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Teacher education

The best teachers are backed by research

We want you to succeed from your first day in the classroom. That’s why our teacher education programs prepare you to be an expert in your field and an effective teacher. As a teacher licensure student at the University, you’ll be a part of:

  • A world-renowned research university. You’ll learn from a community of faculty and graduate students who are respected experts in education. They are engaged in research that’s impacting the children, schools, and communities you’ll be working in.
  • A program that is well respected in Minnesota school districts. Our students are highly sought after by Minnesota School principals and superintendents because of our reputation for effective preparation.
  • A cohort of other teacher licensure students, so you can learn from your peers and build a lasting network of teacher colleagues.

2018 handbook website now available.
Our handbook for teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, and University supervisors has been revised for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Please use 2017 handbook PDF for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Why are many of our teacher preparation programs offered at the graduate level?

Graduate level teacher education affords you the opportunity to first master your content knowledge through your undergraduate degree. Then, we place you into real classrooms in ways that work best for you and our school partners, creating an optimal experience. Our teacher education students collaborate with co-teachers to design and deliver lessons, work one-on-one with struggling learners, and assess student learning.

This supports not only teacher preparation, but also classroom experiences for the preK-12 learners. Our model:

  • increases instructional options for teachers
  • reduces student/teacher ratios
  • addresses the size and diversity of today’s classrooms
  • increases student engagement and participation

The Multiple Pathways to Teaching Office develops programs with local partners to address acute needs and specific goals. These programs include the the Minneapolis Residency Program, giving current Minneapolis Public Schools staff opportunities to pursue elementary teaching licensure.

Our program areas

Two programs are housed in other colleges - Agricultural Education in CFANS and Music Education in CLA.

Licensure

We support current teacher licensure students throughout their time at the University. Major aspects of our work include: new student orientation, completing the Minnesota state teacher licensing process, and post-graduation job search.

Partnerships

We deepen University-school partnerships to improve preK-12 student learning. Major initiatives include: enhancing clinical placements, co-teaching in student teaching, improving mentoring of teacher candidates, preparing liaisons as teacher leaders, supporting partner school change, coordinating innovative projects, and sustaining a strong partner network.

Workshops and trainings

These workshops are an important part of a successful co-teaching experience for teacher candidates (TCs) and their cooperating teachers (CTs). It is during these workshops that TCs and new CTs learn about co-teaching and how it differs from a traditional student-teaching model.

Emily Lilja Palmer
We are committed to our partnership with the U of M because our Sanford teachers learn so much from co-teaching with the future teachers! This is an exemplary model of teacher preparation and ongoing development.

Dr. Emily Lilja Palmer
Principal, Sanford Middle School
Minneapolis Public Schools