Learning about a job in a classroom and learning about one from a hands-on experience are quite different. That is a lesson our teacher cadets found out quickly after spending one semester as teaching assistants.

Teacher Cadets is a program giving students an inside look at what it is like to be a teacher. The program pairs juniors and seniors in our three high schools—Rock Hill High, Northwestern High, and South Pointe High—with a grade level of their choosing. There, they immerse themselves with the ins and outs of being an educator.

As the school year is ending, our teacher cadets are reflecting on how this course influenced them.

Eerik K, a Rock Hill High student, said teacher cadets confirmed he wants to be a teacher. He thinks he made an impact on the kids. Also, hearing the experiences of other teachers made him want to go into teaching. Teachers told him no amount of money could change the amazing experiences of being an educator.

“All the teachers in my life made such a big difference and that has inspired me to be the person who a student can look up to,” he said.

Eerik looks forward to being a role model. He says many of the male teachers in his life were big role models. His goal is to be able to do that for a student.

Kendra B., a Rock Hill High student, felt being in the classroom environment is fun and opened her eyes to what it takes to be a teacher. This program confirmed she wants to be a teacher. Kendra said it helped guide her into the special education field.

Her best memory was hanging out with the special education class because they were always excited to see her. It made her happy to know she was making such an impact on the class.

“It was heartwarming because the class was always having such a great time. It just made me feel good. Like the work I was doing really mattered,” Kendra said.

Linh Do, a Rock Hill High student, does not want to be an educator, but felt like the experience prepared her for the medical field. She says she wants to be a primary care doctor. Assisting in a kindergarten class opened her eyes by introducing her to some soft skills. She enjoyed Teacher Cadets so much, she could see herself tutoring in college.

Linh says everything about the program is very eye opening. She gained a newfound respect for what teachers have to do every day. She encourages other students to sign up for this class even if they are not looking to teach.

“At first, it was just a class I didn’t think I wanted to do because I don’t want to be a teacher. However, it teaches so much more for any career path,” Linh said.

Kelsey J., a Northwestern High student, claimed Teacher Cadets is a great internship. Despite starting the class because she heard it was fun, she says the work really gave her great insight.

She loved playing with the students and teaching them new things. One of the best memories for Kelsey was playing phase 10. She believed it was a good bonding experience for the class.

“We were learning different types of play in different age groups so it was fun to see how they interact with each other,” she said.

Ellie P., a Northwestern High student, was one of the few students who signed up to teach high school. She has always wanted to be an educator, following in the footsteps of her mother. The class itself was also very fun for her. She stated the small group of cadets got very close and relied on each other.

“We have gotten really close together. It makes my mornings better. There’s not a lot of stress and we get to have fun together. I am thankful to have this class,” Ellie said.

She says this is the only career path she could see herself on and Teacher Cadets renewed that perspective.

Jamyaih S., a Northwestern High student, loved the field experience. She said being in the classroom and interacting with students was the best part. The students apparently liked her a lot, so she would always get hugs and high fives from them. It meant a lot to Jamyaih that the kindergartners she helped teach wanted to be around her.

She believed teacher cadets can set you up for any career where children are at the center. She wants to be a pediatric nurse, which she feels better equipped for after Teacher Cadets.

“I think it gave me the soft skills to achieve my goal of being a nurse,” she said.

Saylor Iacino, a Northwestern High student, recognized that teaching might not be her path now, but it could be in the future after being in this program. She said her first grade class really relied on her. The students wanted to know more about her and always asked her to help them with their assignments. It made her feel accomplished.

“On the last day, I had my full day and all the kids wanted to come up to me because they said hey Ms. Saylor what is this and how do I do this. I felt really happy because I could do stuff with them,” said Saylor.

She has always thought about teaching, but Saylor feels Teacher Cadets helped her realize she still wanted to be a lawyer. However, she is excited to see if teaching could pop up in her life again.

Katie S., a South Pointe High student, always wanted the hands-on experience of teaching. She is excited to inspire students in the future. She hopes that she can be a great listener and confidant for the kids she will teach in the future.

“There was this kid and he has a lot going on at home, so I tried to help him out as much as I could. One day he drew something and he gave it to me. It was unexpected, but that is exactly how I want to impact my students when I become a teacher,” she said.

She is following her mother into the education field, so she had a foundation of what it was like to be a teacher. This program gave her the opportunity to do something she has always wanted to do—see what a day inside the classroom is like for an educator.

"Teacher Cadets is not like any other class I've taken. This class shaped me in ways I never thought. I encourage everyone to take this class," Katie said.

If you were a former teacher cadet and would like to join our team, check out our open jobs: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/Page/9660