The School Buzz: D-20 turning students into future educators with Teacher Cadet Program

A new magnet program at D-20 is hoping to inspire students to become teachers. And they're getting college credits in the process.

Academy D-20 is wrapping up its first semester of their Teacher Cadet Program. The goal is simple: D-20 hopes to grow their own teachers straight from their brightest students.

The program is offered to juniors and seniors. The students shadow a teacher at Discovery Canyon Campus where they learn child development, curriculum, and instruction, all while spending time in a real classroom. The students then plan and teach their own lessons, getting real-world experience. 

"That gives them an opportunity to really see what teachers do on a daily basis, how they work through things throughout the course of the day and get to practice what they've learned," said Katy Snider, a Teacher Cadet Program instructor at D-20.

Shreya Krishnan is a DCC senior who's taken advantage of the program.

"One of the biggest skills I've learned is adaptability. Everything is not always going to go the way that you plan. I think it's a very important skill to have, not just in the field of education but no matter what you do in life," said Shreya.

"And I think positivity is a big thing because the children are always looking to you," she said.

And on top of the experience and college credits, if these teacher cadets have a 3.0 weighted GPA and a B- in the Cadet program, they get guaranteed admission to the CU Boulder School of Education.

Do you know a remarkable program, teacher or student at your school?! Email us! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.