Using University Science Courses for Preservice Teacher Internship Experiences

Abstract

The importance and value of high-quality opportunities to authentically practice teaching is key for new teacher development. Unfortunately, securing high-quality field experiences for preservice teachers is an ongoing problem for many teacher education programs. This article describes how we used our own university-level science content courses to provide preservice secondary teachers with robust teaching experiences through teaching internships. We share our insights from engaging interns for the last ten years, as well as the key elements of the internship experience from the perspective of former interns.