Armidale Secondary College student Jaylee Auld has wanted to be a teacher since she was in primary school.
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"When I was younger, I always wanted to teach little kids; kindergarten classes and the like," the Year 11 student said.
"However, as I've got older and more mature, I've realised that I would much prefer to teach high school students."
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"On top of this, I plan on obtaining a degree in psychology and becoming a school counsellor."
Jaylee is one of 40 student members of the Armidale Secondary College (ASC) Future Teachers Club, which also supports an external group that has six students from Guyra Central School and three from Uralla Central School.
ASC Professional Experience Hub Coordinator Tanya Williams started the program this year to provide New England high school students with opportunities to build skills in the areas of teaching, organisation and communication, while also mentoring younger students.
"These 'kids' are only limited by the constraints we place on them," Mrs Williams said.
"The passion some of these students are showing for the club is inspirational and a constant reminder that when offered relevant opportunities, our students rise to the challenge."
In late May the Armidale club hosted student colleagues from Macquarie Fields High School, in Western Sydney, where the Future Teachers program has been running for more than a decade.
The clubs visited the University of New England and worked on lessons which were then delivered to 450 students from local primary schools at Armidale Secondary College STEM Day.
Macquarie Fields Program Coordinator Sheridan Georgiou said the club currently has around 50 participants.
"Future Teachers Club students from both schools were provided the opportunity to collaborate and develop lesson plans, designed to strengthen the understanding of STEM," Mrs Georgiou said.
"The Future Teachers also benefited from the support that the University of New England's academic staff provided during the planning process."
Their teaching efforts were supervised and evaluated by local school teachers.
"Through the club we are providing support structures to help students continually grow and to reflect on their impact in the classroom and beyond," Mrs Williams said.
"What our students lack in age, they make up for with boundless enthusiasm and remind me every day why I teach."
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