Beginning with the incoming Freshman and transfer students who entered Hope in the Fall 2008, the professional semester will consist of 16 credit hours which includes ED 500-Perspectives in Education, ED 455-Student Teaching Seminar, and Student Teaching.

NOTE: Senior Seminar will need to be taken prior to or following the student teaching semester. However, if all graduation and certification requirements have been met, with the exception of Senior Seminar, this will delay teacher certification.

Students who plan to graduate in 2010 and 2011 will follow our current policy below:

During the student teaching semester, most students complete sixteen (16) semester hours of credit. Coursework generally consists of:

ED 500 - Perspectives in Education (3 hrs.)

IDS ___ - Senior Seminar to complete core requirements (3 hrs.)

ED ___ - Student Teaching (9 hrs.)

ED 455 - Student Teaching Seminar (1 hr.)

Senior Seminar and ED 500 – Senior Seminar and Perspectives in Education are offered in a special five-week format. Completion of these courses is followed by an eleven-week student teaching experience.

ED 455 – Student Teaching Seminar - Part of the student teaching experience includes a weekly two-hour seminar. The evening Student Teaching Seminar takes place during the student teaching semester and attendance is required. (Special Education majors take the seminar during both student teaching experiences.)

ED 500 - Perspectives in Education - The student teaching experience and the Student Teaching Seminar are presented as a coordinated and interdependent series of courses. Students are evaluated in all four courses in the professional education sequence. Students are expected to concentrate fully on the expectations of this semester and are therefore strongly discouraged from assuming extra-curricular responsibilities such as employment, sports, coaching, theater or musical productions.

Students majoring in special education fields of study complete an additional (second) semester of student teaching. During the Fall semester students take a block of special education coursework prior to moving into the student teaching placement. During the Spring semester, students enroll in the coursework noted above.

The student teaching semester provides an opportunity for the student teacher to plan, implement and evaluate professional decisions in the school setting. It represents the culminating experience of the Teacher Education Program and seeks to link the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values developed in the professional education sequence to the realities of the field.

Student Teaching – All student teachers work with at least one cooperating teacher; some may work with up to three. Every student teacher is also observed by a College Supervisor. The College Supervisor visits the student teacher 4-6 times during the 12-week placement and is responsible for assigning the final grade. Major departments are also encouraged to observe secondary student teachers during the student teaching experience. Beginning with the incoming Fall 2008 freshman class, the student teaching experience will be extended to a full-semester placement.