Pre-student-teaching practicum experiences are essential components of professional teacher training. Research and best practices indicate that the process of developing a teacher who will ultimately be successful in the classroom takes many hours over an extended period of time.
In addition to multiple classroom-based school experiences, formal practicum experiences in the Indiana Wesleyan University School of Teacher Education begin during May term following the freshman year with a two- to three-week period of observing and participating in a public- or private-school classroom related to the student's degree field. This experience is followed by additional practicum experiences during the sophomore and junior years that enable students to begin practice teaching in conjunction with the methods of teaching classes that are part of their degree programs.
IWU students develop lessons, teach them in their school placements, and are observed and mentored by the classroom teacher and School of Teacher Education faculty, thus beginning the process of developing the skills necessary for successful student teaching.