Professional Semester I

PS I is the first professional semester in the Faculty of Education and is offered only in the Fall. This is a generic semester where the focus is on basic teaching skills across all subject major areas. In this semester, all students take the same courses regardless of major and are placed in cohorts of 36 - 40 students.

The PS I semester consists of:

• six on-campus courses (lasting approximately 8 weeks)
• ED 3500 is a full-time classroom assignment within schools for approximately 125 hours (5 Weeks) in a generic classroom.

This is where students develop and practice the skills and knowledge learned during their PS I "on-campus" courses. You’ll be placed in a classroom at a grade level from 1-7 and will be given the chance to:

• plan
• develop
• teach single lessons
• teach a series of lessons

In this five week practicum where you are paired with a Teacher Associate in a generic classroom, you are expected to gradually assume increased responsibilities for lessons with the overall aim of:

• teaching 1/3 of the time,
• assisting 1/3 of the time and
• observing or preparing 1/3 of the time.

While in your practicum you will determine when you will be teaching through consultation with your Teacher Associate. You then provide this information to your University Consultant using the Teaching Assignment Sheet so that they can make arrangements to attend the school and observe you in action.

Throughout the PS I practicum, your Teacher Associate will provide you with specific feedback on your performance using the PS I Formative Assessment form. S/he will do this at regular intervals to document your progress, focussing on a few strengths and areas for growth at a time.

At the end of the practicum your Teacher Associate (in consultation with you and your University Consultant), will assess your overall performance based on expectations for this stage of teacher development using the PS I Summative Report.

Forms and Guidelines: Professional Semester I