Students enrolled in the teacher education program through the Department of Educational Studies participate in a semester-long student teaching experience in classrooms across the state. UT Martin education faculty work with partnering school systems to plan the experience of each student teacher, with significant input from principals and on-site teachers. The professional semester includes 15 weeks of full-day teaching and observation activities in at least two classrooms in different grade levels.
University supervisors and staff hold regular seminars to focus on application and analysis of teaching knowledge in the classroom. Cooperating teachers assume mentoring roles and orchestrate, in cooperation with university supervisors, the activities of student teachers in the classroom. Students must have completed at least 80% of all other academic coursework and maintain at least a 2.75 GPA participate. No other courses can be taken during the professional semester.
Admission into the education preparation program is separate from enrollment at UT Martin. Students may take prerequisite courses during the freshman year to prepare for application to the program, but may only continue into specialized courses if granted program admission. Student teachers must also pass all Praxis exams deemed necessary for licensure by the state of Tennessee.
Contact the Department of Educational Studies at 731-881-7215 for more information.