If you’re considering a career in teaching, you may be wondering how to select a teacher preparation program that sets you up for success.
There are a few key things to look for in a teacher prep program. Here are some powerful questions you can ask yourself (and the program) as you explore your options on your way to a California teaching credential.
Question #1: Does this program include extensive classroom time or fieldwork?
Just like your future students will need dedicated time in your classroom, you need lots of dedicated time in various learning environments, learning experientially what it means to teach effectively and practice good management skills.
The California teacher preparation program you choose should place a strong emphasis on getting you into the classroom setting for student teaching in conjunction with your required coursework. This will allow you to bring the experiential lessons you’ve learned and questions you have back into the discussions taking place through your coursework and vice versa. Make sure the program you choose will be able to place you for student teaching and help you make the most of this crucial type of learning.
Question #2: Does this program include strong support from mentors and faculty?
Many aspiring school teachers find that they learn most from watching and talking to experienced teachers. Having access to mentors and faculty who want you to succeed means you will have decades of wisdom supporting you and guiding you when you walk through the doors of the classroom. One of the many reasons why extensive fieldwork is so important is because of the mentoring that takes place when you student teach under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
Make sure the program you choose is led by faculty who are accessible to students and who will take time to support your learning needs.
For example, the teacher credential programs offered at the University of San Diego (USD) are programs with strong community connections. Our long-standing relationships with local schools mean that students in our programs get to teach alongside either USD alumni or teachers with proven relationships who want to mentor and support USD students.
Question #3: Does this program emphasize the holistic development of students as leaders in the education setting?
Look at the language the program uses to describe itself and think about the context of the program. Is it offered by a school that encourages excellence and leadership? Does the program talk about itself primarily as a means to an end? While a teacher preparation program should be practical and focused on getting you in the classroom, it should also be able to help you grow holistically.
Teaching is a beautiful and demanding career. As you prepare to become a teacher, you should also be thinking about the values you will promote in your classroom, the kind of role model you want to be for students, and how you will use your gifts and talents to lead and create change within your school and within the world of education.
Some teaching credential programs will be able to support you in this kind of human, holistic growth, while others will not.
Question #4: Does this program have a history of successful teacher placement?
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. Whether you want to be a high school teacher or earn a multiple subject teaching credential for elementary school, the program you choose should have a history of successful placements for past students at every level and should be ready and willing to talk about their placement record with you.
If a program has a strong track record of placement, it’s an indication that you are in good hands and that the program has a good reputation. In fact, the school’s reputation for excellence may give you an advantage over other applicants when the time comes to find your teaching dream job.
Question #5: Does this program prioritize diversity and inclusion?
There are two reasons why an emphasis on diversity and inclusion is an important quality in a teacher preparation program.
First of all, a school that internally manifests this kind of diversity in its faculty and student body demonstrates a commitment to thoughtful conversation and to social justice. This kind of program will be a great place for you to grow as a leader.
Second, a program that models and talks about diversity and inclusion will more adequately prepare you to serve in the incredible diversity of a school setting where you will be called on to be a changemaker on a daily basis. The program should have comprehensive learning objectives that include universal design and inclusive teaching and learning theories and practices.
Your future students will benefit from being taught by someone who knows how to model actions, teach inclusively, and lead conversations about social justice and respect for all persons.
Question #6: Does this program use emerging technologies to learn and complete projects?
Again, this one is obvious once it’s said, but it’s one that many potential teachers do not ask themselves when they are first exploring a preliminary teaching credential.
Although it is possible to learn on the job, a good teacher preparation program should incorporate emerging education technologies in its classrooms and help you learn how, when, and why you should bring these tools into your own classroom. This will prevent you from encountering the frustration and confusion many new teachers experience when they are asked to get used to new technology and methods while also settling into teaching more generally.
Want to learn more about how to become a teacher in California? Check out our comprehensive guide to getting a teaching credential, and we’ll walk you through the process!
