Pitt County Schools
951215/951225 Teacher Cadet
Instructional Guide
Time Frame: First Semester 1st Marking Period
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
Unit 1: Self-Discovery
 What qualities do the students have that
make them unique and special?
 What qualities of good teachers can
students identify as part of their own
personalities?
 How can thinking about the qualities of
good teachers help direct students toward
assuming those qualities?
 What can we do to help boost the esteem of
our colleagues and friends?
 Students participate in a
variety of selfassessment activities,
including the personal
style inventory, the coat
of arms, a diversity
scavenger hunt, the
finding my roots activity,
and realizing my powers
 Students set goals for
maintaining selfobservation and
reflections
Unit One: Section 3: Human Growth and
Development
 What are the stages of human growth and
development?
 How can we positively and appropriately
influence the development of children at
different stages?
 Students will study
physical, cognitive,
moral, and social
development
 Students will develop a
timeline showing their
own growth and
development
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 North Carolina
Teacher Cadet
curriculum
(sections 1 and
2)
 Art supplies,
handouts, cans,
etc
 Journal
assignments
 Weekly reports
 Assessment –
teacher
observation,
completion of
activities,
essay
reflecting on
learning
 NCTC
curriculum
(section 3)
 Art supplies,
handouts
 Assessment timelines
1
Time Frame: First Semester Second Marking Period
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
Unit One: Sections 4, 5, and 6: issues for
learners at different ages (from birth to
adulthood)
 What are age-specific values, needs, etc. for  Students will study the
children in different stages?
values and needs of
children in different
 What can we do as teachers to meet their
stages.
needs and address their concerns?
 Students will observe
preschool children and
others and reflect on
their observations
 Students will participate
in Play Day and reflect
on their experiences
 Students will take a trip
to the toy store to “buy”
age-appropriate toys
 Students will create a
handout – see “What’s a
Parent to Do”
Unit One: Sections 7 and 8: Special
Education and barriers to learning
 How are students who need some form of
special education identified?
 What programs and policies are in place for
helping students with special needs?
 Students will read
information about
special education
programs, assessment,
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 NCTC
curriculum
(sections 4, 5,
and 6)
 Art supplies,
handouts
 Play day
supplies
(usually taken
care of by Mr.
Tarrick Cox of
ECU)
 Observation of
preschool
children and
others
 Trip to toy
store
 Assessment –
reflection
essays on
observations
and play day,
toys “bought”
at store,
studentgenerated
handouts
 NCTC
curriculum
(sections 7 and
8)
2
 What are the categories of special
education?
 What other barriers to learning exist and
how can we address them as teachers?






and policies
 Handouts, art
supplies, etc.
Students will observe a
special education class
 Assessment –
teacher
Students will review a
handout covering the
observation,
categories of special
brainstorming
education.
activities,
reflection
Students will participate
essays
in the label game to see
how labels may affect
children
Students will brainstorm
and discuss other barriers
to learning, including
abuse, neglect, poor
living conditions, stress,
lack of sleep, and more
Students will brainstorm
and discuss ways to help
others with barriers to
learning
Students will write a
book on a barrier to
learning for elementary
students
Time Frame: First Semester Third Marking Period
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Unit Three: Section 1: Applying for
scholarships and educational universities
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
 What scholarships are available for future
educators?
 How can students apply?
 What qualifications do students need?
 What universities are best for future
educators?
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 Students will discuss
 NCTC
scholarship opportunities
curriculum
with the teacher and their
(unit 3, section
counselors
1)
 Students will apply for
 College
scholarships, hopefully
contacts
 Students will attend
 Teacher Cadet
3

Unit two: Sections 1-4: The school
 What has happened in education over the
years (study of history)?
 What current issues are worthy of
discussion?
 Who makes decisions for schools?
 What makes an ideal school?




Teacher Cadet day at
ECU
Students will discuss
university options and
research three
universities that may be
helpful as they pursue a
career in education
Students will learn about
the history of education,
specifically in North
Carolina
Students will have forum
discussions on current
issues in education
Students will learn who
makes decisions for
schools, including
county, state, and federal
officials
Students will discuss
what things would make
schools more effective
and develop their own
“ideal schools”
day at ECU
 Scholarship
applications
 Counselors
 Assessment –
college
portfolio
 NCTC
curriculum
(unit two,
sections 1-4)
 Current events,
taken from
weekly articles
students have
reflected on
since the
beginning of
the year
(ongoing)
 Assessment –
ideal schools
Time Frame: Second Semester First Marking Period
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Unit three, section 1: The teacher and
teaching
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS, AND
SKILLS
ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES, PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
 How do teachers differ in personality, style,  Students will participate
and effectiveness?
in forum discussions
about teaching styles and
 Why are different teaching styles effective?
techniques
 What makes an effective teacher?
 Students will participate
 Who are the teachers who have influenced
in a teaching style
us the most and why?
inventory
 What do we have to do to become teachers?
RECOMMENDED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 NCTC
curriculum
(unit three,
section one)
 Teaching
styles
inventory
4
 How are teachers portrayed in film and in
public?
 Students will create an
 Art supplies
“ideal teacher” poster
 Films that
 Students will participate
portray
in discussions of which
teachers in
teachers have positively
different ways
influenced them, and
 Assessments –
students may write
ideal teacher
thank-you’s to those
posters,
teachers
reflection
 Students will learn about
essays on
the certification process
teachers and
the ways they
 Students will watch films
are portrayed
and participate in
discussion forums about
how teachers are
portrayed
 Time Frame: Second Semester Third Marking Period
SCOS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Unit Three: section 2: Classroom culture,
discipline, and management
 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS, BENCHMARKS,
AND SKILLS
 ESSENTIAL TASKS,
STRATEGIES,
PROJECTS,
CONNECTIONS
 RECOMMEND
ED
RESOURCES
AND
ASSESSMENT
 What is classroom culture?
 How can teachers manage their classrooms
so that students are learning?
 What are some ways to improve discipline?
 What are some ways to manage the
classroom so that disruptions can be
avoided?
 What can we learn from observing master
 Students will learn about
classroom culture,
including what works
when trying to develop a
positive classroom
culture
 Students will discuss
ways to improve
 NCTC
curriculum
(unit three:
section 2)
 Harry Wong’s
The First Days
of School
 Observations
5
teachers in the classroom?
 Start Unit three: sections 3 and 4:
Methods of teaching
discipline with a focus
on the importance of
maintaining the dignity
of the students.
 Students will learn
proactive ways to
manage a classroom
 Students will participate
in frequent observations
(field experience) of
teachers at local
elementary or middle
schools
 How do we create and implement effective  Students will learn about
lesson plans?
the six step lesson plan
and Dr. Million’s model
 What methods of teaching are effective, and
for planning
why are some not as effective?
 Students will discuss
 How are methods such as group work,
different methods of
games, seminars, etc. useful in the
teaching (beyond
classroom?
lectures) and the value of
 How do teachers assess learning?
those methods
 What lessons can be used for special
 Students will create and
circumstances or classes?
“perform” their own
lesson plans for the class
 Students will discuss
assessment activities and
which ones work best
of teachers in
school and at
other schools
to determine
what makes a
positive
classroom
culture
 Brainstorming
activities about
how to
improve
discipline
 Assessment –
reflections on
observations
and portfolios
created during
field
experiences
 NCTC
curriculum
(unit three,
sections 3-4)
 Hand outs
about lesson
planning
 Assessment –
studentgenerated
lesson plans
6
 Students will include
appropriate assessment
activities in their lesson
plans
 Students will present a
mini-lesson in the
classrooms they are
observing
 Students will discuss the
sample lesson plans for
special circumstances or
classes as outlined in the
NCTC curriculum
7