The Physical Education major with a concentration in elementary and secondary teacher licensure at Castleton emphasizes physical education as essential learning to holistically educate each child.
Throughout the four-year program, students put their classroom learning to work in practical experience in public schools. Students take a range of education courses for teachers. School-based experiences with students begin in the first academic year and continue in partner schools throughout the program. Students typically apply for admittance into the concentration in teaching licensure upon the conclusion of their second academic year.
Because Castleton is committed to preparing professional educators who are highly qualified for their roles, the Department of Physical Education will accept students into its teacher licensure concentration and student teaching practicum only if the student has met specific program criteria.
A minimum of 80 scheduled hours of field experience is required prior to student teaching. Upon completion, students are eligible to apply for physical education initial licensure for grades PreK -12. Our graduates choose to pursue licensure both in Vermont and beyond. Many of our pre-service candidates also enroll in the health education licensure program to pursue a dual endorsement in teaching both Health Promotion and Physical Education.
The Castleton physical education student teaching experience is a minimum of a 15 consecutive week practicum. This period of time is usually split into two separate eight week and seven week student teaching experiences within the same semester. Candidates will complete placements in both elementary and secondary classrooms.
Students who are completing both a physical education and health education student teaching experience will complete a minimum of 120 hours in a health education practicum beyond the physical education student teaching experience.
To be admitted into the Castleton Department of Physical Education student teaching practicum, the student must have:
Maintained the PETE or HETE standards listed in the catalog during the semester preceding the student teaching practicum including completion of the graduation standards, achieve a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average overall and a 3.0 grade point average in the physical education major.
In addition to achieving academic excellence, each student choosing to become a teacher is responsible for developing a portfolio. The portfolio is constructed during all semesters of the undergraduate experience. The portfolio will demonstrate individual learning and growth as well as how the individual course work and field experiences work together to foster proficiency in meeting Vermont Agency of Education regulations and standards for teacher preparation. More information about the portfolio process and the initial educator licensure for Vermont and beyond can be found at the Vermont Agency of Education.