AN EARLY START

TOMORROW’S TEACHERS
Many schools that have an NJFEA chapter also offer Tomorrow’s
Teachers, an elective course for juniors and seniors who
are considering a career in teaching. As of July 2015, teachers
from nearly 220 schools in New Jersey were trained to implement
this program.
The course is taught for a minimum of one class period a
day for a year, or the equivalent in contact hours. It includes
four themes:
• Experiencing Learning
• Experiencing the Profession
• Experiencing the Classroom
• Experiencing Education
A variety of hands-on activities and a strong emphasis on
observations and field experiences are provided. Emphasis
is also placed on teaching critical shortage subject areas.
College credits for this course are offered by Rider, Richard
Stockton and Fairleigh Dickinson universities.
Instructors for Tomorrow’s Teachers are recommended to
have a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience.
Training is offered at no cost to school districts; there is
a charge for the required curriculum materials.
URBAN TEACHER ACADEMY
The Urban Teacher Academy (UTA) is a two-week, intensive
summer program for high school juniors. The first UTA in
New Jersey began in 2006 at The College of New Jersey. Today,
as part of the work of CFE, the original academy model
has been replicated at four universities across New Jersey:
Fairleigh Dickinson, Richard Stockton, Rider and Rowan
universities.
Participants explore the teaching profession as they are
guided through issues pertinent to urban education and
the functions of schools. Additionally, students experience
the classroom as they become acquainted with teachers and
teaching on a personal and professional level. Working in
small groups, students plan and teach mini-lessons to urban
elementary school children. Each participant is required to
Kayla Jerman | TCNJ STUDENT
Kayla Jerman has participated in the full
complement of programs offered by the
Center for Future Educators, and thanks
to these experiences, her future is very
bright. Jerman is currently a junior at The
College of New Jersey (TCNJ).
While attending Burlington Township
High School, she joined the New Jersey
Future Educators Association (NJFEA) in
her sophomore year. Her chapter’s activities
ranged from providing babysitting
services during Back-to-School Night to
attending NJFEA conferences to assisting
with Teacher Appreciation Week events.
She eventually served as an officer in her
chapter.
At the end of her junior year, she participated
in the Urban Teacher Academy,
an experience she calls “empowering.”
“It really opened my eyes to the importance
of teachers, who serve as mentors,
cheerleaders and more,” says Jerman.
“They are everything to these kids. And
when teachers get those wheels turning
in the kids’ heads, it’s amazing to see.”
As a senior, Jerman took the Tomorrow’s
Teachers course, which was
taught by her NJFEA advisor, Yvonne
Francis. During the half-year class, Jerman
learned about lesson planning and
child development and even observed
a kindergarten class three days a week
for a couple of months. Jerman recalls
that not all of the students in Tomorrow’s
Teachers were sure they wanted to major
in education, but it gave everyone in the
course a much better appreciation of
what it meant to be a teacher.
After her high school graduation, she
chose to attend TCNJ and major in early
childhood education and English. She
works part time for the Center for Future
Educators (CFE) where she plans and
participates in the Urban Teacher Academy
every year.
“All of these experiences have opened
my eyes to the realities of education and
helped me improve my people skills,”
says Jerman. “It was heartbreaking to see
schools that didn’t have enough books for
their classrooms and libraries, so the UTA
organized a book donation project.”
Jerman will be doing her practicum
this spring and is anxious to student
teach next year. She has just joined the
New Jersey Student Education Association
and is on track to graduate in spring
2017.
“I know that all of these experiences
have better prepared me for my career,”
Jerman believes. “I’ve always known
I wanted to be a teacher and CFE has
helped me get there.”
JANUARY 2016 23