Yesterday was the first day of school at Vernon High School and students in our new Instructional Practices class, which is part of our Pathway to Education CTE Program, hit the ground running.
Their teacher, Libbi Garnett, gave them the assignment of considering different characteristics and skills needed by teachers and ranking them by priority. The students then stood before their classmates and explained how they prioritized the characteristics.
“It was fascinating to see their priorities and how they ranked them,” Garnett said. “I’m super excited to have these students in the program and for this new class. It was fascinating to see their priorities.”
Some of the characteristics and skills the nine students put on their lists for teachers included: lesson planning; self-care; flexibility; cultural responsiveness; sense of humor; classroom management; communication skills; patience; organization; and empathy to name just a few.
As part of the new class, later this year the students will be assigned to teachers and work as classroom aides. At the end of the year, students will be eligible to complete industry-based certifications as Educational Aides.