Teacher Cadets

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      • Dr. Marcella Wine-Snyder
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  • About
    • Teacher Cadets Overview
    • Staff >
      • Dr. Marcella Wine-Snyder
      • Ms. Jane Turner
      • Mrs. Rona Neely
      • Mrs. Rachel Toole
      • Mr. Arthur Pinckney
      • Mrs. Kelly Browder
    • Program Facilitators
    • How to Start a Program
    • Teacher Cadet Training
    • Teacher Cadet Trainers
    • Teacher Cadet Sites
    • Teacher Cadet Curriculum
    • Webinars & Videos
    • Teacher Cadet News
  • Students
    • Required Forms
    • Ken Bower Scholarship
    • Teacher Cadet Honor Society
  • Instructors
    • Teacher Cadet Hub
    • Teacher Cadet Evaluation App
    • Fall Renewal Conference
    • Teacher Cadet Honor Society
    • Educational Psychology Hub
  • College Partners
    • Required Forms
  • Research
    • Real-time SC Data
  • Store
  • CERRA

News

2020 Ken Bower Scholarships Awarded

5/5/2020

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BY TODD SCHOLL
todd@cerra.org

The Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship, named in memory of Dr. Ken Bower, an architect of the original Teacher Cadet course and curriculum, is awarded each year to senior Teacher Cadets who intend to become a classroom teacher in one of South Carolina's many public schools.

“The recipients of the Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship are the epitome of excellence—within and beyond academia—and we look forward to welcoming these homegrown future teachers to South Carolina's cadre of exemplary classroom teachers,” notes Dr. Marcella Wine-Snyder, Director of Pre-Collegiate Programs at CERRA, which includes the Teacher Cadet Program. “Since its inception in 1985, South Carolina’s Teacher Cadet Program has led pre-collegiate teacher recruitment efforts by establishing and solidifying a pipeline of well-qualified educators in our state ready to return to their communities as classroom teachers in the future. For some time now, education policy analysts and demographers have alluded to impending teacher shortages at an alarming rate, and homegrown teacher recruitment strategies and efforts like the Teacher Cadet Program represent our best hope for averting a more substantial one. As the anchor of teaching and learning, a teacher’s impact outweighs all other influential factors on student learning. Thus, without exemplary teachers at the helm in classrooms, our state's goal of providing high quality schools—for all children, in all neighborhoods—will never materialize.”
​

Teacher Cadet instructors receive notification of the call for applications early each calendar year and all senior Teacher Cadets are eligible to apply. Thanks to the generosity of silent auction “shoppers” at two CERRA conferences and other donors who support the Teacher Cadet program, 2020 recipients will receive a one-time award of $1,000. The award is mailed directly to the recipient's college before August 1st and is applied to his or her account. Awards are determined based on the merits of scholarship, involvement in school and community activities, teacher recommendations, and a written essay. The Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship is not “needs-based” and does not rely on the financial information of the Teacher Cadet’s family. Teaching Fellows may also be recipients of the Ken Bower Scholarship.
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Abby Atkinson is a native of Marion, SC. Abby is a "straight A" student and currently ranked third in her class with a 4.984 weighted GPA. She is passionate about teaching, especially after participating in her high school's Teacher Cadet Program. She has also been named a SC Teaching Fellow. Abby is active in her school, church, and community. She loves to draw and paint, read, and volunteer with children at McLeod in the summer.

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Whitney Craft is a senior at Pelion High School. She has been involved in numerous extracurricular activities that include Student Council, BETA Club, Link Crew, Prom Committee, and the Student Advisory Council. Whitney is an accomplished athlete at Pelion High. She is a member of the cross country, basketball, and softball teams and has lettered multiple times in each sport. She has obtained nineteen athletic awards over her six years participating in Pelion athletics. She has also been a member of the Pelion High School Honors Chamber Orchestra and has played in the orchestra at Pelion for eight years. Whitney has had a passion for teaching since she was a young child. She plans to attend Spartanburg Methodist College in the fall then transfer after two years to obtain a degree in Elementary Education. She hopes to return to teach in her hometown of Pelion, South Carolina.

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Samantha Mathis is a senior at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina. While maintaining her role as the manager of the varsity softball team, the team won one state championship and three upper state championships. She is the Treasurer of the Byrnes Chapter of National Honor Society and is also a member of French National Honor Society, Beta Club, Teacher Cadets, and TEACH Honor Society. Outside of school, she is very active in her church’s children’s ministry and youth group and has participated in two international mission trips. She plans to attend USC-Columbia in the Fall to major in        elementary education and will be a Teaching Fellow there.  ​

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Rachael Richardson is passionate about impacting people and making a difference, which is why she wants to become a high school teacher and educator. Her faith in God is an important aspect of her life. In her free time, she values being with friends and family and enjoys activities outside such as biking, running, boating and going to the beach. Rachel will be attending Charleston Southern University in the Fall.

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Savannah Shealy is a senior at Palmetto High School in Williamston, South Carolina. Finishing at the top of her class, she plans to become a high school English teacher by earning her degree from Clemson University. She also earned a spot in Clemson University’s inaugural Teaching Fellows cohort. During her time at Palmetto, she was a captain of both her varsity basketball and soccer teams; she additionally balanced her participation in sports by being a large part of her school’s marching band. In her free time, she enjoys trips on the Swamp Rabbit Trail and, of course, reading.

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Alexia Imani Vereen is the Mullins High School student body president. She is also involved in the Jobs for America’s Graduates Program. She has been in the top three percent of her graduating class since her high school career began. She is an honor student and has been enrolled in dual credit courses since her junior year. She enjoys writing, reading, poetry, horror stories, and capturing the aesthetics of life through pictures or film. She will be attending Winthrop University in the fall to major in English Education.

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CERRA Holds 2020 TCNHS Inductions

3/10/2020

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BY DR. MARCELLA WINE-SNYDER
CERRA held its annual Teacher Cadet National Honor Society Induction Ceremony at Samuel A. Heyward Career Center in Columbia, SC on Saturday, March 7, 2020. The poignant occasion formally recognized the stellar accomplishments of Teacher Cadets who represent the quintessence of excellence in education across South Carolina. Selection for the society is based upon careful consideration of scholarship, character, leadership, and service, the organization's four pillars.
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CGHS program inspires students to teach

2/25/2020

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BY DAMIEN SHERWOOD OF THE COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL

Cottage Grove High School (CGHS) has been providing students with a pathway to education careers for the past four years and is beginning to see hometown returns on its efforts.

The school’s Teacher Cadet Program encourages high school students to consider a career in education by offering exposure to a range of introductory education concepts through Lane Community College (LCC) and more than 40 hours of field work.

“It’s the course that you take so that you can get into a teacher licensure program,” said Geriann Walker, CGHS science teacher and instructor for the course. “So it’s a nice, broad overview of teaching and learning.”

Beginning with 12 students in its first year, the CGHS teacher cadet course has grown to include its current 14 students per year, positions which are awarded in a competitive application process.

“We’ve had more students apply than we have spots for,” Walker said.

The Teacher Cadet class is the last step of the school’s teacher education pathway, which includes the LCC courses Introductory Child Development and Early Childhood Education.

The program also comes with time in real classroom environments where cadets can observe teachers and learners at a full range of grade levels.

“It also allows for exploration of trauma in students’ backgrounds and developing trauma-informed practices in the classroom and it allows for all these hours in the field,” said Walker, who also coordinates all field experience hours for the students.

Now a national curriculum, the Teacher Cadet Program was first piloted in South Carolina in the mid-1980s and has grown to be adopted by dozens of states. The curriculum and instructor training are provided by CERRA (Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement) out of South Carolina.

For CGHS, the program began in 2016. Walker has been the program’s instructor since its inception.

‘Grow Your Own’ Teachers

Bringing the program to CGHS was largely motivated by reports of teacher shortages in Oregon.
The Oregon Department of Education, in its latest teacher shortage report, highlighted a significant shortage in specific disciplines and districts.

“While research indicates that teacher shortages exist, it also indicates that they should not be characterized as a statewide crisis,” reads the report. “Rather, teacher shortages are a series of smaller, localized concerns.”

The report identified special education, physical education, health, math and Spanish as potential shortage areas and pointed to more rural counties as being vulnerable to shortages of highly qualified teachers.

South Lane School District (SLSD) has felt the impact of the shortage not only locally, but in its statewide recruitment searches as well.

“I guess there are two ways to look at it,” said Interim Assistant Superintendent Brian McCasline. “There is a shortage of teachers, especially in mathematics and special education. The state may say that it is localized, but there aren’t enough teachers with specific licenses. Since we are outside the Portland/Salem area, we see more of a shortage; but statewide, we don’t have enough teachers to fill positions.

“In South Lane, we have worked hard to recruit across the state each year to make sure that we are able to draw good candidates for these hard-to-fill positions.”

A looming wave of retirees has also caused concern. According to the State of Oregon Employment Department’s 2013-2017 estimates, about 26 percent of the education, training and library workforce was over 55.

By 2027, around 123,000 jobs are projected to open up in these fields and 82 percent of the Oregon education workforce is expected to turn over.

“They’re referring to it as the ‘Silver Tsunami,’” said Walker. “There were a lot of cuts to education during the recession, so there weren’t a lot of people feeding into the pipeline at the time. And yet we have all these people who are retiring and exiting.”

Paying for school, a four-year degree requirement and a steep learning curve are a few of the factors which may be impeding entry into the profession, Walker said.

Creating teacher education pathways has been one way to get ahead of a future shortage and decrease barriers.

“They’re based on what we call a ‘Grow Your Own’ model,” said Walker. “Students come up through our school district system, they know our community, they know the people in our community and they have interest in becoming educators in our community.”

By providing opportunities to develop pre-professional educator skills early and keeping connected with students after graduation, the hope is that students will return for practicum hours or student teaching and possibly become teachers in their hometown.

“There’s a lot of research that says students respond better when they have adults in front of them who reflect who they are and what their community is,” Walker said. “So this is a really powerful model.”

Now four years running, the program is beginning to see returns on this idea.

“A student from our second-year cohort was just on our high school campus doing teacher licensure practicum hours with one of our English teachers,” said Walker. “And the intention is to come back here and do student teaching and to work here. That’s the Grow Your Own model.”
Another past teacher cadet is currently working as a part-time education assistant at Bohemia Elementary School while studying to become a teacher.

And more may be coming. LCC has been considering reinstating an education assistant certificate option. For students who earn college credit as they progress through the high school program, a graduating teacher cadet would be only two courses shy of getting that certificate.

The Curriculum


With a wide range of educational opportunities on the table, the program attracts not only those who want to be teachers, but also educators of different capacities.

“For example, I have a student who’s interested in working with law enforcement and adjudicated youth,” said Walker. “I have another student who’s really interested in becoming a child psychologist.”

In this sense, the course is highly exploratory and allowing for individualized pathways.

When the teacher cadet course begins in fall, students self-evaluate their own learning styles, defining themselves as learners. The course then moves into child development, which includes learning about cognitive, social/emotional and physical development. Next, students cover theories of development and educational psychology. 

They then explore barriers to learning such as disabilities and special education needs.

Finally, the teacher cadets learn about classroom management and lesson planning.

Field work is no small part of the process, either. Students’ direct observations of a full range of grades provide a window into real-world scenarios and set them up to declare where their interest lies by spring term.

“It’s a lot. It’s a whole meta-world of thinking that you’re doing,” said Walker.

Early this month, teacher cadets got the chance to experience a unique day of the year in education.

Global School Play Day, an event which encourages unstructured play time for schoolchildren, was celebrated in Cottage Grove on Feb. 5.

Teacher cadets were dispersed across the school district to help facilitate the event and observe educators and learners in action.

Returning to class, cadets debriefed each other as a group, describing what they saw and learned. One by one, students depicted scenarios of children engaging in various forms of freeplay, conflict resolution and even a little bit of chaos.

CGHS junior Delaney Abraham recalled her experience with kindergarteners.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had so many children climb on me,” she laughed.

The teacher cadets also observed how different staff members dealt with particular challenges, such as children who may have experienced trauma.

On reflection, the high school students cited leadership skills, professionalism, team-building, increased confidence and deeper trauma-informed sensitivities as the most salient takeaways of the program in general.

“I feel like in this class we learned what traumas people can go through,” said junior Raina Herzog. “People know that everyone has their own background and you have to be sensitive to that, but I feel like we’ve learned the signs … you can kind of gather information and be able to treat that situation sensitively, geared toward whatever they’ve experienced.”

In addition to other skills, junior Megan Browning felt that the program had helped establish her higher education trajectory.

“When I started this class, I had a general idea of what I wanted to be,” she said. “But after taking this class, I’ve definitely changed course. So I feel like I’m more prepared for after high school and my college education.”

Sentiments such as this are good tidings for Walker who, after 31 years as an educator, hopes to leave the industry to a new generation of educators.

“I’m invested in making sure that we have wonderful, capable people that can follow when I decide that I’m done,” she said.
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CERRA Visits Westside High School

1/23/2020

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BY RACHEL TOOLE

CERRA Program Facilitator, Rachel Toole, traveled to Westside High School in Anderson this week to recruit for the Teacher Cadet Program. 

During the event, a former Teacher Cadet, Zaria Kay, stopped by to assist. She shared with how her experience in Teacher Cadets helped her understand learning styles and barriers that inhibit our learning. Her favorite part of the class was the field experience and having the opportunity to work with small children. She expressed how much fun this was for her, but it also solidified her decision to pursue education as a career. She always thought she wanted to be a teacher. She said all of the positive experiences as a Teacher Cadet made her decision easy. The toughest part now, she says, is deciding which college will be best for her to attain her goal. 

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Part-Time Pre-Collegiate Program Facilitator Position

7/2/2019

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The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement (CERRA) is seeking an exemplary educator for a 10-month, part-time position on the CERRA staff as a Pre- Collegiate Program Facilitator for region two of the state. This region includes the following school districts: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg (1, 2), Barnwell (19, 29, 45, 80), Calhoun, Edgefield, Greenwood (50, 51, 52), Laurens (55, 56), McCormick, Orangeburg, and Saluda. The educator selected for this position will carry out various pre-collegiate program activities sponsored by CERRA.

This announcement is an open invitation to members of the CERRA network to consider applying for this position. Please keep in mind that only applicants who reside in the region outlined by the districts listed above will be considered, and preference will be given to applicants who have been heavily involved with CERRA programs. Selection will be based on judgments about the educator’s commitment, initiative, enthusiasm, interpersonal, organizational, and public relations skills. This position is a part-time position with twenty-nine (29) hours of work per week during the academic school year (August through May). The position will require day travel within the region and moderate travel outside the region, including overnight stays when warranted. Travel costs will be reimbursed by CERRA under the guidelines established by the State of South Carolina. An outline of the responsibilities associated with the Pre-Collegiate Program Facilitator position can be found here. In addition to direct involvement with the ProTeam and Teacher Cadet sites, Pre-Collegiate Program Facilitators make site visits to district level administrators who lead and support pre-collegiate efforts for districts and College Partners. Increased emphasis is placed on districts with specific needs, such as those participating in the rural recruitment initiative.

No application form is required. Interested educators should submit a letter of interest and a rèsumè to Marcella Wine-Snyder no later than July 16, 2019. Those selected for the next phase of the application process will be contacted for interviews, which will take place at the CERRA office in Rock Hill. Interviews will be scheduled for July 18, 2019 in Rock Hill with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2019.

If you have questions or need further information, we encourage you to talk to one of the current Program Facilitators to learn more. You may reach us (turnerj@winthrop.edu, winesnyderm@cerra.org), and the Pre-Collegiate Program Facilitators, Rona Neely (rona@cerra.org), Arthur Pinckney (pinckneya@cerra.org), Theodore Jackson (theodore@cerra.org), or Kelly Browder (kelly@cerra.org) via email. Phone numbers for each of us are also listed on our Web site (www.cerra.org).

Thank you for the many contributions you make to the teaching profession and CERRA’s programs. We look forward to hearing from you by July 16, 2019.

​​​Please submit your letter of interest and rèsumè via electronic submission or hard copy, no later than July 16, 2019 to:
Dr. Marcella Wine-Snyder, Director of Pre-Collegiate Programs
CERRA – South Carolina
Stewart House at Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC 29733
800.476.2387, x6062
winesnyderm@cerra.org
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Richland One Celebrates Teacher Cadets

5/31/2019

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BY ARTHUR PINCKNEY

The Richland One School District held a celebration for its Teacher Cadets. Mr. Heyward Jean was the speaker. CERRA's Region Three Program Facilitator, Arthur Pinckney, was also on hand to honor the students.
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2019 Ken Bower Scholarships Awarded

5/3/2019

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BY TODD SCHOLL
todd@cerra.org

The Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship, named in memory of Dr. Ken Bower, an architect of the original Teacher Cadet course and curriculum, is awarded each year to senior Teacher Cadets who intend to become a classroom teacher in one of South Carolina's many public schools.

"The recipients of the Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship are the quintessence of excellence, and we look forward to welcoming these aspiring future teachers to South Carolina's cadre of exemplary classroom teachers,” notes Marcella Wine-Snyder, Program Director for the Teacher Cadet Program. “For over thirty years now, South Carolina’s Teacher Cadet Program has sought to grow its own stellar teachers by establishing a pipeline of well-qualified potential educators comprised of the state's best and brightest students. For some time now, education policy analysts and demographers have alluded to impending teacher shortages at an alarming rate, and homegrown teacher recruitment strategies and efforts like the Teacher Cadet Program represent our best hope for averting a more substantial one. Without great teachers, our state's goal of providing high quality schools—for all children, in all neighborhoods--will never materialize."

Teacher Cadet instructors receive notification of the call for applications early each calendar year and all senior Teacher Cadets are eligible to apply. Thanks to the generosity of silent auction "shoppers" at two CERRA conferences and other donors who support the Teacher Cadet program, 2019 recipients will receive a one-time award of $1,000. The award is mailed directly to the recipient's college before August 1 and is applied to his or her account. Awards are determined based on the merits of scholarship, teacher recommendations, and a written essay. The Ken Bower Teacher Cadet Scholarship is not "needs-based" and does not rely on the financial information of the Teacher Cadet’s family. Teaching Fellows may also be recipients of the Ken Bower Scholarship.

2019 Ken Bower Scholarship Recipients
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Hannah Jones Baker
Hannah is a senior at Ashley Ridge High School where she is a member of National Honor Society, Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, Ashley Ridge Dance Company, and Teacher Cadet. She enjoys volunteering in various programs within her school and in the local elementary and middle schools. Outside of school, Hannah is a competitive dancer and enjoys teaching dance classes at her local studio. Hannah will attend the College of Charleston in the fall and will be in the Teaching Fellows program, as well as double majoring in secondary education and dance. Upon graduation, she hopes to return to her community and teach high school social studies.

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Hannah Bridges
Hannah Bridges is a senior at West Florence High School. She has participated in many activities including National Honors Society, Beta Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Marching Band. She is very involved in her local church through the youth group and children’s ministry and has served on several international and national mission trips. She plans to attend Lander University as a Teaching Fellow and be a part of the honors college.

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Sarah Driggers
Sarah is a senior at Mauldin High School and will be attending Francis Marion University where she plans to study Elementary Education to become a teacher. She is a Teacher Cadet as well as a Teaching Fellow. Sarah was involved in many organizations, including Beta Club, National Honor Society, Educator’s Rising, Honors Chorus, Girl Scouts, and French National Honor Society. She lettered in swimming for five years and was MVP during her senior year. Sarah has always had a passion for teaching children and is looking forward to her career in the school system.

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Emily Graham
Emily Graham and is a senior at Marion High School. In the fall, she will be attending the University of South Carolina to major in Early Childhood Education. She has always carried a passion for the education system, however, she realized she wanted to become a teacher after participating in the Teacher Cadet program. She is excited to obtain her degree and be able to have a classroom of her own!

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Drew Howard
Drew is a senior at Palmetto High School in Williamston, SC. He is captain of the Varsity Soccer team and has played basketball, ran cross country, played men’s volleyball, and ran track during his four years in high school. The valedictorian of his class, he is involved in multiple honor societies and clubs at PHS. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time outdoors, and serves as a camp counselor during the summer. Through this experience, along with volunteering with the children’s ministry at Hope Fellowship Church, Drew has found a passion for investing in the lives of kids. He plans to attend Anderson University in the fall to major in Elementary Education.

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Lauren Hyman
Lauren is a senior at Hannah-Pamplico High School. She plans to attend Francis Marion University in the fall where she will be a Teaching Fellow. Her plans are to major in Elementary Education. Throughout high school, Lauren has been very involved in her school as a member of Student Council, National Honor Society, HOSA,  and the Varsity Tennis team. She has held many leadership positions in these organizations, including National Honor Society President, Student Body Vice President, and HOSA Vice President. She served as a delegate to Palmetto Girls State and is a graduate of the Junior Leadership Florence County program. By becoming a teacher, Lauren’s goal is to inspire children and impact generations to come. Throughout her years of volunteer work and during her semester as a Teacher Cadet, Lauren feels the call to teach and help her students find meaning in their own education and future.

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Ware Shoals Cadets

1/28/2019

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BY  KAREN PACK
karen@cerra.org

Last fall, Cadets at Ware Shoals High School created big books to share with younger students at Ware Shoals Primary School.  The Cadets enjoyed spending time with the younger students and building relationships through the read-alouds. Kudos to Julie Madden who has embraced the role of Teacher Cadets instructor as WSHS added the program this year. 
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NAHS Cadets Explore Sleep Deprivation

1/17/2019

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BY  KAREN PACK
karen@cerra.org 

​Craig Gilstrap's Teacher Cadets at North Augusta High School have released their latest video. The Cadets conducted research on the topic, wrote the script, produced, and assumed various roles in this video on Sleep Deprivation. Take a few minutes to check them out!
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Hands on Math!

12/2/2018

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A Greenville Senior High Teacher Cadet created this awesome math manipulative to help teach the concept of greater than and less than!  Nothing better than a little fun and food while learning math skills!
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