International Student Teaching

SloveniaBledCastle
  • Education majors eligible to participate include Unified Early Childhood Education, Integrated Elementary Education, and Secondary Education.
  • Process:
    1. Interested students apply for student teaching.
    2. Faculty reviews and approves applications for international student teaching.
    3. The Field Experience Office and IST Coordinator places students in their domestic and international student teaching placements.
  • Education teacher candidates who have been accepted to student teach internationally have two placements: one abroad and one in Minnesota or Wisconsin.
Children in a classroom in Slovenia along with their UMD student teacher

For more information, please contact the International Student Teaching Coordinator.

International Student Teaching Coordinator

Erin Pepelnjak 
[email protected] 
218-726-8752


Student Experiences

Emily
Emily Dockendorf, Integrated Elementary & Special Education Major, International Student Teacher - Ljubljana, Slovenia

It (Slovenia) is absolutely amazing! We have been traveling every weekend so far, but are staying in Ljubljana this weekend to help with a world cup competition that DKIS is hosting. It will be an amazing experience! The education system here is so different, it is taking a little of adjustment and trial/error to figure out how to fulfill the inquiry-cycle with such a diverse group of learners. The school is amazing, and I can't believe I get to participate and learn in this environment every day. 


Malorie
Malorie Davidson, Integrated Elementary & Special Education, International Student Teacher - Ljubljana, Slovenia

The teachers at Danila Kumar International School were very helpful and taught me many new techniques I plan to use in the future. I was placed in a 4th and 5th-grade classroom. I really benefited from this placement because I was able to see how two different classrooms are run. I received double the exposure to different students as well which strengthened my educating skills. Each class had a different English proficiency so my communication within the class changed depending on the students I was talking to. I gained so much knowledge through communicating and explaining concepts to students.  When I wasn't at school I took advantage of the weekends and traveled a lot. While abroad I went to the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and spent some time in different areas of Slovenia. I learned so much from traveling to different cultures and fully immersed myself in the experience. This experience has had such a positive impact on my life and myself as an educator. I look forward to applying my new knowledge to my upcoming student teaching placement.


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UMD student teacher Gracie Gabardi in Zagreb, Croatia posing with 20 students in their classroom.
Gracie Gabardi with her classroom of students in Zagreb, Croatia