Professional Year Orientation
Welcome to the Professional Year!
The professional year is a yearlong experiences culminating in 16 weeks of full time clinical practice internship (student teaching). Teacher Candidates (Student Teachers) will observe fall semester and begin student teaching on the host school schedule (the first teacher work day in January.)
How to Use this Orientation Site
The Teacher Candidate, Mentor Teacher and University Supervisor make up the clinical practice team for the professional year/clinical practice (student teaching). This website is created to be an informational resource to use throughout the professional year.
Fall Semester: EDUC 430 & 43X
Teacher Candidates will be enrolled in EDUC 430 (Lesson Planning and Classroom Management) and EDUC 43X (EDUC: 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, or 439) specific to the licensure area. Teacher Candidates may be taking other UNCA courses at this time.
During the fall 430 semester, Teacher Candidates will familiarize themselves with the school community and build relationships with their Mentor Teachers and Students.
Candidates will plan and teach a 3 day unit related to practice edTPA.
Spring Semester: Clinical Practice
Teacher Candidates will be enrolled in two courses related to clinical practice (student teaching) EDUC 455 (Student Teaching and Seminar) and EDUC 456 (The Teacher as a 21st Century Professional, K-12). They cannot be enrolled in other UNCA courses.
During the clinical practice semester, Teacher Candidates will follow the schedule of the Mentor Teacher for 16 full time weeks weeks. Candidates will pick up classroom and teaching responsibilities a subject or class period at a time until they have full lead teacher responsibility. Candidates will maintain lead teacher responsibility for 5 of those 16 weeks. At the end of the 5 weeks, Candidates will phase out by handing back responsibilities to the Mentor Teacher.