Teacher candidates spend approximately five weeks in a professional development school participating in guided observations and other school-based experiences. These practicum experiences are timed so they coincide with critical incidents in a typical school year. A variety of teaching methods such as cooperative learning, reflective teaching, inductive reasoning, and active learning are examined. Discipline-specific methods for teaching and learning are evaluated for their effectiveness. Best practices and innovative techniques in individual subject areas are emphasized.
Teachers access and evaluate a wide range of curricular resources critical to their disciplines.
Course projects are structured for practical application in the internship experience. Unique characteristics, educational support, and learning accommodations associated with diverse student needs are examined. Related demographic, social, and economic trends are woven throughout the course. Teachers develop and utilize strategies to integrate special needs students both academically and socially. A working understanding of the role and impact of special education legislation, including IDEA 97 and Section 504, is developed.