WSSU faculty strongly believe continuous hands-on experience is critical to the success of future teachers in all programs. Consequently, education courses from freshman year on require students to complete education field experiences, service learning projects and community service projects designed to allow them to experience working with students at various age and grade levels to ensure they are well versed in what is expected.   

During the senior year of the program, candidates complete over 150 hours of hands-on experience in a classroom during their pre-clinical experience the semester prior to student teaching. During student teaching, candidates complete over 400 hours in their assigned classroom. During both the preclinical and student teaching experiences, candidates work under the guidance of a highly qualified teacher and a university supervisor.

Candidates are placed in diverse settings and must pass program specific courses devoted to the study of diversity in classrooms and communities and advocating for social justice of students and their families:

• SPE 3300: Exceptional Children in the Regular Classroom – All teaching majors except Music Education and Physical Education majors
• PED 4320 Adapted Physical Education for Exceptional Children – Physical Education majors 
• EDU/SPE 3322: Parent, School, and Community Relations – Birth-Kindergarten Education and Elementary Education majors
• MUS 3313 Music for Exceptional Children – Music Education majors

WSSU education faculty mentor and coach teacher candidates work in schools in various service-learning and community service opportunities linked to education courses prior to the senior year.                                                              

During the senior year, candidates work in the same classroom under the tutelage of an experienced teacher and university supervisor for two semesters.  During the first semester, the preclinical experience, candidates teach formal lessons and receive feedback from their clinical educators, as well as their university supervisor. During the second semester (student teaching), candidates increasingly take over responsibility for the classroom with guidance from their clinical educator and university supervisor.

In addition to data acquired through our program assessment system, WSSU partners with the local school system, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, and representatives from Guilford County Schools to ensure we are preparing candidates to teach in their classrooms. We acquire feedback from principals/administrators during our bi-annual Principal/Administrator Panels held on campus in addition to feedback solicited from new teacher and employer surveys. We also acquire feedback from members of our Education Advisory Council made up of education majors and pre-majors.