As Division III athletes we have the opportunity to be
involved in many activities off the field. We are students first, athletes
second, and have the ability to become involved in other extracurricular
activities that can be beneficial to our futures. We are able to pursue our
career paths in the classroom while also playing the sport that we love.
Randolph College offers an exceptional teaching program. One thing Randolph
takes great pride in is its practicum experience for its teaching candidates at
the elementary, middle and high school levels. A practicum is essentially
working as a student teacher in a public school classroom. As a teaching
candidate, you have the ability to be enrolled in field experiences every
semester of your college career.
Practicum
classes allow us to become involved in the community. For several hours, at
least one day a week we are working with students from the area and getting
college credit for our work. We get to know students on a personal level while
practicing our teaching skills. This allows us to gain a better connection with
the Lynchburg community. We are able to build relationships with the students,
which enables us to talk to them outside the classroom when we see them on
campus, at the store, or in a restaurant.
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| Addie Moore '17 reading during practicum classroom experience |
Randolph’s
practicum program provides us with hands on experience in the profession we
hope to pursue. We are able to observe expert teachers in a classroom setting,
create lesson plans, and be critiqued by a faculty advisor when we work with students. The experience is invaluable because it gives us a window
into the occupation we hope to someday have. Practicum teachers have the chance
to work independently with students as well as in small groups and whole group
instruction under the supervision of a Lynchburg City teacher. We are able to
build relationships with teachers and administrators in the Lynchburg School
system. Initially, just a class we have to register for, a practicum can easily
become a networking tool that will help us obtain jobs later on as a result of
the connections made. We become close with our practicum teachers and sit in on
faculty meetings with administrators and school officials. The practicum
mentors have even been known to advocate on college students’ behalf for
teaching positions.
Another
facet of the Randolph Teaching Program is its one year Masters program. The
program takes place after your four years undergraduate studies at Randolph.
The Graduate program is on a May to May schedule with intense classes in order
to complete all of the course work in that time frame. Upon completion students can obtain a graduate
degree in curriculum and instruction. Many teaching candidates choose to take
this path to make them selves more marketable and multiple Randolph Lacrosse
players have completed or plan to be enrolled in this wonderful program. The Master’s program accommodates teachers
hoping to pursue licenses in both elementary and secondary education as well as
special education. Practicum classes prepare students for the full semester
intern teaching experience they will be required to participate in during the
Masters program.
We are very fortunate to have such
a vast array of opportunities available to us at Randolph College. Lacrosse is
our passion but we have the ability to become scholars actively involved in our
subject matter. The Education Department practicum classes is just one of many
examples of the endless possibilities Randolph has to offer in addition to
sports.
Written By: Carrie
McCane ’16 and Addy Moore ’17 **Carrie
McCane ’16 is studying Elementary Education with an endorsement in Social
Studies and Addy Moore ’17 is studying Curricular Studies with an endorsement
in Math**
