Year 3

All students take 6-8 educator preparation courses during their third year. Many of these courses include extra opportunity for field experiences. Additional education courses are taken based off certification area. Our Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary programs all provide courses which are relevant and required for the third year in an educator preparation program.

Year 4 Semester 1

All students continue to take educator preparation courses which align with their certification in order to prepare for student teaching.

Year 4 Semester 2

All students are placed in area schools for student teaching. All students are required to complete at least 3 weeks (15 days) of instruction in which they are in charge of the classroom they are placed in. Throughout the semester, professors and mentors check in with, observe, and provide feedback to students to ensure that the students are ready to enter the classroom the following year as a first year teacher.

Starting freshman and sophomore years, students are placed in area schools in order to observe and see how educational theories and practices translate into the real world classroom. During junior and senior years, preservice teachers will benefit from countless hours of field experience in order to practice small-group and whole-class instruction. During this time, students will receive constructive feedback from their mentor, faculty advisor, and cooperating teacher.

NGU prepares its students to be able to work with and serve all types of communities. Students are continually placed in schools with a wide range of cultures and varying levels of poverty. This allows students to have experience in many different settings and prepare to support their students depending on the level of support needed. Also, students are required to take Educational Psychology and The Exceptional Learner; both of which provide preservice teachers with the tools they need in order to help students with special needs as well as high flyers to meet their full potential. Students are also required to take Integration of Technology, which provides them with not only knowledge of the technology they will be using in the classroom, but also allows students to research and get comfortable with any online platforms that may be helpful within their classroom (translators, read-alouds, etc.).

In every placement that requires lessons to be taught, students are provided with a mentor. The mentors are all knowledgable about the specific nuances of each certification area, and provide feedback to students in order to help them grow as teachers.