Teacher candidates have at least two field experiences before obtaining certification; pre-student teaching, which is an experience for four half days for a full semester in a school, plus another full semester of student teaching. One of these experiences is in an urban setting, often Detroit, and the other is in a suburban setting; one may be in a middle school and the other in a high school. The students may do their pre-student teaching and their student teaching in either their major or their minor field.
The teachers who supervise our students in both pre-student teaching as well as student teaching are not only certified in their field and tenured. The supervising teachers are recommended and our students are placed by the school district where their field experience takes place.
In addition to the instructional methods our students learn in their two field experiences the two methods courses, SSE 6710 & SSE 6730, provide a variety of instructional methods, which include:
Cooperative or group learning
Teaming (students are shown the relationship between using groups in the college classes and working in teaching teams in schools)
Total class instruction (there are times every session for class discussions)
Individual instruction; instructors are available for individuals to discuss their concerns before or after class
Individual learning; students are expected to search for their own resources either online or in the library* as well as other individual assignments
Active learning is emphasized (working together and alone to solve problems an integral part of many classes)
Technology; students are encouraged to use the WWW to find teaching resources as well as e-mail to communicate with their instructor outside of class
Constructivist learning; with the instructor acting as a coach, students are allowed to develop their own answers to problems.
* Students must review articles on how to teach social studies in such professional journals as Social Education. Through class instruction and readings students are introduced to numerous teaching strategies and are given opportunities to use them in their methods classes and in their field experiences.
There is also a belief that not all learning happens in the classroom. In their methods class not only do students plan for a field trip for their future students to experience, they also take a trip to a local historical site or institution.
In their methods classes, students also learn about authentic assessments in addition to traditional pencil and paper tests. Instructors model and students use various assessment methods including student observation, group performance and projects. In addition, one College student portfolio requirement (the case study) is to include multiple methods of assessment with one student over time and to adapt the curriculum for that student.
Course Descriptions-
College of Education undergraduate course descriptions
College of Education graduate course descriptions (MAT)
Liberal Arts Course descriptions are included on the Standards Matrix
TED 6020 (the
College technology
course)
History
Course Syllabi & Syllabi from Form XXX which are in the Standards
Matrix
Crosby Washburn (SSE 6710)
Jerry Sullivan (SSE 6730)
Bob Pettapiece (Program
Coordinator & TED 6020)
History
Faculty Matrix (.doc file)
Technology-
As described in earlier sections, students at Wayne State in the College of education use technology in many ways. Briefly, some of the ways students use technology are to:
Get campus information, class schedules, signing up for classes and to receive their grades on the Web
Make appointments with their instructors or to ask questions outside of class using e-mail
Search for educational resources such as articles to read or lesson plans to evaluate or use in their field experiences by using search engines and other Web tools
Complete a class, Computer Use in the Classroom (TED 6020) which includes web page design for use in their future classrooms or school home pages
Word process most assignments
Develop and are included in unit plans
Other than the two field experiences required of all history teacher candidates, there is no other field experience necessary for certification.