EDUC 440 - Setting Up School Experience and Practicum in Teaching Science Methods: Secondary

During the Setting-Up-School Experience, the teacher candidate experiences how to set up a classroom and begin the school year. This experience begins when teachers report to the district where the candidate will student-teach. Every effort is made to place teacher candidates in the classroom where they will student-teach so that the placement continues throughout the school year.

Once the regular semester begins at Maryville, the candidate attends two afternoons a week for a practicum experience that coincides with EDUC-441 Teaching Science Methods: Secondary.

During the Setting-Up-School experience, teacher candidates are expected to complete a minimum of 30 hours in the classroom where they will student teach, even if that placement differs from their fall science-methods placement. Under the direction of the cooperating teacher (CT), the candidate helps prepare for the new school year, assists in setting-up the classroom, attends professional development sessions and beginning of the year faculty meetings, plans collaboratively with the CT and his/her colleagues, etc. Candidates learn how the CT establishes rules, routines, and procedures and observes how the CT welcomes students and establishes expectations for the classroom.

This practicum also coincides with EDUC-441 Teaching Science Methods: Secondary. During the Maryville semester, the teacher candidate plans, teaches, analyzes, and reflects on lessons that apply instructional models, strategies, techniques, and assessments under the direction of the EDUC-441 professor. Other activities include assisting the CT with individual/small/whole group instruction, co-teaching, building rapport with students and other educators in the building, etc.

Must be taken concurrently with EDUC-441 Teaching Secondary Science.
Prerequisite: EDUC-200, EDUC-201
Corequisite: EDUC-441