Classroom Learning
Valpo’s Teacher Education program empowers future educators through immersive classroom experiences, dedicated mentorship, and hands-on teaching environments. With access to mock classrooms, micro-teaching labs, and a vast children’s literature library, students are equipped to lead with confidence and compassion.
Dedicated Faculty
The faculty and staff in the Education Department at Valparaiso University will personalize program experiences, beginning with your faculty advisor, who will tailor your plan of study to meet your unique needs. At Valpo you are not just a number. Faculty and staff will take the time to get to know you and will provide mentorship and guidance as you progress through the teacher education program.
Immersive Learning Environment
Wesemann Hall serves as collaborative space to connect the university and community, with weekly story times for young families. In-service teachers also participate in monthly professional development workshops, many with mentorship components that support students’ practicum experiences. These unique spaces in Wesemann Hall offer an immersive experience, equipping future educators to lead in their classrooms.
Personalized Experience
Small classes help personalize the education program with hands-on, meaningful classroom experiences. Valpo’s small classes allow for a more cohesive class culture, engaging and active lessons, and individualized support from peers and professors.
Practicum Placements
Students participate in supported and meaningful field placements that begin in your first education course and continue through extensive practicum experiences.
In total, students are placed in four or five school settings. The department faculty are intentional about placing students in varied grade levels and field settings. Students will leave Valpo prepared to teach a wide variety of school settings.
Supported edTPA
edTPA is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs throughout the United States to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from Day 1 in the classroom.
Here at Valpo, students are fully prepared for their edTPA through embedded coursework and the guided and supported completion of their capstone projects presented at their education symposium.
Peer-to-Peer Support
At Valpo the education students participate in a cohort model. This means they progress through coursework together with the same group of education students throughout their time here. This format offers built-in support, camaraderie, collaboration, and cooperation amongst our students, quite similar to the working environment they will find in their teaching careers.
Students in the department of education meet together regularly for events and social activities as an entire department and in cohort groups.
Accredited Licensure
Take your Teaching License Anywhere!
All programs at Valpo are fully accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), thus licensure reciprocity is available throughout the United States.