Undergrad Teacher Prep Program

In addition to the course required for your content major, you will take the following courses in Teacher Prep: 

• EDU 2200 (⅙): Community Engagement & Pre-practicum in Teaching
• EDU 2300 (⅙) Teaching K-12 STEM in the Local Community
• EDU 3200 (⅓) Sheltered English Immersion (SEI)
• EDU 3300/PSY 3300 (⅓) Supporting Diverse Learners in STEM Education
• EDU 4100 (⅓) Teaching Methods in STEM
• EDU 4200 Senior Seminar (0 credit)-meets 1x per term
• PSY 2401 (⅓) Psychology of Education or PSY 4100 School Psychology
• Other Psychology courses (⅓) may be considered to meet program requirements (PSY 2403 Cognitive or PSY 2404 Developmental Psychology) 

See the undergraduate catalog for course descriptions.

Our program is now a MINOR.  This is achieved by completing the EDU coursework as listed above with the addition of: 

• PQP (⅙): (pre-cursor to student-teaching with IQP, MQP or ISU)
• EDU 4000 (⅙): Practicum Seminar (taken during student-teaching)

Applications to the TPP program are extended to candidates following successful completion of EDU 2200, EDU 2300 and a Psychology course.  We welcome all first-year and sophomore students majoring in math, science, or engineering. 

Your application portfolio will consist of the following:

1. A Qualtrics application
2. Two (2) letters of recommendation: Teacher Prep Rec Form.pdf
3. Your current resume: Teaching Resume Sample
4. A short presentation & successful interview. (Rubric sent to applicants)

Interviews are conducted in the Spring by the program director and associated faculty.

Program decisions are made by May 1st for formal acceptance into the TPP.

Initial Certification Licensure Exams (MTEL)

Teacher candidates must take & pass two (2) MTEL exams in order to be initially licensed in Massachusetts. 

1. Communications & Literacy Exam ($112-)
   • Both Reading & Writing subtests
   • This should be taken before student teaching.
2. Subject Matter Knowledge Competency Exam ($139-)
   • Based on the area and level of licensure you are seeking
   • This should be completed at your convenience in the summer or during your senior year. 

Financial assistance is provided to students with demonstrated need.  Please ask for more information, all conversations are confidential. 

You can schedule the exam here: Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)

Study materials are available here: MTEL Test Prep

Schedule a consultation with Jillian DiBonaventura, Director of Teacher Preparation to see if our program is a good fit for you! 

Email jdibonaventura@wpi.edu

Students will engage on with community-based organizations (CBOs) on a regular basis who support local PreK-12 students (& their families) to develop relationships that enable reciprocal learning of each other’s assets and lived experiences.  

Course Objectives: 

• Examine and define the meaning of “community” and “community engagement”
• Investigate one’s identities and position in the local community
• Explore the City of Worcester and its assets
• Adopt a culturally responsive lens to working with the community
• Practice cultural humility when engaging with community members
• Be immersed at a local community-based organization and develop authentic relationships with K-12 students through tutoring or other educational programming
• Develop reflective practices about one’s community engagement experiences
• TPP students focus on the CAP elements of Safe Learning Environment and Reflective Practice 

Hour Requirements: 

18 hours fieldwork @ specified CBO partners supporting K-12 students by providing tutoring, STEM enrichment activities, team-building experiences etc.  Note: Work-study students may be compensated upon completion of 18 hours.  

Students will gain practice in developing and facilitating culturally responsive K-12 STEM activities informed by the Massachusetts DESE curriculum frameworks that fosters student-centered learning and meets the needs of diverse groups of learners. Students will reflect upon their areas of strength and growth as educators, and reiterate lessons completed in an out-of-school time program with coaching support.

Course Objectives

• Interact with community members, and educators and local K-12 students within the local educational ecosystem
• Explore and evaluate a variety of published STEM activities and lessons
• Co-develop a STEM activity lesson plan at the appropriate level of the learners that incorporates culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogical practices
• Co-design a well-structured lesson with support and guidance
  • Attend to “appropriate student engagement strategies, pacing, sequence, resources, and grouping; purposeful questioning; and strategic use of technology and digital media;”
  • Explore the framework of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
    • Practice "backward" design of a lesson
    • Incorporate formative assessment of learning
    • Attend to proper pacing & shape of a lesson
• Facilitate a co-taught STEM lesson observed at a community-based organization.
  • Respond to feedback that is based on DESE's rubric of CAP elements
  • Reflect upon lesson facilitation, make improvements, and deliver the lesson again, building on success & strengthening areas of challenge
• Discuss equity in STEM opportunities in both global and local contexts 

Hour Requirements: 20 documented hours of development, preparation, delivery and iteration of a co-taught STEM lesson delivered at a CBO partner to K-12 students. 

Many of the courses that comprise the Teacher Preparation Program (TPP) include observation hours.  These are required as part of the coursework so that you may better connect theory (what you are learning in WPI courses) to actual classroom practice as embedded within school climate and culture.  

Observations should take place in a local secondary school. WPI teacher candidates are required to be CORI checked through the Worcester Public Schools, and will need to be fingerprinted to complete the student teaching practicum. 

Courses that may include observation of classrooms in local schools:

• PSY 2401 Psychology of Education
• PSY 4100 School Psychology
• EDU 3100 Sheltered English Immersion (SEI)
• EDU 3300/PSY 3300 Supporting Diverse Learners in STEM Education
• EDU 4100 Teaching Methods
• PQP (Pre-Qualifying Project)-the term before practicum

In the teaching practicum, you are immersed in a classroom to complete your student teaching.  You have the opportunity to register for student teaching as an IQP or in special cases, as an Independent Study. (ISU) Some majors may also count the practicum as their MQP. 

Overview of the Practicum: 

• 15 week experience in a local school.  

  • Our placements are most often with the Worcester Public Schools or in a surrounding town.  We strive to place our students in urban environments.

     

• Teacher candidates spend a minimum of 300 hours in the classroom (over C/D term). This is usually completed junior year.
  • 150 hours will be as the "teacher of record"

  • 150 hours will be in an assistive or supporting role 

     

• ID 2050 is taken C term to aid in the development of the ePortfolio 

   

• EDU 4000 Practicum Seminar: course that supports the practicum D term
  • Aligned with the requirements set forth by the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE)
  • Based on CAP 7 Essential Elements (Candidate Assessment of Performance)

Attend an information session on campus...look for an email blast, ads on screens and posters around campus!

 Fall 2025 dates include: 

• October 1st, October 29th, November 11th
• 2 Zoom sessions TBD

Reach out to Jillian DiBonaventura, Director of Teacher Preparation at jdibonaventura@wpi.edu or by calling 508-831-4888 to book an appointment. 

Consult the section on APPLICATIONS to start building your portfolio.