Teacher resident, mentor teacher look back on a school year like no other

Amy Sutherland said it didn’t take long for her to realize that her pairing with Alphonso “AJ” Richard in the Clemson University Teacher Residency Program was going to work.

However, she said she was still surprised at just how much having a teacher resident in the classroom would add to the educational experience for her students. She also never expected to learn so much from him in the process.

Sutherland and Richards recently took the time to look back on what the experience has provided for both of them, and how tackling a school year defined by COVID-19 with “another set of hands” proved to be a benefit for both them and their students.