Overview

The UM Teacher Education Program understands the importance of P-12 school-based clinical experiences in the preparation of teachers. These experiences allow for the integration of coursework and P-12 classroom practice under the direct supervision of experienced teachers and faculty. They also guide the professional development of future teachers and allow the teacher candidates to reflect and receive feedback on their skills and practice. The following clinical experience courses lead up to the 16- week, full-time student teaching experience.

Experiences include the following:

Early Childhood Education (P-3) and Elementary Education (K-8):

EDU 395 Level 1

In Level 1, teacher candidates participate in two clinical experiences. These involve observing and actively participating in the UM LAB School and a K-3 classroom within one of our partnered elementary schools. Candidates will accumulate 60 hours of clinical experience directly informing assignments associated with their courses.

EDU 395 Level 2

Teacher candidates in Level 2 will begin the term engaging in four seminars, learning from our school and community partners about supporting linguistically diverse students. From there, they will acquire 40 hours of clinical experience in a classroom with at least one multilingual learner. Early Childhood majors will also complete 55 hours in the UM LAB school. 

EDU 451/EDEC 495 Level 3

Level 3 provides immersive clinical experiences for teacher candidates in their last step before student teaching. Elementary Education teacher candidates will begin the semester with 10 weeks of methods courses followed by 5 weeks of full-day clinical experiences in a classroom. Early Childhood teacher candidates will complete three to four sessions each week in the UM LAB school, for a total of 135 hours. 

Secondary and K-12 Education

EDU 202

In this introductory clinical experience, secondary and K-12 teacher candidates will complete 30 hours of observation in a classroom aligned to their content area. Teacher candidates double-majoring or completing a teaching minor may split their placement in two settings.

EDU 395

Teacher candidates will enroll in this clinical experience concurrently with their methods course. They will engage in 45 hours in a classroom, wherein 8-10 hours are spent directly teaching. The grade level will vary from the previous placement to ensure candidates have a well-rounded experience before student teaching.