Clinical Practice is the culminating experience of the Teacher Education Program at UNC Asheville. Full-time Clinical Practice is a period of 16 full-time weeks during which the licensure candidate is in the school all day following the schedule of the supervising teacher. Candidates are fully involved in the work of the school as they assess student learning, develop curriculum, plan, teach, practice management, assume extra-curricular activities, and observe in a variety of classrooms. Candidates make regularly available to the supervising teacher the online Clinical Practice Handbook. Candidates also meet requirements on campus as outlined below. 

EDUC 455 – Clinical Practice and Seminar: As part of the Clinical Practice requirement, Clinical Interns participate in seminars with their supervisor and sometimes other teacher candidates. They participate in whole-group seminars as scheduled by the Department of Education.

EDUC 456 – The Teacher as a 21st Century Professional: This 15-week on-campus course is based on the premise that to continue to grow as teacher-leaders, teachers must:

  • know their own strengths and weaknesses, and develop habits as lifelong professional learners
  • know their students and the communities served by their schools
  • know their colleagues and other members of the profession
  • utilize the tools of assessment to study and improve student learning.

Teacher candidates in EDUC 456 will create/implement their own professional development plan, engage with their students’ families and communities, and interact with peers and colleagues around current educational topics. They will conduct an assessment of student learning, analyze the data, and plan appropriate lessons to ensure that all students learn.  To synthesize their learning, they will do extensive reflective writing about the activities in which they are engaged, impact on student learning, the impact of their experiences on their own professional growth, and their plans for continued learning as they contribute to the improvement of schools. Taken concurrently with EDUC 455.

The Clinical Practice Experience

Purposes of Clinical Practice

  • To plan, teach and assess teacher candidate achievement under the guidance and supervision of an experienced practitioner;
  • To develop as professionals who use self evaluation and data to improve teaching;
  • To link educational theories and practices;
  • To develop personal teaching philosophy.

Return to Clinical Practice Handbook Title Page