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Students describe hands-on pipeline in Indian Prairie CUSD 204’s Grow Your Own Teachers program
Summary
Student speakers told the district that the Grow Your Own Teachers program gives middle and high school students classroom observations, grading experience and a structured path toward teaching, including participation in Teachers of Tomorrow.
Student speakers at an Indian Prairie CUSD 204 meeting described the district—s Grow Your Own Teachers program as a hands-on pipeline for students interested in careers in education.
The program, students said, offers middle and high school participants structured opportunities to observe classrooms and take part in tasks such as grading papers. "The Grow Your Own Teachers program is an opportunity for the district to provide high school students and middle school students an authentic opportunity to explore the field of education," said Student 1, a student speaker. "We wanted to kind of put in place a structured pipeline ourselves to, ensure that we have both the the teachers and the diversity, back in our own schools."
Students explained how the program works and why it mattered. "We do 4 observations throughout the year. We do high school, middle school, and elementary school," Student 2 said. "And then the last observation, you kinda get to choose which level you wanna go at." Student 2 added that the program sends participants out once a quarter for observations.
Speakers credited the program with giving early, practical experience. "I've graded papers for teachers before. I've, like, worked behind, like, the computer and just I've developed, like, a relationship like, a 1 on 1 relationship with the teachers that I'm observing," Student 3 said. Another speaker described how the experience helped build classroom management and community: "1 thing I'm gonna take away is just how to develop a community and, like, space in class for my students or for students to feel comfortable and, like, welcome," Student 1 said.
One student recounted joining Teachers of Tomorrow in middle school and continuing through high school to gain additional observation and in-class teaching opportunities. "I joined Teachers of Tomorrow in middle school because I've known since elementary school that teaching is something that I'd want to do," Student 2 said.
Speakers encouraged peers uncertain about a teaching career to try the program as a way to confirm interest. "Even if you have the slightest doubt of, like, I maybe wanna be a teacher, do it because it really will help solidify what you wanna do when you grow up," Student 3 said.
The meeting transcript did not include details on program scale, enrollment numbers, budget, or formal board action on the program. No motions or votes were recorded for this item in the provided transcript.
