Teacher Preparation Program

In addition to the course required for your content major, you will need to take the following pedagogy courses:

• ID 3100  Teaching Methods
• ID 3200  Sheltered English Immersion
• PSY 2401  Psychology of Education
• PSY 2410 School Psychology or PSY 1404 Developmental Psychology (offered alternate years)

See the undergraduate catalog for course descriptions.

Applications to the program are due in mid-November each year and are open to first year and sophomore students majoring in math, science, or engineering. 

A completed application consists of

• Application form coming soon!
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Resume

Interviews are conducted in November by the program director and the operations management assistant.

Program decisions are made by December 31st.

Contact Jillian DiBonaventura for more information. 

• 10 hours completed in C or D term of first year or summer after first year
• Hours can be volunteer or paid
• Opportunities include
  • Tutoring
  • After-school or summer programs
• WPI coordinated events
  • STEM tutoring at the YMCA
  • Math tutoring at WPI
  • Teacher assistant or tutoring at Worcester Tech High School
  • Science Festival at the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg & Leominster
  • Summer employment with the Pre-Collegiate Outreach office

After our fall retreat in September, you will work together in a team to develop and deliver your first lesson at one of the following locations/events.

As a field component of the Teaching Methods in Math, Science, and Engineering class (ID 3100) you will visit 6 classrooms around central Massachusetts to observe teachers in a variety of settings, styles, and subjects.

In the teaching practicum, you are immersed in a classroom in which you complete your student teaching.  You have the opportunity to do your student teaching as an IQP or an Independent Study.  Physics 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 in one of the following districts.
  • Worcester
  • Auburn
  • Millbury
  • Leominster
  • Clinton
  • Shrewsbury
• at least 300 hours in the classroom, 150 hours as the teacher of record
• weekly seminar in which you are able to connect with other teacher candidates