University of the Incarnate Word

Each semester, you will typically enroll in 15 credit hours (including education courses). At the beginning of the first year, you will meet with the education advisor to develop a plan for your complete program. Advising check-ins occur each semester. You should focus on your prerequisite courses in the first two years.

In the fall of your junior year, you’ll apply to the Teacher Education Program. You’ll begin official field-based experiences in partner school districts in the spring.

• Future elementary teachers spend a whole day each week in a primary-grade classroom.
• Future secondary and all-level teachers spend a half-day in the classroom each week.

You’ll continue your weekly field-based experiences in partner school districts in your fourth year. Your final semester includes full-time clinical teaching, where you work with an experienced mentor teacher in their classroom. During this year, you will also complete all certification exams.

When new teachers walk the stage at graduation, they are often already hired!

The Teacher Education Program combines ideas and teaching strategies so you can learn and practice in San Antonio’s culturally rich community. Fieldwork in schools and community organizations provides hands-on training. Before clinical teaching, you will complete the following:

• Over 400 hours of fieldwork if you plan on teaching elementary
• Over 70 hours of fieldwork if you plan on teaching secondary or all levels

Early fieldwork includes:

• Guided observations
• General support

Advanced fieldwork includes:

• Supporting student learning
• Teaching in small-group and whole-group settings
• Receiving coaching from the classroom teacher and UIW faculty

You’ll be ready to jump in and co-teach when clinical teaching begins!

UIW is committed to preparing you to become part of the educational community you will serve. The university believes that all students deserve high-quality learning experiences and recognizes that San Antonio presents a wealth of educational variety, with 19 public school districts, private schools and charter schools.

Throughout the program, you will engage with students, families, and schools with a wide range of cultural, linguistic, academic and socio-economic needs.

UIW professors develop partnerships with schools and work closely with local teachers to mentor and coach you through hands-on experiences. You will co-teach with a classroom teacher during your clinical teaching and receive additional mentoring from your UIW supervisor. The classroom teacher and your supervisor provide specific and meaningful feedback to guide you in goal setting and continued professional development.

The UIW Induction Coordinator teaches the Clinical Teaching Seminar in your final semester and partners with the UIW supervisor to identify strengths and areas for continued development. These efforts help to provide specific induction support as you begin teaching.

The UIW Teacher Education Program believes in continuous improvement to prepare you as the community evolves. Accreditation and recognition by external agencies ensure a high-quality educator preparation program committed to constant improvement and based on established standards.

• The Texas Education Agency first accredited the program in 1973, with renewal every five years.
• In 2022, UIW received national accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation.
• In 2023, UIW became a Charles Butt Foundation partner program and collaborates with the 20 Texas partner programs to improve teacher preparation.