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Teaching Fellows challenges students |
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Tuesday, 24 July 2007 |
by DAVID ALLEN
Contributing Writer
In order to fulfill hefty workload requirements, many Appalachian Teaching Fellows have to attend summer school. However, according to them, the extra work is worth it.
Candace M. Carpenter and Tiffany E. Mease, both junior Teaching Fellows and elementary education majors, feel that the program offers great benefits no matter how tough the workload.
“I do not regret any of it because it is a great challenge and a wonderful opportunity,” Mease said
In order to
graduate in four years under the scholarship program, Fellows must take
an average of 17 hours per semester, not including any extra required
activities.
This is compared to the 15 hours per semester required for most other majors.
Carpenter, Mease and Samantha A. Dudas, another junior elementary
education major and Teaching Fellow, all took at least one summer class
to stay on track for their four-year graduation plan.
“I am so glad I have this opportunity because teaching is something I
will really enjoy and this scholarship has awarded me many great
opportunities that will surely help develop my experience as a
teacher,” Mease said.
Established by the General Assembly in 1986, the N.C. Teaching Fellows
program provides $6,500 a year in scholarships to each one of its
prospective-teacher members. The club is offered at only 14 campuses
in North Carolina and allows only 60 new members per campus per
academic year.
After a lengthy application process including interviews, essays and
tournament-style cuts, the many are whittled down to a select few that
get in.
During their freshman year, new Fellows are required to complete at
least 20 hours of community service, in addition to meetings,
conferences and program-specific classes.
Regular elementary education majors require 128 service hours to
graduate while the same major in the Teaching Fellows program requires
135.
That number also does not include the tutoring, mentoring, summer trips
to orientation, enrichment program and other optional, but suggested,
activities.
Teaching Fellows graduates were employed in 98 of the 100 counties in North Carolina during the 2005-2006 academic school year.
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