“Why does a person need to ‘practice’ teaching to be a teacher?” “I already know how to teach. Can the hours I’ve taught work?” “I’m already a teacher, can I just get it signed off on?” These are all questions that our placement office fields often.
Generally, hands-on teaching experience is essential for developing the practical skills and understanding needed to be an effective educator.
When we get these questions, I ask myself, would they want to go to a doctor who just did the coursework but never practiced under the tutelage of a seasoned doctor? Or would they want to take their car to a mechanic who never turned a wrench but has a degree in auto mechanics? Why would teaching be any different?
Observation is the crucial first step in clinical experience, allowing teacher candidates to connect theory to practice under the guidance of experienced educators. To truly benefit from clinical experience, it is important to commit fully to the process, dedicating time and effort to hands-on learning. Candidates must complete all aspects of the clinical experience program, including tracking the number of required hours and experiences, to ensure they meet program requirements. Through these experiences, teacher candidates become prepared for the realities of the classroom, gaining confidence and practical skills. It is essential to continue developing teaching skills through ongoing clinical experiences, as each new placement offers the addition of valuable insights and techniques. Volunteering in educational settings is also a valuable way to gain early teaching experience and exposure to classroom dynamics. During clinical placements, candidates become a member of a teaching team, learning to collaborate with staff and understand different roles within the school. Working through specific case scenarios encountered in the classroom helps candidates address real-world problems and issues, such as classroom management challenges and resource limitations.
A person can know all of the theories needed to be a teacher, but without the experience of teaching, those theories are useless. At the same time, unless you have someone who can immediately give feedback on the theories being put into practice, the theories being taught don’t make sense. Clinical experience can also help you determine if teaching is truly what you want to do. Many outside the education world say that teachers have it easy because they only work 9 months a year. If they only knew. Once you get into the classroom, you learn that it is not as easy as you thought it would be, or that you don’t enjoy teaching like you thought you would, or, as many have, you confirm your calling.
In our programs, students begin their clinical experience in their first year, ensuring early exposure to real-world teaching environments. We are putting students in a clinical experience within the first couple of courses, integrating hands-on learning alongside their academic classes. Clinical experience is gained in a variety of schools and educational settings, providing valuable insights into diverse teaching contexts. The institution plays a key role in organizing and overseeing clinical placements, ensuring compliance and quality. As a college-based program, students benefit from a comprehensive teacher preparation experience that combines rigorous coursework with practical application.
They are working with highly qualified teachers who have been in the classroom and have been recommended by their administrator. These teachers help our students take the theories that they are learning through their coursework and put them into practice. They help them with the development of lesson plans and the reasons behind why they might do a lesson a certain way for the students. They learn a theory in their course and then execute it within the classroom under the guidance of the cooperating teacher they have been assigned to.
Indiana Wesleyan University offers a leading teacher preparation program recognized by accrediting bodies, ensuring students receive high-quality training. Successful completion of the program leads to or prepares students for teacher certification, provided all institutional and state requirements are met. The Office of Clinical Experiences for IWU's School of Integrated Learning and Development has criteria that we must meet for each clinical placement. These criteria change depending on the program and the course being taught. The criteria that is consistent throughout our programs, however, are the following:
Students who are in IWU's Special Education Program and Early Childhood Education Program also have different age/grade bands that they must meet, as they are licensed for such a wide range of students. Our placements and courses are designed so that a student has an opportunity to teach in each age/grade band that their license will cover.
We also believe you should always know what you are evaluated on throughout the program. We have evaluation rubrics that have been approved by our accrediting bodies – National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Our evaluation rubrics, completed by the cooperating teachers in the first clinical experience, are the same rubrics completed by the cooperating teachers during student teaching. The students know what is expected of them throughout the entire program and can continuously strive to meet the standards set forth for them.
While our clinical experiences might seem to some to be another check on the list of things to do, it is so much more than that. It is a time to ask questions of a teacher who is currently in the field. It is a time to consider trying a new approach for a lesson. It is a time to learn new ways to teach concepts, but also experience the conventional methods. It is a time to learn about different resources that can be used in your future classroom. It is a time to gather field knowledge from the people mentoring you. It is a time to build relationships with seasoned teachers that you can continue to talk to when you have your own classroom. It is important to continue building relationships and learning from mentors even after your clinical experience ends, as ongoing professional development is key to growth. Keeping in touch with mentors and maintaining a support system after completing clinical placements can provide valuable guidance and encouragement throughout your teaching career. Often, teachers can feel like they are on their own and no one understands, but having clinical experiences can help you build that support system outside of your school.
Transform your passion for education into a meaningful career. Indiana Wesleyan University’s teacher education programs combine expert mentorship, classroom experience, and accredited preparation to help you become an effective educator from day one.
