Teacher candidates complete foundational education courses and complete field experiences in multiple school settings. Candidates begin the first tier of methods courses for their specialty area.  

Candidates complete methods courses and student teaching internship experiences (student teaching). At the completion of this phase of the MAT program, candidates are eligible for North Carolina teaching licensure.

Candidates engage in advanced coursework to complete requirements for the master’s degree and earn an advanced (graduate-level) North Carolina teaching licensure. 

Salem College has partnerships with a number of area school districts and carefully structures the program of study so that students have experiences in a variety of school settings. Students begin with experiences designed for them to observe in schools and to engage in structured reflection. As they progress through the program, they assume more active roles and increasing responsibility in the classroom. The program culminates in a full-time student teaching internship in a K-12 classroom. 

Early in their program of study, all candidates complete the Learners in Context course where they examine student differences with the goal of understanding and valuing individual and group needs. All candidates must also complete Introduction to Exceptionalities, a special education overview course that presents categories and characteristics of disabilities (physical, cognitive and social/emotional) and effective teaching practices and accommodations. Methods courses help students to develop specific approaches for addressing all learners, and candidates demonstrate the effective use of those practices during the student teaching internship. 

Salem College places great emphasis on the importance of personalized attention, and that focus is especially present in the teacher education program. Each candidate works closely with an academic advisor. Courses are taught by core faculty members allowing for faculty to develop ongoing relationships with candidates. Through field experiences and student teaching, candidates work under the direction of K-12 teachers who provide coaching and mentoring. Student teaching supervisors are college faculty who have extensive background experiences in public schools.

The Salem College Department of Teacher Education is guided by the constructivist philosophy and the belief that teachers must create the conditions for learning. This philosophy also drives the quest for continuous improvement. Modeling effective assessment practices for teacher candidates, program faculty engage in extensive review of candidate data and evaluate the effectiveness of licensure programs. Teachers and administrators from partner school districts are active members of that process and provide feedback on our candidate’s performance in schools and on the evolving needs of the schools.