lauren McCann understands how truly transformative great educators can be. And she hopes to inspire new generations of young students to become intelligent, creative, thoughtful, and empathic life-long learners as a primary education major and aspiring future teachers.

We’ll also talk about the best ways to gain leadership experience in college, overcoming homesickness, the pitfalls of “people pleasing,” how to carve out quality time for yourself -- and about how uplifting and comforting good friends and family members can be during the most challenge college times.

Lauren McCann 

Thank you so much! My name is Lauren McCann. I am a sophomore Primary Education major from Westerville. Ohio.

Meredith Aliff 

Let's for a second go back to before college. Obviously, you're basically at the halfway mark.

Lauren McCann 

I am. It's wild.

Meredith Aliff 

That's crazy. So let's bounce back to two years ago you. What was your college search like?

Lauren McCann 

So originally, I was thinking so big. I wanted to go out of state for college, I was so excited to be on my own and spread my wings and just fly. But then I kind of realized, as college was approaching, how much I was going to miss my family and the people in my hometown. And so I decided to apply to more in-state schools. And I really fell upon Miami when I went on a tour. I know that they love to do tours in the fall time because of the trees and everything. And I fell in love with the campus, and the education program is just spectacular. And I just ... I don't know, I felt like Miami was the right place for me.

Meredith Aliff 

I love it. Yeah, I mean, they really have a lot to offer with this campus. I noticed like even doing the Make It Miami stuff, like, I love just showing people the campus. It is gorgeous. And it's draws so many people in. And so, yeah, I love Miami, I'm so thrilled with my choice. Tell me about your major and kind of the reason for choosing that?

Lauren McCann 

Yeah, I'm a primary education major. So that certifies me to teach preschool to fifth grade. I love education. So, so much, it means so much to me, I find that having the ability to impact the next generation of kids and human beings on this earth is such a special opportunity, because there's so much that goes into it. And you teach these kids so much more than just academics. You teach them to be open-minded, kind hearted people in this world, and you have the ability to make such a special impact on the world after ... or through these students. They just ... it's so so cool.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, I feel like that's such an important age too, to have good role models in your life, like preschool to fifth grade. You said? I mean, you're going from kids who can't read or write to kids that are like, on their way to having lockers and going to middle school. And like, middle school is so hard and to have that, like, good base before is really, really important. So you're doing an amazing thing. What kind of sparked ... Was there somebody in your life or an instance before you got to college that made you decide to do this?

Lauren McCann 

Well, I have some educators in my family. And those have always kind of presented to me as such lovely options. My grandpa was a principal at the high school that I attended, and he has been involved in education for so long. And I have quite a few educators in the family and people who work in schools, just hearing the stories they have to tell has always intrigued me, and I fell in love with school from a young age, as I've always been someone who's enjoyed school, and it's always had a special place in my heart, like a little safe space.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, absolutely. Well, you give off elementary school teacher vibes already? You seem so sweet. Like, you would just thrive with kids, which is amazing.

Lauren McCann 

Oh, thank you! That is my favoirte compliment ever.

Meredith Aliff 

What does maybe like a day in the life of a primary education major look like?

Lauren McCann 

It depends. Usually two to three classes a day. And education classes are so fun. There's so much that you do with them. I had a lot of good classes last year, I was in a block, which is field experience. So I got to go into a classroom. Our first block, we went for two full weeks. And on field experience days, you get to go into a classroom. And I was placed in a kindergarten classroom. And it was so so so lovely. And I just remember walking in and realizing that, oh my goodness, this is where I'm meant to be. It just brought me such a unique sense of fulfillment and joy that I hadn't necessarily experienced before. And it made me so happy. And it just ... I don't know, I was on cloud nine, it was so lovely.

Lauren McCann 

And then outside of field experience days, class-wise, and we do a lot of fun classes that are in the education block. So a children's literature class that I took was so fun, I got to study different elements and pieces of children's literature that can be so impactful for the kids. And you just learned so so much about how kids ... how their brains work, how they best to learn and how to manage classrooms, and there's so much that goes into it. And teachers have such an impact on them. Just ... it can be so wild how much teachers impact students as much as their parents may, or guardians. Teachers have the most impact on them. They teach them things in normal life, like, they teach them how to be kind and how to act and all these ways that go beyond academics. And it's so important. Yeah.

Meredith Aliff 

Is that a daunting task to you?

Lauren McCann 

It can be. It can be so daunting to think about how many kids in my career, I will impact, but it's so cool. It's so so cool. It just inspires me so much. And it inspires me more than it scares me. And it makes me so excited to learn and grow myself. And just passion sparking.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah. Oh, well, I'm so glad. I feel like it's really fulfilling to be studying something and then you actually get put into the situation, and you're like, "yes, definitely. This is the place I'm supposed to be." And I feel like one of my friends is a primary education major. She's a junior, and she does four days a week, goes to Hamilton, and just teaches, is that something that you're going to be able to do?

Lauren McCann 

Yes, so we have multiple blocks of field experience. And our final block is student teaching. After this, I have two more blocks of field experience with two more semesters of field experience, where I'll go into the classrooms for longer periods of time, and be able to observe and teach the kids, and you get experience with a wide range of grade levels. So you're really able to gauge what grade level do I want to teach? Because that's a question that so many educators get asked, especially middle childhood and primary educators, because you cover such a wide range of grades. So that field experience really gives you the opportunity to discover what grades you find are most fitting for you.

Meredith Aliff 

Absolutely. That's so neat. Are there any teachers or classes that you would want to give a shout out today?

Lauren McCann 

Yes, Dr. Cooper teaches children's literature. And that class is just so fun. It is just the coolest thing ever to be able to discover different sources of media, especially books that can be so impactful to students. And then Dr. Lee is another professor, she teaches a few different classes, and she will be studying abroad with us. And she is so so cool. And she makes everybody feel so happy. And I don't know ... she has such a lovely presence about her. And it just makes everyone feel so safe and comfortable and happy and joyful.

Meredith Aliff 

So yeah, tell me about this study abroad experience.

Lauren McCann 

Yes. I will be going to Belgium, and it's two weeks. So we will be going to Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. It's so cool. And we'll be able to shadow and observe in different classrooms in these countries. So different elementary school classrooms. And really be able to compare schools in Europe and in the United States. So the trip is called Comparing US and European Schools. So, really, we're able to dive in and compare and contrast how schooling and education is done both in Europe and the US. And there's so much that we can learn from that. And I'm so excited.

Meredith Aliff 

I'm sure it's so different. But what an interesting new perspective to kind of get, especially as a new incoming educator to kind of take what you've learned here, obviously, but then also have the experience to grab things you like from these other cultures, these other styles of teaching how neat. I didn't even know that existed. That's so cool.

Lauren McCann 

I'm so excited.

Meredith Aliff 

So what's your plan for the next two years? What do you want to do?

Lauren McCann 

I will continue on with getting experience in the classroom and in the realm of education, soaking up my, I guess last two years of college, everybody says that it goes by so quickly. So I'm really trying to make the most of it. Yeah. But just taking time to explore the organizations and clubs that I love to be involved in. And just really taking advantage of being at a college that allows me to grow my mind so much. It's so so cool to have the opportunity and resources and professors to be able to engage in conversation with and learn so much in these four short years that you're here.

Meredith Aliff 

Tell me a little bit about the clubs and orgs that you're a part of.

Lauren McCann 

I am a part of Miami University EcoReps. I am on the leadership team for that. And EcoReps is a sustainability organization on campus that focuses on implementing environmentally sustainable practices in the residence halls. And it's so so cool. That's something I'm so so passionate about. So we do all kinds of activities that allow us to really gauge how much waste students are producing as well as implementing ways to help diminish that waste and help to make college more sustainable, because as a college student, oh my goodness, it's so difficult to practice sustainability, especially in the dorm rooms. But there are so many small things we can do that can make such an impact when everybody chips in.

Lauren McCann 

I am also on the exec team for MUNSTA which is an organization for educators who are going into science. I'm not somebody who is focusing on science, but as a primary education teacher, I will be teaching science standards, and so it's so important to be able to collaborate with other future educators and bounce ideas off of one another. It's such a fun organization. We get to plan lessons. Next week, actually, we're going to go into a classroom at Tawanda middle school and teach an Earth Day lesson, which is so fun. So it's just so cool to be involved.

Meredith Aliff 

Absolutely. And I think one thing that I always say is like huge rule of thumb, if you're coming to college and looking to get involved, find things that interest you, like you said, the science group, like you were able to be on exec for that, like, find things that you're interested in and then do leadership experience within those realms. I absolutely would say that, like I'm leaving a much better leader than I came in. And I think college, it's such a great time to explore that. What have been some of the biggest challenges that you feel like you faced in college?

Lauren McCann 

Yeah, so like I said, being homesick it was ... has been such a challenge. It's so difficult. And I know that a lot of people struggle with it. I don't know. Even two years in, like I'm in my fourth semester, and I'm still super homesick. And that's so hard. But I have to understand that there are other people experiencing the same thing as well.

Meredith Aliff 

100%

Lauren McCann 

I've also struggled a lot just kind of with I would say people pleasing is such a difficulty in so many people's lives. But just understand that you can't say yes to everything. Although you may feel like you have to say yes to everything. You don't have to. You don't have to because it's your life. And it's your individual journey. And I think being of help and service to other people is so so so important. But just understanding that you can't fill other people's cups, if you don't fill yours up first. So not overdoing it and experiencing burnout in that regard. So yeah,

Meredith Aliff 

There's this huge thing of just like spreading yourself way too thin. It's really hard to not be the person that's like, "Oh, yes, I can do this. And then I'll run and do this for you. And then I'll run and join this org for you. And then ... " It gets difficult. But at the end of the day, it's ... this sounds bad, but it's okay to be selfish for yourself. And I think that will help with the homesickness part, too. I mean, I can tell you, I'm in my sixth semester of college, and I still am so homesick sometimes. And that doesn't mean that I'm not loving my friends and loving my major and loving being a podcast host. I have so much fun. But it makes it easier knowing that this is fully my chosen experience that I've decided to have. And I think it does help with the homesickness to be like, "Yes, I'm doing the things that I want to do, taking classes for a major that I want to have, you know, and it doesn't make it...  It doesn't make the classes easier, of course, but it makes it... it gives a little bit of reassurance and knowing that like, "Yeah, I'm homesick but I'm here doing something that I've decided to do."

Lauren McCann 

Yeah. And it's so reassuring to hear that you in your six semester are still homesick because there have been so many times where I ask people how they're feeling. And they're like, "Well, I was homesick my first semester, but now I'm fine." But it's so uplifting to hear that other people are having ... I mean, obviously, I don't want anybody to be, like, homesick. But it's so ... it's just comforting to know that there are other people in that position.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah, absolutely. So I have a couple more questions. If you could go just back through your college experience. So far, what has been the single best decision that you have made?

Lauren McCann 

I would say that my field experience has actually been the most impactful thing in my college experience. I know that wasn't necessarily a decision, because that's something that's required of me. But I would say really, picking my major was something that is so... that has really changed my perspective of college. I know a lot of people go through changes in majors and things like that, which obviously, I mean, as a high schooler, you should not be expected to know what you want to do with the rest of your life. You just shouldn't. And so I am so grateful to have had a major that is so rewarding, and so fulfilling and so engaging. It brings me so much joy. And it makes me so happy. And it really reminds me that this is what I'm here for.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah. And it sounds like picking that major has then had this snowball effect on like the organization that you're a part of. And now you're studying abroad for it. And, like, just this one decision of picking a major has led to this awesome college experience that you're getting to have. Super cool. So I have one more question for you. And if you could go back to yourself as a senior in high school coming into college, what kind of advice would you give yourself?

Lauren McCann 

Oh my gosh, I would say take time to understand that although it can be so appealing to fly away from home and get out of the house and be on your own. I would say really just coming to an understanding of how much your family means to you and how much your home means to you. And so ... I don't know, just really taking a step back and taking a deep breath and understanding that it's all going to work out. But just think about the things that mean the most to you.

Meredith Aliff 

Yeah. And there are people outside of your college experience, whether that's family or friends from home, that can be a really amazing support at this time. Like, I'll call my mom and dad all the time. Like, "Hey, guys, it's just too much right now."

Lauren McCann 

I know, I know. It's so hard. It's so hard. And you're so right. Like I call my parents and my brother all the time. And my family, my cousins, my friends, and talk to them talk about how difficult college can be, but also how lovely and incredible and life changing it can be. And then also having a support system here. I have such an incredible group of friends. So it's so so important to have that network at home and at school.

Meredith Aliff 

Absolutely. Was there anything else that you would like to share before we close out today?

Lauren McCann 

This has been so fun. I feel like for anyone listening to this podcast, I think it's so cool that ... I mean, I wish I had this.

Meredith Aliff 

I know. Me too. And like I said, I love meeting people like you on the podcast, and I get to make so many friends. 

Lauren McCann 

Yay, that's so fun!

Meredith Aliff 

So it has been phenomenal meeting you. You've had some amazing insight to give. I can't wait for the podcast to come out. Okay, well, thank you.

Lauren McCann 

Thank you!

Meredith Aliff 

Lauren McCann primary education major at Miami University. After graduation, she hopes to have positive impact on the world by pursuing her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

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