The challenges facing student teachers during spring break

By Kelsey Barber

While Stonehill students went home for spring break, student teachers found themselves on campus, living in what they describe as a ghost town.

The dining halls were closed, and the school did not provide them with food money for the week that they were here.

“The school did not provide us with any compensation for this break, which was a little surprising to me,” said Jaime Craft ’25.

“Between eating out for that week and grocery shopping, it was definitely expensive for college students who are basically working full time for free,” said Craft.

Students were expected to go grocery shopping while also working long hours. Student teachers are not paid to go to school every day.

“One dining hall should be open for the students that may not have extra money to go grocery shopping or eat out every meal,” Craft said.

Another student teacher, Lola Palm ’25, said she thought food would be available.

“The school did not provide us with money for food. I was unsure if they were going to or not because a friend of mine who was in the grade above me last year, was a student teacher and was given a Visa gift card for her food throughout the week,” Palm said.

“The only place I knew was open during spring break was the mail room, but it had hour changes. During break, the mail room was open till 3 p.m., so I was unable to grab any of my packages as I get back to campus from my elementary school around 4:30 p.m.,” Palm said.