Piscataway High School and Children’s Corner Preschool teamed up in October to get a group of enthusiastic students experience they need to become our next generation of teachers.

These PHS students are enrolled in Tomorrow’s Teachers, an exciting new dual-enrollment course where students who aspire to become educators get credit at Kean University. On Oct. 14 and 23, 14 students visited Children’s Corner to observe and support teachers as part of the course’s required field work. This collaboration gives the high school students authentic insight into the teaching profession while allowing the district’s youngest learners to benefit from enthusiastic role models who are passionate about education.

“I learned so much about child development thanks to your class,” PHS senior Marissa Mikita said of her time with Jamie Favale’s preschool class at Children’s Corner. “I especially loved the Reading Buddies time on the carpet. I thought it was so creative to have the students describe what they see [in the book] since they cannot read yet!”

The PHS students are currently learning about key foundational educational philosophies and the various stages of child development. Inviting students to attend class at the preschool provides an opportunity to see these concepts at play in real-world settings.

The PHS students who took part in this collaboration are, standing from left to right, Marissa Mikita, Nicole Ledezma, Alanna Cox, Gabrielle Petit-Homme, Kori Decoteau, Ana Brito, Mayura Balakumar, and Emily Sullivan. Kneeling from left to right are Meriem Ragoub, Sai'Onie Alvaranga, Nataly Supe Andrade, Sophia Verzi, Maya Cox, and Luciana Lubrano.

The course is led by PHS English teacher Jillian Alonso.