(Student teachers, field experience, practicum students/observers)

As potential future teachers of DPSCD’s students, we are deeply invested in pre-service teachers’ development. As illustrated below, we are committed to strategically providing robust developmental experiences for pre-service teachers by placing them with strong Collaborating Teachers who will coach and mentor them to develop proficiency in foundational teaching skills while they build relationships with students, families, and the school community.

Plant	Nurture	Cultivate
We strategically plant pre-service teachers in host schools that have the conditions for them to thrive under excellent leadership and mentorship.	We welcome pre-service teachers and care for them as members of the DPSCD family.	We develop pre-service teachers through targeted professional learning experiences to help them grow into great teachers.

DPSCD defines a pre-service teacher as an individual who is enrolled in an approved Educator Preparation Program and placed in a DPSCD school for a clinical experience required by their teaching certification program. We currently host four types of pre-service teachers (PSTs): Note: Education Preparation Providers use various terminology to describe different levels of clinical experiences provided by their programs. The terms below are meant to provide a common language for DPSCD staff.

Teaching Apprentices: Pre-service teachers assigned to DPSCD classrooms to observe instruction, conduct read-alouds, support small groups during centers or non-instructional time, and assist teachers with material preparation. Apprentices spend five or less hours per week in a DPSCD school and are often placed in a teacher’s classroom in pairs or triads. 

Practicum Students: Pre-service teachers assigned to DPSCD classrooms to observe instruction, work 1:1 with a student, or teach lessons to small groups of students. Practicum placements are between five hours and the equivalent of three full school days per week.  

Teaching Interns: Pre-service teachers assigned to classrooms for their final clinical placement required for their teaching certification program. Teaching interns are placed in a DPSCD classroom for a minimum of four full school days per week and gradually assume full teaching responsibilities over the course of one to two semesters. 

Residents: Graduate students who gradually assume full responsibility for classroom instruction. Residents typically complete a one-year clinical experience alongside a Collaborating Teacher before becoming the teacher of record in a classroom during their second and third years of residency. 

 DPSCD currently partners with the Educator Preparation Programs below through our Pre-Service Teacher Program: