Club Teach is centered around creating a community and space for future educators for students at California Lutheran University.ย
Club Teach hosts a variety of events for its members, such as movie and game nights, on-campus outreach events and community service programs with local charter school Meadows Arts and Technology Elementary School (MATES).ย
Club member Kailee Ortega believes this hands-on experience with MATES aids Club Teach members in their journey to becoming educators.ย
โWe do a lot of interactions with MATES, it’s a charter school nearby, so we’ll work with them. Events where we go and help at the school that’s something that’s really helpful, and makes you feel like ok this is really what I want to do because you’re getting that hands-on experience,โ senior and club member Kaileeย Ortega said.ย ย
Alondra Negrete Lopez, a current member of Club Teach, said Assistant Professor & Director of Liberal Studies in Education Program Brandy Yee, has come to club meetings to give members advice and information surrounding the next steps into the world of education.ย
Negrete Lopez said the club helped her find more people like her on campus.ย
โWhen I joined Club Teach and the LSED major I don’t think Cal Lutheran was really known as a college with a lot of education majors… but I feel like ever since I joined I was able to really figure out that there’s a lot of other people who are pursuing the same degree as me,โ Negrete Lopez said.ย
Ortega said having a passion for education is what truly brings the club together.ย
โThat passion for being educators, all of us together, it really brings a sense of togetherness,โ Ortega said.ย ย
Ortega said creating a community of educators on campus is of great importance to the members of Club Teach. Ortega said there are challenges that come with this career path, yet she believes that having others in the same boat as you makes it much easier.
โEducation is a really challenging career to be going into and having people that all feel very passionate about what we’re doing and who want to be there for each other in that struggle of becoming teachers and dealing with the education system, just having people who are all going through something similar to you is really nice,โ Ortega said.ย
Negrete Lopez said the Club Teach community is understanding of these challenges in the education field.
โIt’s like a home for future teachers, because honestly becoming a teacher isn’t easy, as any other degree is, and it can be really frustrating to pursue the realm of education, especially in these times,” Negrete Lopez said. “So it’s really nice to have a place where you are heard and understood by other people.”
Club Teach Co-President Alexus Solis believes having this community also benefits the classroom.ย
โEven when things are struggling in class, we can struggle together and be able to collaborate with one another,โ Solis said.ย ย
Solis said Club Teach is a great club for any Cal Lutheran student looking to pursue a future in the career of education.ย
โI think this is a great way to get into Cal Lutheran, whether you’re an incoming freshman or have been on campus. It’s just another club you can get involved in where you can meet other students who you may recognize in your classrooms, if not get to meet new people, that’s what we kinda push for, we want you to continue to build a CLU community,โ Solis said.ย
Club Teach meets every other Thursday at 7 p.m. and students can find out more information on upcoming Club Teach events through their Instagram.
