Parent Teacher Magazine Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools September 2017 | Page 6

Teaching future teachers
Students at the Charlotte Teachers Early College began
classes Aug. 7
​ rincipal Will Leach
P
has a clear vision
of the mission of
Charlotte Teachers
Early College
(CTEC): inspire
students to be
educators just as he
was inspired.
“We want to
highlight the good
things that can
happen in the
teaching profession,”
said Leach. “Teaching is an honorable profession. We want to expose our
students to all the positive things about teaching.”
CTEC opened August 7 with 55 students.
“I’ve had a chance to meet all of them,” said Leach. “And they are all really
excited about teaching. This is something we want to encourage and foster.
We want to continue to mold that enthusiasm.”
CTEC is on the campus of UNC Charlotte. Leach, already the principal of the
UNC Charlotte Early Engineering College, will also lead CTEC program. Many
of the students’ classes will take place at the college’s education building.
“This will give them great experience getting comfortable with the college
environment,” said Leach.
The program was created to address shrinking enrollment in North Carolina
education programs. Enrollment across the UNC system has declined by
30 percent since 2010. According to Public Schools First N.C., the 15 UNC
system schools with teacher preparation programs in the UNC system and all
are reporting declines in enrollment in their degree and licensure programs.
”Between the lack of interest and the burn-out that many educators
experience in the first years on the job, it’s no wonder that we can’t sustain
all the highly qualified educators we need all over the state,” said Kristen
Frye, who will be teaching math at the CTEC. “This program provides a rare
opportunity for students to start gaining the tools and understandings of
what a good teacher looks like and how to emulate that practice.”
Frye is a CMS graduate and said she is very invested in the program.
“This year will be incredibly special to me, as students share so many similar
experiences to me. And I hope that these students help start revitalizing the
career that I love and employ a system that provided me with the passion to
teach.”
CTEC students will have the opportunity to graduate with a high school
diploma and 60 hours of college credit at no cost. The five-year program
begins in ninth grade and ends with grade 13.
“Our goal is for them to be able to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in
the time it takes others to earn a bachelor’s degree,” said Leach.
CMS has taken a unique approach to early college programs, making
applications open to all students.
“Many other districts have strict application requirements,” said Leach. “We
open it up to anyone so that we can have a diverse mix of students. Truly,
everyone has an opportunity.”
4 • September/October 2017 • Parent Teacher Magazine
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