Extensive Practica Process

Education 2500

The best way to find out if teaching is the career for you is by experiencing what it’s like to be in a classroom. Comprised of campus seminars and a practicum component within the schools, Education 2500 is designed to open your eyes to the realities of this challenging – but rewarding – profession by assigning you to an elementary school classroom for 60 hours (20 mornings). In Spring and Fall semesters, Education 2500 is offered either on Mondays and Wednesdays, or Tuesdays and Thursdays with practicums taking place in the schools on those respective mornings. During this time, you’ll have the chance to function in a role similar to a teacher assistant.

Professional Semester I (PS I)

After you’ve been admitted to the Faculty of Education and successfully completed the six required on-campus courses, you’ll begin your first official practicum. During the PS I practicum, you’ll be assigned to an elementary classroom (Kindergarten to Grade 6) full-time for approximately 125 hours (5 weeks). In PS I, you will collaborate with your teacher associate to assist, teach, and observe/plan activities in the classroom.

Professional Semester II (PS II)

Once you successfully complete PS I, you will proceed to PS II, which begins with four on-campus courses. This PS II on-campus experience will include a specific Methods for Majors course in which you develop units of instruction for your chosen teachable major. After successfully completing these four courses you will begin your PS II practicum experience. In this practicum, you'll be assigned to a classroom full-time for approximately 150 hours (6 weeks). You will likely teach at a grade level that differs by three grades from your PS I experience. In this collaborative teaching experience, your teaching time and responsibilities will increase to approximately two-thirds of the teaching day.

Professional Semester III (PS III)

Your experience in the classroom culminates in a 15-week teaching internship that not only prepares you as a teacher, it helps you to begin nurturing the kind of professional relationships that will benefit you, your career and the students you will teach.

PS III is an integrated experience that includes both teaching and professional inquiry and builds on the academic and practicum experiences from ED 2500, PS I and PS II. Under the supervision of the School Administrator, you will assume approximately one-half of the teaching load/assignment of your Teacher Mentor. You will be expected to engage in all professional school and district activities.