Teaching Internship

Public education is the responsibility of the state legislature.  This responsibility is delegated through duly elected and/or appointed school boards to the superintendent, principals, and teachers in the individual schools.  Local authority regarding curriculum, methods, text books, and other matters rests with the superintendents of public school systems, their supervisors, principals, and teachers.  The activities of the teaching interns and their college supervisors must be consistent with this application of authority and responsibility. 

Goals of the Teaching Internship

The goals of the intern teaching experience are to help the student to connect theory to practice and to develop a broad view of the aims of education and the profession of teaching.  The intern teaching experience should help the pre-service teacher develop:

• A philosophy of education that is consistent with a democratic society and the laws and regulations regarding public education in Virginia;
• The ability to apply previously acquired principles of instruction in teaching students of differing abilities and backgrounds to reach desired goals;
• An understanding of the mental, physical, and social development of children and adolescents and the relationship of these elements to the elementary and secondary instructional programs;
• An appreciation of the problems involved in guiding such activities as assemblies, clubs, and home room activities, etc.;
• The ability to establish healthy learning environments, to manage routine matters, and to promote individual and group growth;
• An appreciation of the problems involved in teaching and of the principles which should guide solutions;
• The ability to evaluate teaching reflectively and to learn how to modify methods when needed;
• An understanding of the routines, record keeping, etc., about which a teacher must be knowledgeable; and
• An understanding of, appreciation for, and commitment to the professional code of ethics.

In sum, the purpose of the internship is to provide the student with the knowledge and experience that will enable him/her to teach and serve effectively in the public schools.