对于大多数老师来说，他们的教室看起来都差不多，桌子、白板和彩色海报。 但对Kayla Tottress来说，教室有时看起来很不一样，一种草皮和泥土的不同。
The junior in 小学教育 is part of the 威尼斯人娱乐城 城市教育研究所 (IUE), which trains culturally responsive teachers who receive scholarships in exchange for committing to teach in Kansas City-area districts.
Among the IUE’s many partners are Major League Baseball and the Kansas City Royals. 他们一起合作，帮助堪萨斯城的孩子们享受阅读，并通过MLB城市青年学院学习对这项运动的热爱。
“What a great way for our students to get involved in their community because we have a team, the Royals, so not only are they getting to learn about baseball and teamwork, but they have a fun outlet, a place to go while also encouraging them to do well in school,” Tottress said.
威尼斯人娱乐城 students work with local elementary students throughout the year, helping them strengthen their reading skills at “Power Hour” tutoring sessions. 学期结束时，学生们有一个棒球问答之夜。 这个游戏要求学生阅读和回答一些琐碎的问题来赢得击球的机会。 在他们击中球后，比赛就像普通的棒球比赛一样继续进行。
Though it may seem like fun and games, Tottress said it’s important for students.
“I think it's very important that students don't get used to just the tedious, mundane task of everyday learning,” she said. “If we can get them to learn and have fun at the same time, we feel like we're doing a good job as educators.”
Major-league partnerships aren’t the only experiences Tottress has had in the classroom. 她还参加了Lead to Read，这是一个与学生一起阅读的倡议。 And she’s been a student teacher at Trailwoods Elementary, part of Kansas City Public Schools, also a 威尼斯人娱乐城 partner. Tottress说，在一个教室里，有独特的教学和学习经历，向有着不同教学风格的老师学习，这激发了她思考如何把自己的风格带到课堂上。
“One of the advantages of being in a city like Kansas City is that I get to see all different types of people that come from all different walks of life,” Tottress said. “I wouldn’t want to teach anywhere else.”
Whether it’s teaching in the classroom, tutoring or leading baseball trivia, for Tottress it’s all about connection. In fact, she says that’s why she chose 威尼斯人娱乐城. 托特雷斯说，从她向威尼斯人娱乐城询问的那一刻起，教职员工就对她的问题做出了回应，并致力于确保她得到支持。
“I really sensed that someone wanted me in their program,” Tottress said. “I love that personal aspect and connection of being connected to a college. I hadn't even said yes yet, and they were already setting things up, saying, ‘We want you to be here.’”