Classroom experience
A message to prospective applicants
Classroom experience is an important prerequisite to applying to most teaching licensure programs at the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).
Before applying to most CEHD teaching licensure programs, prospective applicants must obtain classroom experience in a public-school setting. These CEHD programs prepare students to meet teaching licensure requirements from the state of Minnesota, required to teach grades pre K-12 in Minnesota.
These classroom experiences can help prospective teachers understand the challenges of teaching in a public school environment and how to become more comfortable interacting with a class.
CEHD requires the following amount of classroom related experience:
- 100 hours for most master of education (M.Ed.)/initial licensure programs
- 70 hours for some bachelor of science (B.S.) programs
To find out if classroom experience is an admission prerequisite for the program you’re interested in, contact a program adviser at the college’s Student Services office. Contact Student Services at 612-625-6501; e-mail: cehdgrad@umn.edu; or check our Web site: cehd.umn.edu/students. To begin the process of acquiring classroom experience, follow the instructions below.
How do I get started?
- Call a school district office or specific school and ask to speak with a volunteer coordinator (VC). This individual oversees all volunteers in their school(s), and can be helpful in placing you to match the district’s and your needs. Our list of classroom volunteer opportunities can get you started, but is not exhaustive.
- Meet with the VC to discuss the opportunities that will meet both your needs and that of the school or district. Try contacting another school if the first school doesn’t have an opportunity that meets your needs. The VC may offer some suggestions.
- Once a site and teacher are identified, the VC will tell you what to do next. They may ask you to attend an orientation or tell you how to contact the teacher with whom you will be working. Please remember you are the school’s guest, and that you should follow all of the teacher’s and school’s protocols (e.g., signing in when your arrive, signing out when you leave, wearing a name badge whenever you are in the school).
- You may begin your volunteer experience as soon as dates, times, and location are agreed upon. When you arrive at the volunteer site, submit the Classroom experience: A message to teachers sheet and the accompanying letter [.pdf] to the teacher allowing you to volunteer in the classroom. Keep a copy of this sheet for your records.
Professional classroom etiquette
- Identify yourself as a potential future teacher who is seeking a volunteer classroom experience. You have not been admitted into our program at this point, and you are entering this volunteer classroom experience as an individual and not under the supervision of the College of Education and Human Development.
- Teachers who accept you as a volunteer are not paid to mentor you. They appreciate your contribution. You’re not there to teach their class or criticize their work. You are there to immerse yourself in the school’s culture, to observe teaching firsthand and to glean what you can from an experienced teacher.
- Keep a personal log or journal if you think it may be helpful for your professional development and in developing your personal statement for admission to a CEHD program.
- Each school sets guidelines for visitors and volunteers. Please follow them when visiting individual schools. Remember, in a volunteer role, you are not a substitute teacher. Volunteers should never be asked to teach the class, nor are they expected to manage a class unassisted by the teacher.
- Although it is not required, consider sending a thank-you note to the teacher and students at the school at the end of the volunteer experience to demonstrate your appreciation.
Revised April 2007