In the fall term, pre-service teachers register for Education 101: Introduction to Teaching. All students in the Middle and High School program attend one weekly session at Tufts and another small group session held either at Tufts or at a school site. ED 101 provides opportunities for students to consider the culture and structure of schools, develop an understanding of the academic, social, and emotional needs of adolescents, and guides students as they develop as reflective practitioners.

As a part of the class, students participate in a three-day workshop on social justice and engage in research of their school communities in order to better understand the world in which their students live. Area middle and high school youth are invited to Tufts to share their thoughts in a panel discussion about what makes effective teaching, alumni return to share their thoughts on discipline in the classroom, veteran educators and administrators visit and speak about reaching at-risk youth, and M.A.T. students are invited to participate in the annual Teaching as Civic Engagement conference, often held in late October.

In the spring term, pre-service teachers register for Education 102: Supervised Teaching in Middle and Secondary School Seminar. The weekly small group seminar provides a collegial context for them to reflect upon the practicum experience and the issues related to their personal and professional development. Each student is paired with a University Supervisor who provides one-on-one attention to the development of the pre-service teacher. To aid them capturing, sharing, and reflecting on classroom episodes, students learn how to effectively use video in order to reflect upon their teaching. The seminar leader also provides guidance on developing the pre-professional portfolio, which can be used for interviews with prospective employers.