Pre-Student Teaching Field Experiences
Departmental Administration
Field Experience Coordinator
313 Porter
734.487.7120 ext 2502 or 734.487.3260
Barbara Gorenflo
206 Porter
734.487.1416
The Pre-Student Teaching field experiences require prospective teachers to work with children or youth in classroom settings. They are designed to help prospective teachers evaluate their own abilities as teachers and to affirm their decision about choosing teaching as a career. They also enable prospective teachers to understand how the professional education courses in human development and learning, social aspects of teaching, and curriculum and methods relate to the classroom.
A minimum of 100 clock hours of approved pre-student teaching field experiences is required of all candidates for a recommendation for a teaching certificate. See the program descriptions for the exact requirement in each program. At least 50 percent of the experience must be in a classroom situation with the age group and (in the case of secondary/K-12) in the subject matter area the student plans to teach. Students in elementary and secondary programs complete 60 pre-student teaching hours in FETE (Field Experiences in Teacher Education) courses. Students should make sure that their pre-student teaching field experiences include opportunities to work with students from different socio-economic levels and cultures.
By the end of the pre-student teaching field experience, the student should be able to:
- Discuss the ways in which schools and communities interact to impact student learning.
- Describe and reflect upon teaching/learning activities in a variety of settings.
- Plan, carry out, and assess a series of learning activities for an individual student or group of students.
- Describe and reflect upon a variety of classroom environments and how they affect student learning.
- Make a valid decision concerning teaching as a career.
Most students will complete approximately 60 of their 100 pre-student teaching hours through required Field Experiences in Teacher Education (FETE) courses. Students who complete all three FETE courses are not required to complete an additional pre-student teaching coursepack. Majors in special education should consult their advisors or the pre-student teaching director concerning overlapping pre-clinical requirements.
