Initial Teacher Certification Program Coursework
TEI Coursework
Pedagogical Coursework
Coursework is offered through several departments within the Graduate School of Education and is taught by university and clinical faculty. Through coursework, students are provided an opportunity to learn about instructional methods, curriculum development, assessment, and the psychological and social foundations of education.
Field Experience and Student Teaching
The field experience and student teaching sequence is typically a fall-spring sequence within one academic year and is provided via our Liaison School Model. Liaison schools are Western New York preK-12 schools that work extensively with our students for the fall semester field experience course and spring semester student teaching. Each student experiences two placements, one each in the lower and upper grade range of the certification area and at least one in a school designated as high needs. TEI selects the schools to which students are assigned.
Download Guide to Field Experience and Student Teaching
TEI Student Teaching Locations
Field experience sites and student teaching placements are located in schools throughout the Western New York area. The map below highlights some of the districts with which we work.
Reflective Inquiry Project
The Reflective Inquiry Project (RIP) is a focal point of the initial teacher certification program. During the field experience course, with guidance from their Teacher Education Associate (TEA), students develop a researchable question about school practice that they are interested in exploring in depth. Through a review of the scholarly literature and analysis of data gathered through fieldwork, students construct a paper that responds to their question. Toward the conclusion of student teaching, students revisit their RIP from the lens of their student teaching experience, and they write an essay that 'reflects' and 'reflects on' what they have learned throughout the academic year.
Academic Standing
Students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA), with no course grade falling below a 'B-' (a grade of I/U is considered to be below a 'B-').