What Students Really Say About Farmington


Tell me about your major in Elementary Education.
When you’re an Elementary Education major at the University of Maine at Farmington, you get to choose a specialty concentration — mine is Elementary Education with a concentration in Language Arts. I could’ve chosen a concentration in math, science, computer science, all kinds of different areas. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor, who helps you figure out your class schedules and other things.

You also take core Arts and Sciences classes, like every student at UMF. Because of my Elementary Education concentration in Language Arts, I take a lot of writing classes.

What do you think of UMF’s strength in Education?
It’s the reason I came to UMF — it has such a strong rep for education. But it has a lot more to offer than just Education. UMF has just about any major you can think of and if it doesn’t have the major you’re looking for, they’re willing to work with you to create a major, called an Individualized major. I know somebody doing one of those right now.

Some people think Education is the only thing we offer, but it’s not. I like the school a lot, so even if I didn’t want to be an Education major I’d probably stay here. I think it is nice because you get to know a lot of people on campus. I think that’s a benefit.

Have you taken a class that has changed your view on life or education?
There’s a big thing here called Practicum, and it’s the one of the biggest parts of your academic career, next to Student Teaching. Practicum really throws you into teaching head-first without a life preserver. You learn about teaching reading in the school classroom, writing, and there’s a component about teaching computers in the classroom.

You meet and review what you did in the school classroom this week and last week, what’s going well and what’s challenging. It’s a group of 20 or so Education students who are constantly together. You have every class with these people; you do your entire project with these people.

It’s like a family and I could never forget the people in my Practicum class. You know them so well because it seems you’re with them every waking moment. I think UMF does it to help you make sure you really want to be a teacher. I know I still want to be a teacher — it didn’t change my mind.

Could you talk about a really good or bad class?
I think it really depends on the professor. But if you’re having trouble with anything you can always talk to your faculty advisor. That’s what I love about this school — they are so in tune with your life. My advisor knows where I work, who my brother is, what my mom does. She’s just so in tune with what I do. The professors really care so much about how you’re doing.

Best class? Intro. to Theory and Practice in Elementary Ed., a class every Education major has to take, was a really fun class.

What attracted you to UMF?
Believe it or not, I wanted to go here since I was five years old. I don’t remember how I found out about it, but I’ve always loved this school. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and I wanted to go here because it has such a strong reputation for producing great teachers. I’ve been visiting here since I was a sophomore in high school. The facilities are amazing and it’s very inexpensive.

After dreaming about being here for so long what was it like being here?
I can’t imagine being any where else. I have a friend who goes to school in Florida and she absolutely hates it. I just can’t imagine going to a school and hating it. Everyone here is so nice, even all the professors are generally very nice. Everything is as expected — wonderful. The facilities here are beautiful. We have anything you could imagine. I think it was all I could imagine and more.

What is your favorite part?
That’s a really tough question. Maybe when I was a freshman, knowing the campus was cool. I knew my way around from my brother, who I visited a lot when he went to UMF, but also because I came here for Project Graduation in high school, and for a Girl Scouts outing when I was younger. Knowing where the campus resources are and having a good resource in my faculty advisor, who is wonderful, by the way.

Also having the Computer Center, which will help you with anything you could possibly imagine, the Instructional Media Center … everything you could need is right here and everyone is more than willing to help you. The resources at Farmington are excellent.

Do you ski or hike, bike?
I’m not very outdoorsy, but I know UMF is really good for people who are into that.

Would you change anything?
Well, I’ve changed by major’s concentration and I know other people who’ve changed their entire major but UMF is more than willing to help you do that. Another cool thing about UMF is that they’re so eager to help you. They’re more then willing to work with you to help you make the right choices.

Anything UMF could do better?
They actually do a fairly good job. I think UMF should maybe stress going to UMF Summer Experience, because it helps a ton. I attended Summer Experience and I learned everything I needed to know about the campus in that one week. Overall, I think they do a really good job keeping everyone entertained — there’s always something going on. And the campus the library is well stocked and if they don’t have it on the shelves, they’ll get it for you. They try the best they can and do a good job.

Would you recommend UMF to you’re your sister or brother?
Yes. I was actually working at a UMF Open House Day and I looked up and my cousin was in the audience! And I went right over and told her, “it is a wonderful place, everybody is so nice.”

I definitely would recommend it to anybody, especially if they want a good Education school, but it’s also a good college in general — a nice, small-town college. If they’re looking for something big city or a huge university, then UMF wouldn’t be the best place for them.