KALYN CAPAROON

I accepted a job offer for this part-time position in March 2026, but haven't officially begun teaching yet. I've been preparing a variety of art lessons to teach at the Champaign Park District (Springer Cultural Center) this fall. The lessons are for a variety of age groups, 5 years old up to adults. These lessons include sewing, mixed-media collage, recycled collage, pastel drawing, watercolor and ink drawing, and more.

After accepting the position for Art Instructor at Springer Cultural Center, I was informed that the park district also hosts an art summer camp, Creative Kids. While the camp includes non-art activities, such as field trips around/near Chambana and pool days at Sholem, the camp is primarily focused on providing artistic opportunities for campers. I co-lead a variety of age groups between 5-12 through art making and other day-to-day activities.

My experience substituting in this school district was focused on following sub plans for teachers, managing their classrooms, and building connections with students.

My experience student teaching included collaborating with my cooperating teacher on lesson planning, grading, and classroom management. I created my own lessons and rubrics for each grade that I worked with, from kindergarten to high school. I also attended staff meetings, committee meetings, and professional development sessions. By the end of my student teaching semester, I felt like I was much more prepared for a real art teaching position.