At Coral Gables Senior High, where knowledge blossoms, the Teaching Academy guides students to find their place in the world. In the hopes of becoming an educator, the students experience a unique twist on what it means to lead a classroom setting.
Currently, the Teaching Academy teaches Cavaliers how to teach, make their lesson plans, stimulate fun projects and mainly complete tasks that an actual teacher would do, all to get the teacher’s perspective.
“The teaching academy is a class targeted for students who want to go into the education field or are thinking about it, but it’s beneficial and open for anyone. The class itself is easy, fun and enjoyable because we do simple assignments and lessons, yet we still learn a lot. Additionally, the activities are really fun, because we play lots of educational games that always involve either small groups of us or the entire class. This helps me and the students feel comfortable and sociable with each other,” senior Neilanie Ruche said.
By not only learning through taking notes, students also take the role of practicing how to teach. For example, at least twice a month, there is a class activity that is organized by a student. Responding to its involvement, the class will then group up to follow the directions of that student, gathering both inspiration and teacher qualities as the school year rolls out.
“At the time, Ms. Leyte was in charge of the Teaching Academy, and she talked about it a lot. However, when I joined the class, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it because Ms. Passwaters was in charge of it, but I’m so happy I decided to join because it is such an amazing class where we can all talk and interact with each other. We all laughed at stories we told each other about things that have happened to us in school from when we were little to now. So I really do think that if you would want to have the best four years at Gables, participating in or even joining the [Teaching] Academy is the best decision to make,” senior Ghislane Solis said.
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Senior Ledesma apires to become a teacher and inspire others. (Rosalia Ledesma)Dainelys Ledesma - Committee PresidentThis year's Committee president is senior Ledesma. Just like many Cavaliers in the academy, she aspires to become a teacher who could significantly make a positive impact on somebody's life. Graduating this upcoming May as the Class of 2024, Ledesma was accepted to Miami-Dade College, where she will pursue her dreams and hopefully teach at Gables someday.
"I joined the [Teaching Academy] class when I heard Ms.Leyte talk about a new teaching class with a good teacher during subject selection. I had always wanted to be a teacher growing up so I thought I'd give it a try. I ended up loving the class and retook the class as the years progressed. I met so many good friends and learned a lot from my teacher Ms. Passwaters," senior Dainelys Ledesma said.
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Cabrera hopes to have a fun last year at Gables, while still getting the job done. (Rosalia Ledesma)Ashley Cabrera - Secretary of RecruitmentAs the secretary of recruitment, Ashley Cabrera has learned to be understanding with the students and to spend quality time getting to know each other. Most importantly, the person who inspired her to pursue a teaching career was her 5th-grade teacher, who inspired Cabrera to want to become a better person to be a special person in somebody's life.
"My future aspiration is to become a teacher just not any educator, but rather someone who can change somebody's mind and inspire them greatly. Aside from that, the qualities I think all teachers should have are being understanding, spending quality time with students, and treating every student with respect and equality," senior Ashley Cabrera said.
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Future buisness woman, Ghislayne Solis, hopes to make the most out of this year and communicate with others effectively. (Rosalia Ledesma)Ghislaye Solis - Classroom ManagerAdditionally, as this year's classroom manager, Ghislayne Solis has scarred the class with her efficiency and dedication to teaching others. Because of Ms. Passwaters, her junior and senior years have been extremely fun while being able to learn new experiences in the class.
"Choosing this class was honestly the best choice I've ever made. I think Passwater does a fantastic job of putting together engaging activities for both the Little Cavaliers and us [the students]. She also goes above and beyond as a teacher, taking the time to put ideas together so that we can learn and have fun," senior Ghislayne Solis said.
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In her last year at Gables, Neilanie hopes to inspire others to join the Teaching Academy one last time. (Rosalia Ledesma)Neilanie Ruche - Events CoordinatorMoreover, as an events coordinator, one must constantly provide upcoming ideas for a successful and eventful school year, and Neilanie Ruche earned the title. She hopes to be able to guide others and possibly become a great role model. Being on the board has helped her want to pursue a career where she can help others.
"My future aspiration is to be able to guide others and communicate communicate. Growing up, I was never good at talking to peers or speaking up about things I was passionate about. However, being on the board taught me how to work with others and be a leader. Personally, I believe that to be a teacher is to be a leader who inspires others," senior Neilanie Ruche said.
With the current 2023-2024 board aspiring to complete its goals by the time the school year ends, the primary focus is to provide a teaching class where Cavaliers can enjoy their time spent at Gables, learn new things and most importantly, become educators. Aside from reaching their end goal, each board member also pitches their ideas of leading the direction of the Teaching Academy, encompassing a stepping stool in high-quality professional development.
“I joined the Teaching Academy, because I wanted to know more about the class. Currently, this is my second year in it, and once I found out about the academy’s committee I knew I had to sign up. Look at me now, I’m the secretary of recruitment,” senior Ashley Cabrera said.
In relation to the Early Childhood Program, once the student-teachers have planned their lessons and gotten approval from either a board member or Ms. Passwaters, Cavaliers are given a real-life experience where they execute their lesson with the Little Cavaliers. Not only does this back-to-back communication enhance the students’ confidence in teaching, but it also strengthens the social skills that the Little Cavaliers are learning.
The academy is full of hands-on and interactive activities that allow Cavaliers to improve their social skills. The purpose is to guide Cavaliers to a path where they can become anything, while still building connections with others who want to educate. Through this process, the academy nurtures the family of Cavaliers who are passionate to shaping the future of education through innovation.
“I suggest this pathway to anyone who doesn’t know what they want to be in the future and students who aspire to teach. From my experience, this is course not just for students who would like to pursue a career in the field of education, but for all students who want to become future leaders. Some skills I’ve learned and that others will learn are teamwork, time management, communication, problem-solving, interpersonal and leadership skills, and this is beneficial to any career or organization,” senior Dainelys Ledesma said.
