Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow intros Career Path of Teaching

Innovation and development of career paths is key in Botetourt County Public Schools. Virginia’s Teachers for Tomorrow is just one way BCPS offers students the opportunity to explore a career path during their secondary education years. And, they have been doing so successfully for a number of years.

At Breckinridge Elementary School,10 high school students prepared elementary students for everything from Reading to Math to PE on Tuesday, Nov. 13. They are Virginia’s Teachers for Tomorrow. The VDOE program is offered to high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in education. The program is designed to attract teacher candidates from high school students to the field of education through exposure to a world-class curriculum and hands-on experience that focuses on teaching.

Elizabeth Bolton Mauck teaches the class in a classroom at Breckinridge. The students arrive at 8:30 and leave at 10 for five days per week. Each is supervised by a classroom teacher. The first semester is the only time the class is held this year and with the end in sight, the students are busy finishing up rotations.

Per the VDOE standards:

Students must complete the following eligibility requirements to be considered for enrollment in the program:

Have and maintain a minimum 2.7 grade point average or its equivalent;

Submit three satisfactory teacher recommendations; and

Submit a brief essay and application

Mauck said, “We now have teachers in classrooms who began this program back in 2011, went to college and became teachers. It is exciting to see the program has grown future teachers. There is a critical need for teachers.”

Indeed, Ashton Huddleston a LBHS senior working in PE with Mr. Painchaud (PE teacher) said, “This gives me an idea if I want to be a teacher. I love it.”  She played kick ball with the class and her enthusiasm and the children’s response to her was infectious.

Definitely a win- win program for BCPS and the teaching profession as a whole.

–Cathy Benson

Photo: Cathy Benson

Tag line: Hannah Slusser reads about Pocahontas to students in Mrs. Coleman’s class