TEACHER CADET

In

COLORADO

Teacher Cadet (TC) is a high school curriculum developed and licensed by the South Carolina Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA). Schools may implement the program by selecting a dynamic,  qualified teacher to complete the Colorado summer Teacher Cadet training. 

PROGRAM DETAILS:

• Year long elective course
• Honors course, rigorous, extensive portfolio
•  Admission criteria includes 3.0 GPA, application process, and three teacher recommendations
• Curriculum and artifacts aligned with the Colorado Teacher Performance Standards and most college Education Foundations (or Introduction to Education) courses
• Colorado supplements to curriculum include required teacher licensure artifacts in five areas
• Requires Teacher Cadet teacher training (summers in Colorado) and license through CERRA
• Principal option to select the most dynamic teacher and fund through the Career & Technical Education  Educational Career Cluster
• Student credit articulation/options to community colleges and universities
• Training in Colorado is four days, cost approximately $550, includes curriculum, start-up resources, trainer expenses, and lunches (CSU credit available)

TEACHER CADET IS AN INTERACTIVE PROGRAM THAT…

• Studies growth and development of the learner
• Examines the historical, social, political, cultural and legal forces that shape education in the US public school system
• Explores the role of the teacher and philosophy that guides teaching
• Investigates the Colorado teacher licensure process
• Provides a six week mini-teaching internship, a professional shadow experience, and observations of learners at all age groups

The South Carolina Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement developed the Teacher Cadet program twenty years ago.  They have trained educators in more than thirty states.  Colorado is in the eighth year of implementation and has seen the program grow from two high schools to thirty-eight and from one to twenty-two school districts.  Reimbursement is available through state CTA funds and Carl Perkins Federal funding if the program becomes an approved secondary program through the Colorado Community College System (CCCS).

For more information contact:

Sheryl Mitchell                                                                    Katy Blatnick-Gagne

Teacher Cadet Coordinator                                FACS Program Director, CCCS

720-201-1567                                                                 720-858-2713

COLORADO TEACHER CADET TALKING POINTS

MISSON:

The primary goal of the Teacher Cadet program is to encourage students who possess exemplary interpersonal, academic and leadership skills to consider teaching as a career.  An important secondary goal is to provide these talented future community leaders with insights about teaching and schools so that they will be civic advocates for education.

TC uses a licensed curriculum developed by the South Carolina Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA).  Teacher Cadet began in South Carolina in 1985; the curriculum has been routinely updated and is currently in the tenth edition.
Colorado has aligned Teacher Cadet (TC) with state teacher licensure standards.
Colorado has CERRA certified trainers and conducts the training each summer in Colorado.
Colorado TC training is four days usually conducted in the later part of July.  Currently the price for training is $550 which includes the curriculum, license and a variety of supplemental materials.  The training cost is a reimbursable expense through Career & Technical Education (CTE) Carl Perkins funds and state CTA funds.
Colorado TC is an approved program under secondary CTE programs in the Education Career Cluster through the secondary Colorado Community College System (CCCS).
Schools should select an exemplary teacher to teach TC.  CCCS has developed a simple process which allows a non CTE teacher to become CTE credentialed for TC.  This allows schools/districts to access CTE funds.
All teachers planning to teach TC must complete Colorado’s curriculum training (per CERRA license agreement) and program implementation according to license and Colorado state guidelines.
TC teachers must hold a current Colorado secondary professional teacher licenseTC instructors must meet the criteria for college teaching; therefore, as of 2007 all teachers who train to be TC instructors must have an education related master’s degree.
Schools sending a teacher to Teacher Cadet teacher summer curriculum training must have a class in place for the coming school year.
Teacher Cadet has been articulated to the UNC Education Foundations Course, CSU Pueblo Introduction to Education and four other college teacher education programs including the Colo. Community College System.  Communication is in process with other four-year teacher education institutions to develop a career pathway for growing our own teachers.
Teacher Cadet is a year-long, honors course for high school juniors and seniors that provides a six-week mini-teaching internship for a total of 50 internship hours.
TC student admission criteria include a 3.0 GPA, application process and three teacher recommendations.
TC has been aligned to the Colo. Reading, Writing and Communicating standards.  Two school districts offer TC as an elective English credit.
Colorado currently has teachers trained at thirty-seven schools in twenty-two school districts.
Program public relations and recruitment information to start a program can be found on the Colorado Teacher Cadet "start up" section of this web site