Building the next generation of educators starts early. For students in the Life High School Waxahachie (LHSW) Education and Training program, that experience is happening right now within Life School’s elementary classrooms. LHSW students can be found in various elementary classrooms getting hands-on experience.
The Education and Teaching program is a four-year CTE (Career and Technical Education) program that provides high school students with a comprehensive introduction to the field of education. The program is available to students beginning in their freshman year. In the first two years, students take Principles of Education, Training & Coaching, and Human Growth & Development. Years three and four consist of a field-based internship within classrooms at nearby Life School elementary schools.
Each semester, juniors and seniors from the program intern two to three days a week in the classrooms of Life School Lancaster and Life School Red Oak. The high school students are paired with an elementary teacher for one semester. During the semester, the high school students help with a variety of tasks, including helping with STAAR prep, small groups, correcting students' work, reading to classes, organizing, planning lessons, and assisting with behavior management.
“The internship component of the program allows me to apply learned strategies through student teaching actively,” says LHSW Senior Nadiah Ortiz. “Each semester, we are paired with a new teacher, which gives me the opportunity to experience different grade levels and learn from a variety of mentors with different teaching styles. I am grateful for the things that I have learned so far in the program, and I look forward to using the skills that I am learning in my own classroom one day.”
While the program provides great opportunities for the participating students, it also provides teachers with support in the classroom. Rachel Swodeck, Life School Red Oak teacher, said, “Having a high school student intern has been a huge blessing in my classroom. They are kind, helpful, and willing to learn about what it's like to be an educator day in and day out. Extra eyes and helping hands are much needed and appreciated, especially in a first-grade classroom! I love for them to pull small groups with some of my kiddos who need an extra boost, and all my first graders LOVE these high schoolers as well. First graders are big fans of LHSW high school students and definitely look up to and enjoy spending time with them!"
By providing early exposure to the profession and valuable hands-on experience, the program is helping to ensure that future generations of students have access to qualified and passionate teachers. The Life School Education and Training Program is one example of the district’s commitment to building leaders with life skills through strong academics.
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Life School is a tuition-free, public charter school with campuses in Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Mountain Creek, Red Oak, Oak Cliff and Waxahachie, TX. Life School develops leaders with life skills through strong academics, character training, and partnerships with parents and the community. Its mission is accomplished in part through the financial support of donors who provide scholarships and embrace making students ready to learn, ready to lead and ready for life.
Parents who are interested in enrollment can visit lifeschool.net/learn-about-life. Partners who would like to support Life School financially can give online at lifeschool.net/give.
