Become an internship school for PWPO students

Do you want to contribute to the development of future colleagues in primary education? Do you think it is important that they teach based on scientific insights? Then the interns of the programme Pedagogical Sciences of Primary Education might be who you’re looking for.

Our students learn to connect theory and practice. Besides a good university education, an informative internship is crucial to this. At the internship schools, teachers of primary schools and universities work together closely and learn both with and from each other.

Central within PWPO

The university Bachelor’s Programme Pedagogical Sciences of Primary Education (PWPO) trains students to become primary school teachers within three years. They develop a strong foundation within pedagogy and educational sciences that they can use to guide and teach students.

From the first year onwards, students work with Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) and they gather knowledge and skills regarding pedagogical action, class management, and language. In the second year they delve into language, arithmetic, and the case subjects, including their learning guidelines and didactics. They furthermore learn to work with investigative learning. The final year focuses on teaching the young and the old child, arts and culture, and the role of the school in society. This way students can bring together all aspects of being a teacher.

Besides this specific knowledge and skills set of being a teacher, our students also develop knowledge and skills that are important for all (ortho)pedagogues. They learn about the typical and atypical development of children across various domains, and they possess research skills and job skills, such as talking to parents and children, observation, diagnostics, reporting, and individual guidance. Read more about the various courses in the programme.

Internship organisation

The various years are related to different internship days and periods. In the overview below you will find a detailed description of each internship.

What do we expect of internship schools?

We believe that the main requirement for a fruitful collaboration is a (general) match between the educational vision of the internship school and the vision on learning of RadboudUnOS. Of course, we also believe it is important to have a good relationship both on a personal and professional level. In order to successfully complete the PWPO programme, the following is necessary for a student:

  • They need to get the opportunity to practise with the principles of Explicit Instruction in the internship classroom. This requires that teachers of the internship schools are capable of teaching according to the principles of Explicit Instruction (EDI, Rosenshine and/or Wijze Lessen).
  • They need to know what the expected behaviours (rules and routines) are at an internship school. The internship school has a clear behavioural policy and shares this with the students.
  • They need to get the opportunity to complete other profession-specific assignments from the university during the internship days.
  • First and second year students can be placed at the same internship school with at least two fellow students (though not in the same group), so that they can use the same framework to discuss and receive feedback from one another. Third years can, if necessary, be placed at an internship school on their own.
  • They need to get the opportunity to do their internship on the required day(s): first-years in group 3, 4, or 5, second-years in group 6, 7, or 8, and third-years with the toddlers in their first half-year, and after that in group 3 up until 7.
  • They get the opportunity to make a video recording in the classroom during their first and second academic year for their final assignment.
  • They are guided by a teacher with at least three years of experience in front of the classroom.
  • There are no other interns from other teacher-training programmes present on the internship day in the same class.

There are also s(b)o internship schools where our third-year students – who have stated their preference – can do their internship.

What can you expect from us?

We believe it is important to actively invest in the substantial and personal relationship with our internship schools. We try to realise this by:

  • Working with an internship coordinator from the university who functions as a central and approachable point of contact for all internship schools.
  • Working with one dedicated internship counsellor from the university per student who keeps into contact with the teacher at the primary school (via the phone and via classroom visitations).
  • Performing a class visitation for each student at least two times a year at the internship school, including a joint debrief.
  • Providing teachers with an extensive course regulations per internship that clearly explains all the learning goals, assignments, and expectations.
  • Organising masterclasses and other activities regarding professionalisation at the university, which all internship schools can attend.

Contact

Do you want to become an internship school or do you want more information about it? Contact Sarah Bergsen (internship coordinator PWPO).

RadboudUnOS

The Pedagogical Sciences of Primary Education (PWPO) programme and eight school foundations together form RadboudUnOS. The partnership sees the training of university teachers for primary education as a joint responsibility of education and schools. From August 2024, RadboudUnOS will be an official training school within 'Samen Opleiden en Professionaliseren'.