VIRGINIA BEACH — What could be better for a young person than gaining a little bit of on-the-job experience before starting college and making that all-important career choice?
Probably nothing, especially when it also helps the Virginia Beach City Public Schools find teachers for the future.
Since the 2007-2008 school year VBCPS has been taking part in the statewide Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow Program, a “grow your own” approach to meeting the staffing needs of schools across the state.
Carrie Gantt, who for the past 19 years has taught English at Kellam High School, said the program allows high school students in the city school system to get a glimpse into the work involved in being a teacher.
“It gives them this field experience while they’re in high school so they can conceptualize whether or not teaching is for them,” she said. “It’s a perfect way to show students a pathway to not only how to become a teacher, but also to give them hands-on experience.”
The program was initially available in only a few of the city’s high schools, but because of its popularity it soon expanded to every high school in the city. Since it was implemented, some 2,427 city school students have enrolled in the two-year course of study.
Gantt coordinates the program at Kellam.
“The majority of the students I see in the program come with a heart for service and a mindset that they want to use their lives for something that matters. So many of the kids I teach now are looking for a way to become an advocate for something,” she said.
During the program students are paired with a teacher in a classroom either in a middle school or an elementary school.
“They’d never have that experience if they just sat in a four-walled classroom talking about theory,” Gantt said, adding that often a college student majoring in education won’t see an actual classroom until they near the end of their four years of study.
Justin Thornton is one of the students that went through the program. He especially enjoyed seeing his 6th grade band students at Independence Middle School make progress.
“I literally sat in those exact chairs in the exact same spot they’re in,” he said. “It’s so cool. I never expected it to be so interesting talking with the students and being able to teach them.”
Gantt said the program is an innovative way of drawing creative and passionate young people into teaching.
“They want to understand the work involved in teaching. It’s a way of life, not just a job,” she said.
There’s another possible perk for Virginia Beach students who complete the program. It’s called a Future Teacher Contract Award.
Gantt said the school board will recognize some students with a “Future Teacher Contract Award.” If they graduate with a grade point average of at least 3.0 from an accredited college or university, they can come back after graduation and if there’s an opening in their field, they can get that job.
