Long Island Students Become Teachers for a Day in Educator Academy Program

Future Educators Program

• 💡 Baldwin High School's Education Academy is providing 11th grader Ella Mason and other students with real classroom experience.
• 🎯 Ella Mason found teaching came naturally and that it was easy to grab the students' attention.

Elementary School Takeover

• 🍎 Over 100 middle and high school students from Baldwin took over classrooms at Plaza Elementary School for a day.
• 👨‍🏫 Eighth grader Marvin McCriedi returned to his old elementary school and taught his younger brother.
• 🧠 The students were able to see themselves in the future doing this work.

Curriculum and Experience

• ✅ The lessons taught were created by Baldwin teachers, ensuring the content was not pretend.
• 📈 The principal highlighted that the program provides hands-on experience for future educators.

Addressing Teacher Shortages

• ⚠️ Teacher shortages are a growing concern in New York State, with an estimated 180,000 new teachers needed in the next decade.
• 📉 Enrollment in teacher training programs has dropped over 50% since 2009.
• 🌱 The program aims to inspire interest in the teaching profession early on to combat future shortages.