Urban Program

The Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies prepares students to teach all learners in a climate of support and cultural responsiveness, where the knowledge, experiences, needs and gifts of each child are valued and viewed as the foundation upon which effective teaching choices rest.

To advance and support that effort, students complete field experiences in diverse school settings, including schools that provide an opportunity to work in urban and high need areas. Schools in which field experiences occur are selected based on multiple factors including diversity of student population, feasibility of location and supportive school environment for developing teachers.

TLES and Western Michigan University are committed to establishing and maintaining working partnerships with schools that represent the diversity of Michigan. Internships are available in the greater Kalamazoo-Battle Creek community, the Grand Rapids-Muskegon area, and Metro Detroit. Pre-interns experiences are clustered in the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area to facilitate student engagement in the schools while completing on-campus coursework. Students completing coursework through the Southwest Campus are placed for internship and pre-internship experiences in the Southwest Michigan area.

Questions about Field Placements should be directed to the Office of Clinical Experiences.