Professional & Pedagogical Preparation
Each semester the focus of the professional coursework changes and adds to your evolving base of knowledge and understanding. Your learning will involve understanding the role of literacy in each classroom and teachers' responsibilities for it in all disciplines. You will also think about how key historical, political, and sociological issues have influenced, and continue to influence, the shape and direction of public education in America today.
The undergraduate secondary teacher education program includes two semesters of practicum and one semester of student teaching and these are an integral part of your program. There is a different focus for practicum each semester based on the course of study and emerging themes for that term.
Fieldwork
As a student in a professional program, "clinical" or "field" experience--real-life experience in the real settings and circumstances of your chosen profession--is an essential part of your preparation. In the first two terms, you will, typically as part of a pair, spend 6-8 hours per week in classrooms - observing the classroom in action, collecting data on student learning and teaching practice in conjunction with your coursework, and contributing to instruction by tutoring, co-teaching, and planning with cooperating teachers and your university partners.
Of course the culminating field experience is the student teaching term, when you will follow the calendar and schedule of your placement classroom for a period of 14-15 weeks. During this experience, you will spend five days per week, for the full school day, immersed in the classroom environment. You will slowly and deliberately take on all aspects of instructional responsibility, building toward "lead teaching" when you will be responsible for most or all aspects of the school experience for your 7-12 students.
School Partnerships
The program is working to establish and promote partnerships with schools that have made a commitment to collaborate in the education of future teachers. These schools serve youth who encompass a wide range of socioeconomic and academic backgrounds, and reflect the racial and cultural diversity of our society and of public schools today. Such partnerships support strong and coherent educational experiences, and ordinarily, students will be placed in one of several districts that offer such support. Placements in Detroit are also available for those interested in learning more about urban education.
Cohorts
One way reflection and engagement is emphasized throughout the program is with the use of cohorts. As a member of the same cohort of 20-25 students each semester you are in the program, you will have the opportunity to make sense of and interpret your experiences with others sharing in those experiences. At the same time, you will be developing a network of colleagues who illuminate the multiple perspectives different individuals bring to the field of education. University faculty and staff interact with you and your cohort on an ongoing basis to encourage and support this development.
Transportation
Because of the essential role fieldwork plays, students are responsible for getting to their assigned school sites. Some students arrange car pools during practicum, and public transportation is a possibility for a few placement sites. During student teaching, however, a significant majority of our students find that having individual transportation is essential.
Following are the courses and experiences that define each semester of your program:
Secondary Teacher Education Program
Course Outline Semester by Semester
Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
Semester 3 |
Practicum I (EDUC 307) - 2 credits (or alternative field experience in home school*) Education in a Multicultural Society (EDUC 392) - 3 credits Reading and Writing in Content Areas (EDUC 402) - 3 credits |
Practicum II (EDUC 307) - 2 credits Subject Matter Methods (EDUC xxx) - 3 credits Educational Psychology and Human Development (EDUC 391) - 3 credits |
Student Teaching (EDUC 302) -10 credits** Student Teaching Seminar (EDUC 304) - 4 credits** |
Semester Total: 8 credits |
Semester Total: 8 credits |
Semester Total: 14 credits Program Total: 30 credits |
* Applicable to Physical Education, Music, and School Media students
** Number of credits for student teaching and accompanying seminar depend on program. Physical Education students register for 12 credits and 2 credits respectively. Music students register according to the rules of the School of Music and School Media students according to the rules of the School of Information.It is possible to begin the program in either Fall or Winter Term. However, the term you begin is determined by your teaching major, as outlined below:
- English and Social Studies majors begin in either Fall Term or Winter Term (cohort of entry determined at point of admission).
- Math, Science, and World Language majors begin in Winter Term only.
- Physical Education majors begin in Fall Term only.
- Music and School Media majors confer with both home unit and School of Education academic advisors regarding cohort of entry.
Regardless of a student's start term in the program, he or she will follow the course sequence outlined above.
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