Placement Information

Field placement principles

During practicum, pre-service teachers will gain professional knowledge that prepares them to become teachers.

• Pre-service teachers will become aware of and develop professional knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable them to be part of learning communities in classrooms, in schools with other teachers and administrators and in the wider professional community.
• Pre-service teachers are expected to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable them to assess their own teaching, to identify professional growth targets, and to identify ways in which they can continue to develop their professional knowledge and skills.
• Pre-service teachers gradually increase their teaching responsibilities and pedagogical expertise over time based on the belief that learning to teach is a developmental process.
• Extended blocks of field experience allow opportunities for developing sophisticated units of work and meaningful relationships with students.
• Pre-service teachers need opportunities to learn to teach in at least two different school contexts, and in at least two different grade level divisions within their particular program route.
• Pre-service teachers gradually take more responsibility for their own professional development.
• In order to facilitate comprehensive professional development opportunities pre-service teachers will be placed in small groups in schools whenever possible.

Field placement practices

• Over the course of both years, BEd students can expect to have an opportunity to work in various grades. (For example, individuals in the elementary program might teach grade 5 in their first year and grade 2 in their second year. Individuals in the secondary program might teach grades 7/8 in one year and senior high school during their next placement).
• BEd students in the secondary program will have the opportunity to work in classes that encompass both of their teachable subjects. 

Placement priorities

Students with specific placement requirements have the opportunity to indicate those needs on their placement forms. While we cannot guarantee any placement, we do our best to accommodate requests.