Field Experience
We emphasize active and hands-on learning in the School of Education.
Therefore, field experiences in a variety of educational settings are an essential feature of teacher education at Elmhurst University. Through field experiences, you, as an Elmhurst pre-service teacher candidate, apply your growing knowledge and skills, which will help you to begin to develop expertise in the field.
An education degree at Elmhurst is not just about mastering theories. It’s also about practical, collaborative, hands-on experiences with real students in real schools. Work in field-based education settings is integral to every education course, giving our graduates a critical head start in the field.
All field-based assignments at Elmhurst University are directed by the course professor. Assignments in 100/200-level courses typically involve observation, interviewing, and working with individual or small groups of students. Assignments at the 300/400-level will also involve planning, instructional delivery, and assessment at the whole class level. Field-based assignments are important programmatic assessments because the feedback teacher candidates receive about their field participation helps to evaluate their readiness for student teaching.
Student Teaching
The education curriculum at Elmhurst culminates during a term devoted to teaching, full time, at an area school. The student teaching requirements vary by program but each of you will continue to receive support from your professors through seminars and on-site visits in which you can discuss your progress in the PK-12 classroom. Teacher candidates must submit passing scores on a content test before admission to student teaching and pass the edTPA prior to licensure.