The International Center for Excellence in Education (ICEE) at West Liberty University has established a partnership with The United States Department of Defense Schools. Through this partnership, West Liberty education majors will have the opportunity to complete clinical practice in any of the Department of Defense schools worldwide.
This semester, seniors Sara Jones, Adriana Orsini, and Lara Titus will complete student teaching in Heidelberg, Germany at the Department of Defense Patrick Henry Elementary School. Senior Savannah Keller will complete student teaching at Terrace Tarrawa Elementary School at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. This is the first time in the history of WLU that students will have the opportunity to complete clinical practice abroad and in other states.
Ann Gaudino, Ed. D., Founder and Director of the International Center, said, “We are very excited about the new partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense. It opens the world to our students for their clinical practice experience.” Dr. Gaudino went on to explain that clinical is an internship experience that education majors complete in the final semester of their senior year. Clinical Practice was formerly called Student Teaching. Throughout clinical practice, WLU students gradually assume all of the responsibilities of a classroom teacher.
“Clinical Practice is the pinnacle of the students’ experience in our teacher preparation program. It is wonderful that our students now have the opportunity experience teaching in other countries as well as throughout the United States,” said Gaudino.
Founded in 2010, The International Center for Excellence in Education at WLU seeks to provide an international forum for ongoing international research, interaction, discussion, publication, and implementation of excellent practices in education. The center sponsors internship, study, research, and exchange experiences for both university students and professionals through its partner organizations. Partners include: Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China; Music School of Fiesole, Florence, Italy; Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District, Fairbanks, Alaska; Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University; Robert Schuman International School, Strasbourg, France; The Cockayne Farmstead, Glendale, WV; and the United States Department of Defense Schools.
For more information about opportunities through the center, contact Dr. Ann Gaudino at agaudino@westliberty.edu.