In the University of Southern Maine (USM) Undergraduate Teacher Education program, we provide classroom field experience earlier and more often than any other teacher preparation program in Maine. In addition to classroom field experience during your first, second, and third years, you’ll spend your final year in a student teaching internship where you’ll gain experience in two different schools or grade levels.
Our school partnerships
We’ve built strong partnerships with regional school districts, which offer our students the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of urban, suburban, and rural school settings. The superintendents, principals, and teachers in our partner districts value their partnerships with the University, and our alumni have a strong job placement rate in the districts where they have completed student teaching internships.
You’ll have the opportunity to gain experience in one or more of the following school districts: Baxter Academy, Biddeford, Gorham, Hollis, Lewiston, Portland Public Schools, Raymond, Scarborough, South Portland, Wells, Westbrook, Windham, and York.
About your field experience
Field experience is your first opportunity for classroom observation and hands-on activities in elementary, middle, or high school classrooms. During this preliminary practice, you’ll have time to explore what it means to be a teacher before you take on the responsibility of student teaching.
Nearly all of our teacher preparation courses integrate field experience into coursework, so you’ll begin this classroom practice during your first year and continue during your second and third years.
What you’ll do during your field experience
- You’ll spend between 12-24 hours each semester observing and participating in the classroom.
- Work one-on-one and with small groups of students.
- Examine ways to support diverse learners.
- Administer academic assessments with students.
- Evaluate the elements of school organization and culture.
- Supervise students on the playground or in the homeroom.
- After several weeks of experience in observing and working with small student groups, you’ll have the opportunity to co-plan and lead lessons with the full classroom.
About your student teaching internship
During your final year of undergraduate study, you’ll complete your student teaching internship. During this culminating experience, you’ll transform the theoretical and practical knowledge you’re gaining from our teacher preparation courses into actual teaching scenarios.
Our Teacher Education program provides a full academic year of student teaching; many other teacher preparation programs provide only 15 weeks. Over the course of two semesters, you’ll gain experience in two different schools or grade levels. Through your student teaching, you’ll refine your teaching philosophy and style, and determine which grade level you’d most like to teach.
Top 5 advanced degrees awarded in AY21
| Rank | Master’s Degree | Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Social Work | 47 |
| 2 | Teaching & Learning | 45 |
| 3 | Creative Writing | 38 |
| 4 | Occupational Therapy | 36 |
| 5 | Counseling | 29 |