There will be a second offering of the new teacher assistant course at Sampson Community College this fall because its Department of Education Chair and Instructor Lynn Sanchey received such positive feedback that she said she could not wait until next summer to offer the class again.
What was originally thought to be a summer-only offering generated so many requests for a class during the school year that SCC administrators decided to offer it again this fall, and students are already enrolling.
This summer marked the beginning of a new addition to what Sankey called her “grow your own” initiative in the SCC education department, a teacher assistant certification. Sankey shared how remarkable the success of the summer program had been, saying students were already calling while the class was still in session wanting to know when the next one would be held.
The inaugural class had 12 students, including some from both Clinton City and Sampson County schools, as well as custodians, substitutes, and bus drivers, who all said, “I want to be able to help kids more.”
Eleven successfully completed the program, with 10 of those graduates already having job offers. As part of the course, Sampson County Schools administrators came and interviewed students, and many were offered jobs on the spot.
Sankey wrote the course, and the class met face-to-face to prioritize the relational aspect of working with children in schools.
The course consisted of 96 hours, including 24 clinical hours. Students completed those hours working in day cares or at Read to Achieve summer camps in the schools, giving them hands-on experience while allowing them to see which age groups fit them best.
Sankey shared the importance of school systems getting “to see the relationship part” of how the students worked with children. She emphasized that teacher assistants’ responsibilities have evolved from primarily making copies to providing instruction as part of their day-to-day work, making it important for students to know how to effectively work with children.
There is a teacher shortage, Sankey said, and she is trying to do her part to help address it through her “grow your own” initiative.
The teacher assistant program fits into those efforts to develop local educators, with some graduates from the certification program already enrolling in her associate degree program to work toward becoming teachers themselves.
The education department also offers K-6 licensure. Students who already have a four-year degree in a field other than education but want to become teachers have the opportunity to obtain their K-6 license at no cost through Sampson Community College.
Sankey said providing multiple pathways into education is another way the department is working to prepare more teachers for the community.
“Why go anywhere else?” she asked.