South Face-2-Face Cohort

Unique Focus

The South Face-2-Face Cohort prepares math and science student teachers to engage adolescents through content-focused coursework, fieldwork with expert guide teachers, and an inquiry-based approach. Students take classes together, collaborate with faculty, and gain hands-on experience teaching in diverse math or science classrooms. Courses are taught in person. Most student teaching placements occur in Sweetwater and Southern San Diego schools.

Distinctive Features

• Cohort-based program. Students in the mathematics and science cohort take their coursework together so that they learn and grow together and support one another as they prepare to teach in California’s schools.
• Focused curriculum. Coursework focuses on the content-specific needs of prospective mathematics and science teachers, with the recognition that understanding students is at the core of any successful teaching experience.
• Fieldwork. Over the course of the academic year, student teachers are placed in a mathematics or science classroom with a specially selected and accomplished guide teacher. In addition to a guide teacher, students have a faculty supervisor who visits the classroom regularly and provides guidance and feedback as students learn to teach.
• Inquiry stance. Consistent with the mission of San Diego State University’s School of Teacher Education, faculty and guide teachers promote and support an inquiry-oriented approach. This, in turn, fosters a disposition of inquiry, and aids teaching as much as learning among all students. This approach includes learning how to learn from students, from practice, from colleagues, and from the literature over the course of one’s educational career.

Location of Courses

SDSU

Locations of Student Teaching

Middle and High Schools in SDSU’s Geographic Service Area

Days/Times (approx. schedule) of Courses

After K-12 school hours, typically beginning at 4:00 PM 

Days/times (approx. schedule of student teaching)

Monday-Friday mornings