KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Anderson County Schools is looking to students already in the classroom as the next teachers. A new program in the district is Building Tomorrow’s Teachers Today has teacher recruitment starting in high school at Anderson County Career and Technical Center.
“This is actually what it is going to be like being a teacher. So, I like it,” said Zavie Ford, a sophomore.
The Teaching As a Profession program is working to create future teachers by providing practical experience for high school students.
“This is a student-led class so it’s not like you come in here, sit and do a bunch of bookwork,” said senior Madison Braden. “You actually get to do hands-on things like go out in the community and meet new teachers, meet all kinds of different kids.”
TAP is a four-level program of study. During “buddy day” high school students oversee lesson planning and Pre-K students rotate through stations.
Denise Houdeschell is the program instructor. She says her students go above and beyond to provide help in and out of the classroom.
“It’s been a very difficult year, couple of years with the pandemic, so everybody is stretched thin, and we have this free resource here that we can tap into,” Houdeschell said.
Where most students don’t get into classrooms until the end of college, TAP is giving students a chance to try out teaching much earlier. Houdeschell’s goal is to build in more job shadowing as the program grows.
Houdeschell says seniors can graduate with six college credit hours.
“We really wanted as a district to encourage teaching at all levels because we know that there’s a shortage and we need teachers,” she said.
Teacher shortages took center stage during the pandemic. Through TAP the district hopes to attract future teachers that invest back into the community where they grew up.
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