Center for Student Services

45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience FAQ

• Where should I do the Pre-Professional Experience?
  The in-classroom hours should be with students at the age level that you intend to teach, and you should select observation experiences that will introduce you to various teaching methods and learning opportunities. The school environments that you visit should be different from the school you attended during your own PK-12 learning experience.
• How does the completion of EDU 107 affect the 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience requirement?
  Through successful completion of CMU’s EDU 107: Introduction to Teaching, with a “B” or higher, you may earn a maximum of 10 in-classroom hours toward your 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience requirement.
• If I observed more hours than what was required in EDU 107 can I count them toward my 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience?
  Yes. However, in order for you to use the additional hours toward your pre-professional experience you must submit a “45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience Verification Form” for any hours over what was required for the class. The form must be signed by your professor or by your host teacher.
• If I have taken an equivalent course for EDU 107 at another college, how are my pre-professional hours documented?
  You must submit a completed “45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience Verification Form,” signed by your supervisor/teacher, to CSS indicating the number of hours you earned via your EDU 107 equivalent course. The instructor or host teacher will sign a completed “Verification of Pre-Professional Experience” form for the hours earned in EDU 107 equivalency course.
  Please Note: Midtier hours do not count towards the 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience.
• Must all 45 hours be classroom hours?
  Yes. All 45 hours must be in a classroom setting and supervised by a state certified teacher. Specific questions regarding the 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience should be directed to the CSS Office, Ronan 204.
• Can I complete my observation hours at a camp or similar non-classroom environment?
  All 45 hours must be in a school and classroom setting and supervised by a certified teacher.
• What should I be doing during the 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience?
  You should be interacting as directly as possible with students. The more experience you have in observing good teaching, the better prepared you will be to make decisions regarding your career, take the professional education courses, and to begin your future profession. When you are in a classroom setting, the more "teacher roles" you can try, the more likely it is that you will experience what it is really like to be a teacher. You should learn as much as possible about classroom structure and management, teaching, planning, preparing, organizing and adapting for individual differences.
  As you complete the pre-professional experience, be sure to ask the teachers why they use certain approaches and techniques, as this will help you see the importance of the concepts and knowledge base in the professional education courses. In addition, notice how the teacher is learner-centered. In other words, how does the teacher relate the activities, content or tasks to the interests of the youth? Notice how the teacher identifies and meets individual differences of the children. In addition, try to identify the many roles the teacher plays. When is the teacher coaching, assisting, instructing, leading, tutoring, counseling, listening, advocating, etc.?
• Are there guidelines to follow in the 45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience?
  Yes. When visiting schools for observation, the following guidelines should be observed:
  • Make visitation arrangements and secure approvals in advance with school administrators.
  • Dress professionally.
  • Bring supplies needed to take notes.
  • Follow all school policies such as obtaining a visitor's pass and parking permit.
  • Arrive on time
  • Ask the teacher how you should position yourself in the room.
  • Do not discipline students.
  • Take notes and discuss classroom observations with your host teacher.
• How do I get approval for the Pre-Professional Experience?
  Complete the “45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience Verification Form,” on the CSS web site, under “Forms and Tutorials,” obtain the signature of your host teacher to verify the experience, and submit the signed form to CSS, Ronan 204.
  You may need to print more than one copy of the form to verify all of your pre-professional experiences. If you have questions about the experiences you are planning for the 45 hours, you should contact the CSS Office at (989) 774-3309. Be sure to make a copy for your files of the completed and signed forms before you turn them in to CSS.
  Note: The Center for Student Services will randomly verify student completion of the 45-hour Pre-Professional Experience. Please be sure that the information provided on the form is correct and can be substantiated by the teacher with whom you completed the specified hours.
• May I use my own high school experiences?
  No.  All experiences must be completed after you graduate from high school.
• May I use hours received through a course at another university?
  Yes. You must provide a signed “45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience Verification Form” just as you would for any pre-professional experience. See the CSS web site, www.ehs.cmich.edu/css for the form. The immediate supervisor or host teacher who actually observed you working with students must sign and date the form.
• Do substitute teaching hours count?
  Yes. However, you must document 30 hours within the same school building in order to count it toward the diversity requirement. The “45-Hour Pre-Professional Experience Verification Form” must be signed by the building principal.
• May I complete the hours outside of the State of Michigan?
  Yes. You may acquire hours anywhere as long as you follow the guidelines described on pages 23-25 in this handbook.