A new program aimed at giving future educators hands-on experience and a taste of what it’s like to teach is off to a promising start, officials said Monday.
Campbell County School Board members were briefed on the division’s Teachers for Tomorrow program, which officials said will help the county grow its own educators.
Implemented this year for the first time, the program has 35 seniors enrolled and is available at the county’s four high schools.
At Monday’s meeting, officials heard about the program straight from the students who participated.
“It has shown me the job they perform is not as easy as people think,” William Campbell High School student Jessica Reamey said of teachers.
Reamey said the field experience the program provided allowed her to be immersed in the responsibilities of teaching. For example, she noted that lesson plans were time consuming and complex. She said while the program was stressful, it allowed her to find her true calling — teaching.
Teachers for Tomorrow, which is offered in other area school divisions, is a dual enrollment course done in collaboration with Lynchburg College.
In the program, students attend two seminars at the college, complete coursework at their home school, complete fieldwork where they observe teachers and students, and complete a portfolio to show what they’ve learned.
Altavista High School student Curtis Johnson spoke to the board about his experiences studying the behavior of other students and how it translates to being a good teacher.
“In our observations we learned the fundamentals of teaching,” he said, noting those in the Teachers for Tomorrow program spent time observing elementary, middle and high school classes.
Ann Jennings, the county’s English instructional specialist, and Linda Gray, the division’s director of secondary education, have both helped to coordinate the course for students in Campbell County. They also reported to the board and noted the program has given students real-world experience, preparing them for college and, someday, for careers as teachers.
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