Teacher Candidate Orientation

Teacher Candidates (TCs) attend the Professional Teacher Candidate Orientation (EU453) which occurs during the fall classes. The Teacher Candidate Orientation is designed to help TCs become familiar with the WLU Faculty of Education, the Laurier Partner School in which they will be working and learning over the course of their professional year and the teaching profession. TCs have an opportunity to meet and participate in team-building activities with faculty and other Teacher Candidates, and learn about library, technology and other resources available to them through WLU.

TCs are introduced to key structures and components of the WLU program that facilitate learning for both them and for their students. TECs become familiar with the goals, purposes and procedures related to the Laurier Partner School, the Learning Cohort, the Professional Learning Seminar, and the range of required practicum experiences. They are introduced to the four themes of Learner-, Knowledge-, Assessment- and Community-Centeredness, that intersect all course and practicum work and become familiar with the themes' role in helping them create coherence among these various experiences.

During the Teacher Candidate Orientation course, TCs are oriented to the technology-intensive aspect of the WLU Faculty of Education program. Through this program initiative, TCs have an opportunity to acquire or hone skills related to using the technology to support student and personal professional learning, to manage administrative responsibilities related to teaching and to create and share professional knowledge.