NFA “Teens and Tots” Teaches Students Real World Child Development and Care Skills
Program Offered Through NECSD’s Career and Technical Education Department
In the doorway of classroom situated on the Newburgh Free Academy North Campus, the sound of little voices can be heard laughing and playing as tots eagerly await the arrival of high school students in Rosella Calauti’s Teens and Tots classroom. The Teens and Tots Early Childhood Program is a component of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District Career and Technical Education Department’s Early Childhood Development and Care program.
Director of Career and Technical Education John Etri explains that the Career and Technical Education programs at NFA are designed to provide students with real world skills in a variety of different fields. “The Career and Technical Education programs are designed to give students a head start in the field that interests them before they head off to further their education or enter the workforce. The programs give students the opportunity to be career-ready upon graduation from high school,” explained Etri.
As part of the Early Childhood Development and Care program, courses of study help high school students understand how children grow and develop throughout their life cycle, from prenatal development to adolescence, while considering fields of study and career opportunities in human development. In addition, the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth of children at various stages is studied.
For high school students in the Teens and Tots program, the professional skills that they learn are essential building blocks for careers in education down the road. Newburgh Free Academy Senior Michelle M., who aspires to be a pediatric nurse, explains that the program has taught her how to interact with children on a more personal level. “The Teens and Tots program has given me the opportunity to see how children react to certain situations throughout the day and in different environments which will be useful in the future as I pursue my career,” she explains.
In addition to creating lesson plans and in-class projects, high school students are required to maintain a journal throughout the course of the semester detailing day-to-day activities and instruction. In addition to observing the tots in a group setting, high school students are paired with a younger student and observe their development in the educational setting throughout the school year.
“I hope to become a kindergarten teacher and Teens and Tots offers me first hand experience with children in a classroom setting which is helpful,” explained Irmarie A., a senior at NFA. Irmarie A. explained the projects for high school students, including individually creating and implementing lessons in the classroom as well as using SMART Board technology, offer them an advantage over other students after they leave the halls of NFA.
Junior Heidi C. enrolled in the program over other program offerings at NFA not only because of her love of children, but because of her interest in seeking a career in teaching Pre-K students. “One of the main concepts that I have taken away from this program is that you have to have patience and learn how to teach children on their own individual levels,” Heidi C. explained.
Calauti explains that the program has been engaging high school students and young children since 1986 in a positive educational experience that fosters their social, emotional and physical development. Students discover their independence and learn about children, while developing skills that prepare them for their future careers and roles in society.
For more information regarding how to register a child for the program please contact Rosella Calauti’s by email at rcalauti@necsd.net or 563-8400 extension 32700.
Click Image to Enlarge
Click Image to Enlarge
Click Image to Enlarge
Click Image to Enlarge
Click Image to Enlarge
Click Image to Enlarge