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The original LACTE grant proposal included field
experiences as part of the pre-professional training of its future
teachers. This component of
the project was initiated in 1996 with pilot internships at six sites and
grew significantly as the project matured. All LACTE internships provided
each intern with a mentored teaching experience under the guidance of skilled
teachers. By the end of the project about 50 LACTE students did
internships annually. Some
received monetary support for their internships, and many more worked just
for the experience, or sometimes for course credit.
LACTE internships were cited by students as an important factor in
their preparation for a career in teaching. See, for example the comments
of one LACTE intern, Barbara Vasquez.
In California
many students defer their "fifth year" credentialing
requirements and enter teaching directly after their undergraduate degree,
without having any education courses or student teaching.
By allowing the interns to both observe and practice teaching in a
safe environment, LACTE provided them with an early and highly valuable
pre-professional experience.
These internships have been institutionalized by universities, K-12
schools, museums and science centers, who see the advantages of
supporting pre-service teachers in this way.
In setting up and evaluating these internships, LACTE
developed a number of useful instruments and reports:
Desired Characteristics for a LACTE Internship
Internship Guidelines
Internship Evaluation Form
A Sampler of Internship Descriptions
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