Clinical Experiences

North Park’s students have the unique opportunity of participating in three clinical experiences: teacher aiding, mini-teaching, and student teaching. You are carefully placed in three different schools so you can experience public, private, suburban, and urban schools.

Teacher Aiding

In teacher aiding, you spend 50 hours in a school. You will observe classes, tutor students, and in cooperation with a cooperating teacher, may plan and deliver lessons. Forty hours are spent in a regular classroom, and ten hours in a special education classroom.

Mini-Teaching

During mini-teaching, you teach one period a day for seven weeks for a total of 35 hours. A cooperating teacher provides mentoring, and a North Park University supervisor observes and evaluates you three times during the mini-teaching experience.

Student Teaching

During student teaching you assume full responsibility for your class including teaching a full load, attending meetings, taking attendance, keeping records, grading, and meeting with parents. During this placement you are observed by North Park University faculty four times. Student teaching lasts for ten or sixteen weeks, depending on your desired certificate.