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Secondary Education

Welcome to the Secondary Teacher Education Program. This program is most often referred to by its acronym “STEP.” The STEP program is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you will need to become a teacher while earning a degree in your chosen content area (Biological Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Math, History, Geography, English/Language Arts, and Mexican American Studies).

Teaching is at the heart of what we do and we know the best way to prepare you for your future as a teacher is to involve you in schools --from start to finish-- working with students. From the beginning of your program you will be learning about the teaching profession in your UNC classrooms while participating in hands-on learning experiences with teachers and students in our local partner schools via tutoring, working one on one, and in small groups while working your way toward teaching full lessons. By graduation, you will be fully prepared to walk into your own classrooms with confidence.

Program Description

The Secondary Professional Teacher Education Program (STEP) prepares its future teachers to teach a diverse population of students in grades 7-12. Throughout the educational experience, UNC Teacher Candidates participate in campus-based coursework and classroom-based experiences designed to connect current educational theory with real-world practices. While going through this program, you should expect to be enrolled in courses in your content major as well as STEP courses. STEP courses consist of practicum or field-based experiences in local schools along with pedagogical courses designed to equip you with knowledge of the attitudes, skills and dispositions needed to be a professional educator in today’s society.

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Future Teacher Conference 2024

Discover new ideas in teaching, explore the latest trends, hear from the experts and so much more. We look forward to seeing you on February 3, 2024!

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