Teacher Cadet Program gives potential future educators handson experiences
The Teacher Cadet option has been a part of Lakeview High School’s CTE program for many years now. The program involves students being teachers’ aids at selected schools within the district. Elizabeth Curd teaches these exceptional students to be future teachers.
“The thing I like the most about Teacher Cadet is that everything we talk about applies to each student at that moment. They are all students and student-teachers, so they can understand both sides of the classroom and it helps them be better students for themselves,” said Elizabeth Curd.
Each student within the program can help a teacher with certain tasks such as grading and working one on one with students.
“When I go to the elementary school, I help teachers check assignments but also help students work on those assignments. The work I do at elementary school applies here as well, because I can help students at Lakeview learn in a different way,” said Amari Kendricks, a senior in the program.
Teacher Cadet students assess how younger children learn and how their minds work in different ways. Working with kids hands on can help these students understand why current teachers make the decisions they do and differentiate their lessons according to their students.
“Teacher Cadet helps me learn different ways to explain things because some kids don’t understand certain things. It definitely gives me a better understanding on how to work with kids,” says junior Jacqueline Goulette.
This program gives students the opportunity to look into what being a teacher might look like. Students can grasp the idea of being a teacher or teachers-aid early on in their lives.
In the last decade, many cadets have gone on to pursue education at the post-secondary level and are now filling the numerous job postings for educators all across the state.