It is vitally important for prospective teachers to gain ample experience with the grades, populations, and subject(s) they wish to teach. That first-hand experience serves many purposes, including but not limited to:
Assuring yourself that a career in teaching will be personally fulfilling
Helping to determine what type of teaching career you would find preferable, and therefore which Pre-Ed track to pursue
Demonstrating to your COE graduate selection committee that you understand what a teaching career entails
Demonstrating your potential to professional teachers, who can then vouch for you in letters of recommendation
Networking with current teachers and school administrators, who can help you land your dream job after completing a teaching program.
There are many different types of opportunities out there to gain relevant experience. The most valuable experience is in traditional classroom settings, working alongside professional teachers in the grades, populations, and subjects that you want to eventually teach. However, every bit of experience working with children counts to some extent. Some examples of relevant experience include:
Volunteering to assist in a classroom or elsewhere in a school
Childcare or nannying experience
Coaching in children's sports
Working or volunteering in children's after school or summer programming
Being a camp counselor
Helping with Sunday school at your church
Identify a school of interest that is conveniently located for you. Call, email, or simply walk up to the front office, introduce yourself, and tell them "I'm interested in becoming a teacher, and need to gain some classroom experience to get into a teaching program. Can I volunteer to help out in one of your ___ grade classes?" It may also help to tell them "I don't need to be paid for this, I'm not seeking college credit, I really just need the experience." That will help get your foot in the door, and even if it is just a couple hours a week that experience will really add up. As you demonstrate your potential in the field, you will be referred to help with other teachers (gaining variety in your experience, and potentially more letters of recommendation), and potentially the opportunity for a paid position as a teaching assistant (the best experience is paid experience).
Check the website of your local school district for employment opportunities. Search for positions with "paraeducator" or "teaching assistant" or "instructional assistant" in the title. These positions will generally require some prior experience in the field, including volunteer experience as described above, and certain positions and schools may require you to have reached a certain point in completing your college education, but if secured this is a highly valuable source of experience and professional networking.
PSU offers a few courses that include an experiential learning component, often called a practicum requirement. If the academic credit serves to fulfill graduation requirements that you need to meet anyway (see your major advisor), this can be a great way to gain relevant experience as an actual part of completing a bachelor's degree. Some of these courses include:
ED 150 Teaching as a Career (2 credits, with 20 hour practicum)
ED 420 Introduction to Education and Society (4 credits, with 30 hour practicum)
Various Capstones:
UNST 421: Math in Society
UNST 421: Art and Social Change
UNST 421: Mentor and Empower @ NAYA
UNST 421: Bilingual Education
UNST 421: Migrant Children
UNST 421: Empowering Youth
UNST 421: Social Justice in K-12 Education
UNST 421: Farm Education for Youth
UNST 421: Summer Youth Enrichment
UNST 421: Juvenile Justice
UNST 421: Tutor to Empower
UNST 421: Learning from Persons with Disabilities
Community agencies Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) AVID is a college readiness service dedicated to equipping students with the skills and confidence to succeed academically. Paid tutor positions are often available. avid.org
Boys and Girls Clubs Boys and Girls Clubs support the youth in our community by offering quality programs, creating meaningful relationships, and inspiring young people to reach their full potential. bgcportland.org/volunteer
Hands On Greater Portland Hands On connects volunteers with opportunities to work with youth, and has focused programs to help support communities in East County – East Portland, Gresham, Fairview, Troutdale, and other parts of East Multnomah County. handsonportland/org
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) IRCO offers educational support for immigrant and refugee school-aged children. Tutors are needed for after school tutoring groups at several schools in Portland. irco.org/support/volunteer.html
Network for Good Network for Good is a clearinghouse for local agencies seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and connecting volunteers with community needs. networkforgood.org/volunteer
Police Activities League (PAL) Beaverton PAL sponsors clubs and special events for local youth and has many volunteer opportunities such as arts and crafts, the Intel Computer Clubhouse, and summer camp. beavertonpal.com/get-involved#volunteer
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) OMSI offers a variety of educational experiences for children and youth in our community. Science Educator volunteers help visitors explore and learn in one of OMSI’s interactive exhibit halls or labs. omsi.edu/volunteer
Oregon Volunteers! Oregon Volunteers! is a clearinghouse for local agencies seeking volunteers for a variety of positions, including helping youth to succeed in school and life. This is a great resource for finding a volunteer opportunity locally. oregonvolunteers.org/volunteer/opportunities
Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) Community Schools SUN Community Schools aspire to bring the community together to support the educational success of our youth. Volunteer positions are available at 80 local SUN community schools in the metro area. sunschools.org
Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) SMART volunteers reach thousands of Oregon children with vital one-on-one reading support. Read with a child for one hour a week and take advantage of the opportunity to connect with a teacher and volunteer in a classroom. getsmartoregon.org
Volunteer Match Volunteer Match is a clearinghouse for local agencies seeking volunteers for a variety of positions and connecting volunteers with community needs. volunteermatch.org
Some teacher preparation programs require a certain number of hours of confirmed experience, and pre-ed students often ask how much is necessary to get into a particular GSE teaching program. The answer is simply, as much as possible. The more experience you gain, the better. The more of it that takes place in a traditional classroom setting and the grades, populations, or subjects you want to teach, the better. The more experience working under licensed teachers in Oregon who can reflect on your potential in letters of recommendation, the better! GSE teaching programs do not have an explicit minimum amount of experience required for admission, but if you lack experience to reflect on in your personal statement as part of your application, or if you don't have a strong statement of support from a licensed teacher for at least one of your three letters of recommendation, that is probably a sign that you should gain more experience before entering a program for this profession.