Professional Preparation (22 Credit)
School placements (or practicum) take place across each of the programme to enable teacher candidates to develop teaching competencies in a variety of contexts. Each of the field experiences is highly structured, closely supervised, and intended to provide multiple opportunities for teacher candisates to plan, instruct, reflect, and respond to students in general education classroom settings.
- School Experience 1
This attachment is 3 weeks long. The purpose of this attachment is to provide teacher candidates with opportunities to observe the contexts in which teaching and learning occurs in schools. They will make use of knowledge in relevant Education Studies modules to enhance their understanding, and link theory-practice.
- School Experience 2
This Attachment is 3 weeks long. The purpose of this attachment is to provide teacher candidates opportunites to observe experienced teacher teach and develop an understanding of roles and responsibilities of teachers in schools. They will integrate the knowledge from across Education and Dicipline Studies to help develop their personal practical understanding and instructional practices.
- Teaching Practice I
This attachment is 6 weeks long. The purpose of this attachment is to help teacher candidates to begin to teach independently. They will learn to plan their own lesson to teach, prepare relevant resources and to manage students independently while still being able to consult with their supervisors and cooperating teacher-mentors.
- Teaching Practice II
This final capstone attachment is 6 weeks long. Besides focusing on independent teaching, TP2 allows for more holistic school attachment experience which includes exploring other aspects of a teacher’s professional work in the school.
For all 4 school attachments, teacher candidates will be closesly supervised. They will usethe knowledge and skills obtained from their Education Studies, Dicipline and Curriculum Studies as in integration of theoretical concepts with practical implementation of classroom management, teaching and learning process and curricula planning. Teacher candidates will have experiences in the selection, preparation, implementation and evaluation of appropriate learning sequence from selected learning areas. Some evaluation of effectiveness of the beginning teacher role – attitude, and relationships with personnel in the school community may also be determined.
