Clinical Experiences

Barrett (2006) asserts “Professional judgment is honed through experience; trust in a teacher’s professional judgment builds over time in supportive school communities and as a consequence of the teacher’s thoughtful, reflective practices” (p. 8). Clinical experiences, including full-time internships or student teaching, are often described as the key teacher education components that impact long-term retention in the profession (Darling-Hammond & Sykes, 2004). Additionally, teachers who graduate from programs that include interwoven clinical experiences receive stronger evaluations from supervisors, employers, and researchers and feel more prepared to enter the classroom than other new teachers (Darling-Hammond, 2010). The clinical experience component of teacher education at the University of Mary Washington presents teacher candidates with opportunities to hone their craft through clinically based teaching and learning. The clinical experience also provides a place in which teacher candidates may demonstrate application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that affect student learning, as well as their ability to work with colleagues in education, students’ families and school communities.

These clinical experiences range from guided observations in multiple educational settings to tutoring students and co-teaching mini-lessons in classrooms to facilitating small group learning activities and teaching complete lessons in large classrooms. Practica serve to ground material from the professional studies courses to the lived experiences of the actual world of teaching—by observing, by participating, by designing and executing, with mentor teachers’ guidance and approval, lessons prior to student teaching internships.  Experiences and observations in practica are the foundation of discussion in classes and so are integral parts of course work.  We believe it is important for teacher candidates to see clearly and analytically what works in the classroom.

Over the course of the teacher preparation program, teacher candidates will experience diverse school settings in order to gain firsthand knowledge of the highly contextualized nature of schooling.  Teacher candidates will complete practicum requirements and serve as interns in rural, suburban, and urban settings in various grade levels and courses.  In addition, teacher candidates will be placed in schools with student populations representing the racial/ ethnic , socio-economic, and linguistic diversity in our region. The UMW College of Education is committed to preparing teachers to be successful in multiple school contexts and to supporting all students in our public schools.

For more information concerning Clinical Experiences please contact:

Adria Hoffman
Director of Clinical Experiences & Partnerships
ahoffma2@umw.edu
(540) 286-8114
Stafford Campus North Bldg