Student Teaching and Practicum

Training you to be a teacher

Student teaching and practicums put you in the shoes of a teacher.

At Greenwood or other area schools, you’ll have high-quality placements that give you hands-on training and insight.

Student teaching

As part of your program requirements, you will complete two student teaching blocks.

  • Courses: MID 493 and MID 494
  • Length: Two blocks of eight-to-nine weeks each, equaling one full semester. These courses typically occur in the spring semester of your senior year.

Apply for student teaching one full semester before you want to start.

Example: If you plan to do student teaching in the spring, apply for your placement in the prior fall semester.

During your stints, a university supervisor and your cooperating teacher at the school guide you.

Practicum

You’re also required to complete three practicum courses.

  • Courses: SEC 302, MID 425 and MID 439.
  • Length: Each course runs the full semester and includes on-site clock hour requirements at your practicum.
    • SEC 302: 30 clock hours
    • MID 425: 15 clock hours
    • MID 439: 45 clock hours

Your practicum placements will be at Greenwood Lab School on the Missouri State campus, or at local middle schools if Greenwood is full.

In SEC 302, you will observe and work with students one-on-one.

In MID 439, you’ll be on an interdisciplinary teams where you can directly apply what you’ve learned through your course work and middle school field experiences.

Need some guidance?

From the time your freshman year onward, you will receive advising and student teaching support through the College of Education’s advisement office.

You can also contact our office if you have any questions about your student teaching or practicum.