IOWA CITY, Iowa — Mark McDermott says when he was training to be a teacher, things were different.
"When I was studying to be a high school teacher 30 years ago, this wasn't something that we were concerned with."
He's referring to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. He says these attacks are top of mind for many of his students and future educators.
"We talk a lot about it," the Associate Dean of Teacher Education at the University of Iowa said. "That we understand your challenges and your concerns and your questions. But we also are grateful that you have decided that you want to be a teacher."
He says one thing that's been helpful in answering questions and concerns is engaging students with current educators and administrators in surrounding districts to learn what their best practices are.
"What is it that your districts are doing to prepare for situations like this?" asked McDermott. "What sorts of policies are in place? What sorts of procedures are in place? What sorts of drills what types of things do you do?"
Another piece of instruction focuses on what educators can do with their students to be proactive.
"We can be as proactive in developing relationships with all of our students so that we can, hopefully, if necessary, identify situations that might be existing with some of our students who might need some extra help or support and reporting that to the right people," McDermott said.
In these dark and confusing days, he believes it's also important to remind these future teachers why they were originally pulled to this career.
"Let's not forget about the things that happen every day in schools that are really, really rewarding," he said. "That are really, really important. Because those are happening as well."