Staff Writer
The Teacher Cadet Program at Apex High School is an elective class for upperclassmen who are interested in careers in education. Students learn about teaching methods, child development, the history of the educational system, and spend eight weeks observing and helping out with an elementary class.
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| L t R: Ashley Biggs and Ashley Simmons (kneeling), Maegan Ostrom, Mrs. Brown, Coach Lockwood,and Patrick McGinty (standing) |
“I took Teacher Cadet I and II and both classes confirmed that teaching is my ideal job,” she adds. Simmons is not alone; The North Carolina Teacher Cadet Program website states that 85% of students who take the Teacher Cadet course cite the program as the biggest factor in their decision to become a teacher.
“There is a lot of work in the class, so I’d recommend it for people who are serious about wanting to learn how to teach,” said Simmons. “Planning new lessons daily takes hours, and you’re in charge of managing a class of twenty kids, all with completely different backgrounds and personalities,” she added.
The class is designed to give students a taste of what it takes to be a teacher. Simmons said that the most surprising thing she learned about teaching is “how completely flexible you have to be, [such as] when a lesson doesn’t go as planned and you have to think of a ‘plan B’ right there on the spot.”
The course also allows students to express their creativity through activities like writing stories and making brochures. Last semester, Simmons along with Patrick McGinty, Ashley Biggs and Maegan Ostrom wrote a short story for The Gala Story Writing Project, a program to honor adults who work with children with special needs. The students wrote about Coach Paul Lockwood, assistant track coach and teacher’s assistant for the special programs department. “Ours was one of the winning stories in the competition and the Coach got to attend a special ceremony in his honor,” Simmons states.
In addition to giving students some real world teaching experience, the class also fosters a close relationship between peers. “Since there were only 10 to 15 students, we all became pretty close and could talk freely as a class, not formally. I learned so much about myself through the Teacher Cadet program and would take it again if I had the chance,” said Simmons. “In those few weeks I spent with an elementary class, I learned how to be more patient, understanding, and about the dedication that teachers have to their job. The bonds I formed with the children are unforgettable. I still miss my kids from last year,” she added.
In addition to giving students some real world teaching experience, the class also fosters a close relationship between peers. “Since there were only 10 to 15 students, we all became pretty close and could talk freely as a class, not formally. I learned so much about myself through the Teacher Cadet program and would take it again if I had the chance,” said Simmons. “In those few weeks I spent with an elementary class, I learned how to be more patient, understanding, and about the dedication that teachers have to their job. The bonds I formed with the children are unforgettable. I still miss my kids from last year,” she added.
