supplies in order to get a free car wash. We teaching experience for the Educational Aide
sold barbecue and soft drinks and were able certification program, says Jeanye Wester, a
to collect several carloads of supplies for teacher in the Frenship Independent School
the elementary schools in the district,” says District. “Certification is an integral facet of
Killeen’s Samantha Powell, who also serves as Ready, Set, Teach!,” she says. “Students gain
create a career
president of TAFE statewide. experience with teaching children in child-care
Other students develop leadership skills by centers, elementary schools, junior high schools, portfolio
volunteering for activities such as coaching a and special education programs.”
Little League team or serving as a group leader Linda Aiello works with high school juniors One valuable tool that can help you get
in scouting. Lindsey Roe, who is pursuing a and seniors in the Education Assistant Co-op ready for college and beyond is a career
career in teaching at Texas Tech University, Program at Clements High School in Sugar portfolio—a collection of items that
says her service on student council in high Land. Students in the Clements program assist document your achievements both in
school helped her tremendously. “It gave me a supervising teacher with daily routines of the and out of school, assembled in one
an opportunity to practice skills every teacher classroom and receive pay for their work. convenient package.
needs, such as public speaking and leadership.” Some students may discover teaching is not A career portfolio is not simply
right for them, and Aiello says that is one of the a resume, although it can certainly
Educational Aide benefits of the program. However, she admits, include one. So what should go in a
The Ready, Set, Teach! course in Texas “one of my greatest pleasures has been seeing career portfolio? A variety of things,
high schools (see “Changing Lives in Real my students return to our district and develop depending on your own personal
Classrooms” on page 13) provides hands-on into quality teachers.” experiences. It could include transcripts
and grades; writing samples; letters
of recommendation from teachers,
mentors, or employers; awards you’ve
S P o T L I G H T
received; and items that document
other activities, such as internships and
job shadowing experiences.
“You need to be specific—dates, how
toP StuDENt tEACHERS
many years, any awards, what they
FCCLA and tAFE Cultivate Aspiring Educators’ skills
meant, and who you received them
from,” says Grace Brauchle, who helps
S
students put their portfolios together
amantha powell was headed for a of character, service, and leadership
as the career center coordinator for
career in medicine until she became that are essential characteristics of
Lehman High School in Kyle.
involved in the Texas association of future effective educators.”
Brauchle says portfolios come in
educators (Tafe) at killeen High school. sharon pierce, state advisor for
handy when students apply for jobs or
“I discovered that I enjoyed tutoring the family, career and community leaders
admission to college. “First impressions
elementary students,” says powell, a high of america (fccla), says fccla also
are a very big thing,” she says, “and
school junior. “now I have decided that a promotes community service that builds
you want to be the one whose papers
teaching career would be very rewarding.” and strengthens families.
get passed around the office. You want
as the president of the state Tafe education is one of fccla’s primary
to be the one where the admissions
organization, powell travels to different focus areas. The approximately 60,000
counselors say, ‘Wow, look at this one!’”
schools to share her knowledge of Texas high school fccla members
And a portfolio doesn’t have to be
community projects among the more than enrolled in education & Training classes
simply a collection of papers. Artists
235 chapters across the state. can choose any number of extended
and photographers use their portfolios
Tafe encourages participating schools learning opportunities, including observing
to provide visual examples of their
to select among a number of service teachers in the classroom, volunteering
work, and so can you. Do you have
projects. “They can supplement what to work with children, and participating in
photos of someone giving you an
they learn in the ready, set, Teach! organized competitive events.
award? Put them in. How about a video
course [see ‘changing lives in real “what’s great about the competitive
of a performance? Include it on a DVD.
classrooms,’ page 13], for instance, and events is to see the passion students
Do you have experience in Web design?
mentor younger students,” says Tafe develop for what they’re doing,” pierce
Make an online portfolio to showcase
program director alejandro arguello. says. “That’s why so many choose
what you can do.
“The idea is to cultivate the qualities to participate.”
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