How to Choose a Teaching Program

What is hands-on, pre-service experience? 

Pre-service experience refers to any teaching practice you get before you lead your own classroom. This experience can come in a variety of forms.

Pre-service experience in traditional licensure programs

In traditional undergraduate or master's programs, your pre-service program typically includes one or two semesters of working in an experienced teacher’s classroom. This is usually called "student teaching" and often occurs during your final year. 

Pre-service experience in alternative licensure programs

In an alternative licensure program, you’ll teach your own class (supported by a mentor teacher), and take classes in the evenings. Some alternative licensure programs also offer several weeks of pre-service practice with an experienced teacher during summer school. Make sure you understand the hands-on experience components before you enroll in your program! 

Why is hands-on experience important? 

Teachers are more likely to feel prepared for their first year in the classroom if they get plenty of classroom experience as a part of their prep program. Opportunities to observe other teachers and to practice teaching can make all the difference for early-career educators. 

As a rule, more pre-service experience is better, but quality definitely matters. 

Make sure to ask any prospective programs about what their pre-service experience entails, including:

• How long it lasts.
• How the program selects mentor teachers.
• How you will receive feedback on your practice.

What does “teaching diverse populations” mean? 

Your teaching program should prepare you to teach students with diverse learning styles, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and social and emotional needs.

Preparation to teach diverse populations can include: 

• Coursework that specifically addresses the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse student populations.
• Training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or trauma.
• Coaching and feedback on culturally relevant pedagogy. 
• Learning how unconscious biases can lead to disproportionately disciplining some students, especially students of color.
• How to check for biases when teaching.

Why is preparation to teach diverse populations important? 

Colorado schools serve culturally and linguistically diverse students. With a growing immigrant population and a high percentage of rural students, diversity is a key strength and core value of many Colorado communities.

Ask teaching programs about how they prepare teachers to work with diverse students, including:

• What, if any, required courses focus on diverse populations.
• What hands-on practice you’ll get working with diverse students.
• What skills you’ll build to work with diverse students.

What does “mentoring and coaching” mean? 

Your teaching program should provide an experienced and highly effective mentor, teacher and coach to give meaningful feedback during your training process. 

Mentorship in the classroom

Most programs will put you in a classroom under the supervision of a mentor, master or host teacher (different names for essentially the same thing) during your pre-service experience.

You will generally start off observing and then start teaching more and more. Mentor teachers give you constructive feedback to help you grow in ability and confidence.

Program coaches

Programs also send coaches to visit and observe you in your classroom at regular intervals. Coaches can give you additional feedback and help you think through challenges you're experiencing. 

Sometimes, coaches will visit you even after your pre-service experience is over, when you are the primary teacher in a classroom. 

Why is mentoring and coaching important?

When you’re starting out as a teacher, you want to learn from someone whose work you want to emulate. Many teachers will tell you that having a mentor teacher, especially a mentor in a similar subject area and grade level, is critical for success.

Your mentor teacher will have a big impact on the kind of teacher you’ll become, your attitude toward teaching and your professional growth mindset. 

Ask prospective programs about their mentoring and coaching support, including:

• How they select mentor teachers and coaches.
• How they match you with a mentor teacher or coach.
• What they expect from mentor teachers and coaches.
• How they ensure that mentor teachers and coaches model effective practices and give helpful feedback. 
• Whether they provide any continued support during your first few years as a teacher.

What does “commitment to improvement” mean?

Your teaching program should show commitment to continuous improvement of its teacher preparation practices. This might be the hardest criteria to spot as you shop for programs. 

Programs with a strong commitment to improvement might: 

• Ask for regular feedback from students, recent alumni, partner schools and districts. 
• Research data on child development and learning styles. 
• Actively work to recruit and retain diverse teacher candidates, mentors, professors and instructors. 
• Partner with diverse schools, districts and professional enrichment programs.
• Set clear goals and standards for student achievement and skill-building. 
• Make changes in response to current events in education, policy and cultural shifts. 

Why is commitment to improvement important? 

Our world is changing rapidly, and so are the skills you’ll need to teach students. To be prepared for the classrooms of today and tomorrow, you’ll want your program to be up-to-date on research about childhood development, serving diverse populations and how humans learn and grow. This benefits you and your future students!

You can ask prospective programs about their improvement practices, including: 

• How they collect, share and use research and data with teaching faculty and students.
• How they gather feedback from students and alumni.
• How they assess partnerships with schools and districts.
• How they respond to school and district needs. 
• How they stay up-to-date on effective, relevant educational practices. 
• What their goals are for their teaching programs’ growth.