For years, Hillcrest has participated in the Teacher Cadet Dual Enrollment program through Anderson University. In this class, students learn about teaching and child development and then are sent to work with a teacher at a local elementary school or middle school in a subject area they may be interested in. However, there is only one class, and the class only accepts juniors and seniors. Many schools in the area have changed the way they do Teacher Cadet, and now Hillcrest is joining the group. 

Instead of one year of this class, there will be 3 years you can be involved in these teaching courses that are Dual Enrollment through Clemson. As a sophomore, students will take a one semester, “World of Teaching” honors-level class, where they will learn everything about teaching. 

I spoke with someone- a rising sophomore- who has already talked to her counselor about taking the class next year. She is interested in being a future educator, and believes it will help her to “prepare for the career I want to [pursue] in my future after high school.”

As a junior, students will have the opportunity to take ED1400 and ED1500. In ED1400, students will continue to learn about teaching and will participate in a 20-day field placement, similar to Anderson’s Teacher Cadet “Field Experience”. In the second semester for ED1500, students will spend every day doing a “field experience” during their first period (or whatever period they have the class for). Once a week, they will spend the day having a ‘faculty meeting’ at HHS. 

As seniors, students will have the opportunity to do ED2400 and ED2500. These two courses are very similar to ED1500, where students will do their field experience with a local school and will have weekly meetings back at HHS. 

The goal of the Future Teacher Academy is to inspire high school students who are interested in education as a career path. Field experience in Teacher Cadet through Anderson was an eye-opening experience for several students- this new Future Teacher Academy will take this inspiration of students to the next level.