Gracie King (12) always knew she wanted to be a teacher. Through North Buncombe’s new Teacher Cadet program, King and others interested in a career in education are able to get firsthand experience by really teaching in local classrooms.
“I want to make a difference in kids’ lives,” King said. “Teacher Cadet has built my confidence and shown me the importance of teaching and why we need more teachers.”
This is the first year Teacher Cadet has been offered at North Buncombe. The two-part course led by Andrew Shelton focuses on helping students understand how we learn and take in information.
“I want people to know that Teacher Cadet is for a variety of students,” Shelton said. “We cover a huge array of topics and it’s all tailored to the interests of the student.”
Throughout the first part of the course, Teacher Cadet I, students focus on learning about teaching styles, learning styles, and child development all while working to build up and improve their leadership skills through observational learning.
“We got to do a lot of introspective work and learn about our strengths and weaknesses and how we communicate with other people,” senior Laurel Seddon said.
During the second part of the course, students are given the opportunity to go into a classroom with the age group of their choice to get firsthand experience leading the class and working with students.
“Teacher Cadet really put into perspective how different kids can be and the way they respond to different things,” Jack Sandifer (12) said. “There’s nothing more energizing and that makes you feel as gratified as walking out of a classroom knowing that you taught them something that’s not only important for their life, but also helps them think critically about those around them.”
Teacher Cadet is a program designed to give students a positive learning environment and isn’t just for those looking for a career in education.
“It’s a very different experience that I don’t think I was really prepared for, but it’s been a very positive experience,” Seddon said. “I’ve loved getting to know the students.”
