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As a 10th generation Vermonter from a small town in Vermont, attending ����̽̽ felt like the perfect balance between trying new things and challenging himself, says Alden Ducharme ‘22. “����̽̽ has a nationally recognized, award-winning program that specializes in young adolescents, and I was excited to be a part of that."

Ducharme comes from a family full of educators who attended ����̽̽, and he remembers how dinner table discussions often turned to matters of personal pedagogies or exciting new professional development opportunities.

“When I was in middle school, my teachers worked with me to teach not only their respective subject matter, but about myself and my identity as well. These teachers played a positive role in helping me discover who I am in my formative years. It wasn't until a couple years into high school that I recognized how impactful their presence had been, and that I could be that same positive force in others' lives.”

Throughout his time as a student in the Middle Level Education program, Ducharme has enjoyed field placements in different schools experiencing a variety of teaching styles.

“I am very thankful to be placed in a culturally diverse school where I have potential for growth," says Ducharme about his student teaching experience this semester in ����̽̽ alum Chris Magistrale's 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts classroom at Winooski Middle School. "It is very challenging work, but the education program here made me feel prepared going in, and they always fully support me throughout my student teaching placements."

Ducharme is the first student to move through the CESS Scholar of Distinction program that provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to have their academic research recognized on their final transcript.

"My Scholar of Distinction project analyzes how pre-service mathematics teachers facilitate mathematics discussions," he explains. Associate Professor Carmen Petrick Smith is Ducharme's faculty advisor and research partner on the project. He is also part of an undergraduate research team (led by Petrick Smith) exploring how in-the-moment feedback can help pre-service teachers learn to plan and implement effective inquiry-based mathematics lessons.

Another impactful experience involved a trip with his peers and faculty to the Association for Middle Level Education's (AMLE) Annual Conference. “After attending workshops and seminars inspired by cutting edge research along with other educators, I came back feeling inspired and ready to take what I had learned into my classroom placements.”

As a member of the CESS Student Advisory Board, Ducharme is part of a student-led group that engages with College’s leadership on important topics to make sure that student perspectives and opinions are considered and valued.  “We have worked on a variety of areas including the health and wellbeing of students, transition through the COVID-19 pandemic, diversity, community engagement, and many more.”

What he appreciates the most about CESS is the close relationships with peers and faculty. Most of his classes have been on the smaller side which helped facilitate those bonds to form.

“Students in CESS are passionate and committed to their chosen field of study, and it shows.”

After graduating in the spring, Ducharme plans to teach English abroad and pursue a postgraduate degree.