Male student helps in elementary classes.
Education Department

Classroom Experience That Prepares You to Lead

Community-Focused Learning

Step into real classrooms while earning your degree. At Western, education majors spend a year-long residency actively teaching and learning in K–12 classrooms, engaging directly with students and the community every day. Along the way, you’ll gain confidence, develop your unique voice as an educator, and start making a meaningful impact from day one.

Student teacher Alyeska Riker helping students at the Gunnison Lake School

Hands-On Residency

Your year-long residency will take place in K–12 schools across Colorado, where you won’t just observe- you’ll actively design and deliver lessons, lead classroom activities, and work side by side with experienced teachers and mentors. With tools like Edthena, you’ll get targeted feedback to sharpen your skills and reflect on your progress. Beyond the classroom, community service projects and district-based case studies give you a deeper understanding of how schools and communities connect. Every step is about preparing you to enter the profession with confidence, practical experience, and a strong sense of purpose.

Student teacher Taylor Martin helping a student with class work

Clinical Residency

Through the year-long clinical residency, you’ll teach in K–12 schools across Colorado, applying what you learn in real classrooms. This immersive experience allows you to develop classroom management skills, test instructional strategies, and build relationships with students and mentors. Many students receive full-time job offers from the schools where they complete their residency.

student teacher at Gunnison Elementary School helps the children with tasks

Develop Effective Lesson Plans

During the residency, you’ll create 30- to 40-minute lesson plans tailored to local classrooms and refine your teaching techniques using Edthena software. By reviewing recorded lessons and receiving personalized feedback from instructors, you’ll strengthen your instructional approach. These experiences help you adjust your teaching to meet student needs and align with district expectations.

A group of fifth graders work together to decide where to build their next power plant.

Build Research and Advocacy Skills

The Historical and Current Case Study Project is a hands-on research project you will conduct within a school district where you hope to work. You’ll investigate district policies, community demographics, and school culture to uncover both challenges and opportunities in education. Through this project, you’ll learn how to navigate real-world issues, strengthen your ability to advocate for students, and enter the job market with both confidence and preparation.

Dr. Jessica Laramie helps a group of fifth grader add up the environmental costs of the pretend power plants they built in the game.

Engage with the Community

The Earth Week Service Project is an opportunity for you to design and carry out a hands-on initiative that connects science education with real-world environmental action. Working with schools and community partners, you’ll plan and run activities that promote sustainability. It’s a chance to make a difference, build stronger connections in the community, and show your future students what civic engagement looks like in action.

Student teacher, Alyeska Riker, reading a book to a classroom of kindergarteners.

Prepare for Your Career

Through hands-on projects and guidance from faculty and local educators, you’ll build the skills, confidence, and connections you need to start your teaching career strong. From writing your very first lesson plan to completing your residency, you’ll have support at every step. By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to step into the classroom prepared to lead, inspire, and make a lasting impact.

A male student teacher helps kids learn around a table.

Experience education at Western.

The best way to get to know Western—and our Education program—is to experience it firsthand. Schedule a campus visit, sit in on a class, and meet with a professor from the Education Department. You’ll see how our hands-on approach prepares future teachers and get a feel for the supportive, passionate community you’ll be part of.

Plan a Visit