55165 Practicum (Practical Training) in Teaching Civics 1

Prerequisite: Teaching Civics: Methodology

Objectives: To introduce student teachers to the work of the Civics teacher as part of the school team, and the uniqueness of this work; to expose them to teachers’ considerations during the teaching process (from developing the lesson plan to classroom teaching); to observe lessons critically; To become aware of the difficulties involved in transmitting the material to pupils (questions, discipline problems, etc.); To experience classroom teaching using a variety of teaching strategies; To experience writing and checking exams, and giving feedback; To formulate an educational outlook as a result of practice teaching.

Structure: Every student teacher is assigned a mentor teacher. Training includes three components: Observation – acquaintance with the school and the classes, participation in school activities and structured observation in the mentor teacher’s class. Teaching – several hours of teaching in the mentor teacher’s class with the guidance of the mentor teacher. The student is tested in the last lesson he/she teaches. Tutorials – several face-to-face or online sessions are held during the training period to discuss issues related to teaching (problems in transmitting material, teaching concepts, effective teaching methods, pupils’ questions, classroom atmosphere, assessment). Participation in tutorials and online discussions is mandatory. Students are expected to submit reports on the lessons they have observed.

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1No academic credits are awarded for this course, but it is equivalent to 10 semester hours.