Grow Your Own: A Look Into Alabama's Teacher Cadet Program

We are excited to feature some of the innovative work coming out of Pickens County, Alabama. Watch our video or read more below to see how the Pickens County and Career Center is "growing their own" with the Teacher Cadet Program.

As part of the Teacher Cadet Program at the Pickens County College and Career Center in Carrollton, Alabama, students from across the county have the opportunity to receive training in teacher education as part of a partnership with the University of West Alabama. The Teacher Cadet Program, a new initiative for high schools students, is a three-year academic program that provides students with the foundations of teaching as well as an internship in district schools. Through the program, students can receive dual-enrollment credits from the University of West Alabama's College of Education.

Throughout the three-year Teacher Cadet program students receive academic support building up to a career in education. During the first year, students explore the history and foundational elements of the education field. In the second year they put their knowledge to life through in-classroom experiences. The third year of the program allows students to implement what they've learned in real-life classroom settings with placements in Pickens County schools.

You can check out a video below, made during the Rural Schools Collaborative’s recent visit to Pickens County College and Career Center, to hear more from the Mrs.McGee and the Teacher Cadet 2019-2020 cohort!

You can find the Teacher Cadets on facebook, instagram, and twitter.