UCF School of Teacher Education

Our @ucfteachered students get invaluable teaching experience every day through internships. Today, we are spotlighting elementary education senior Natalie Ferguson, who got to hone her teaching skills through an internship with @nemours PedsAcademy! At PedsAcademy, students provide one-on-one instruction to children receiving inpatient and outpatient care at Nemours. From developing individualized lesson plans to supporting school re-entry, Ferguson played a pivotal role in ensuring that a hospital stay doesn't have to mean falling behind in learning. The most rewarding part for her? Watching the students grow — and then seeing them go home. Her passion for this unique intersection of education and pediatric care started long before her college career. In high school, she volunteered with Give Kids the World Village, helping make the dreams of Make-A-Wish kids come true. @ucf.edu helped her turn that passion into real-world job experience. Now, she’s completing the second half of her internship in a traditional classroom setting before she graduates in a couple of weeks. Discover what internship opportunities await you at the link in our bio! 🖤💛

Did you know the Boots on the Ground program puts @ucfteachered majors in real classrooms from Day One? 🍎 By volunteering in the classroom, our students gain hands-on experience working directly with young learners and supporting teachers by assisting with lessons and classroom management — all while practicing skills that prepare them for future teaching roles. The program now spans nine local schools and involves nearly 200 student volunteers each semester. Want to learn how Boots on the Ground can give you a head start in working with K-12 students? Check out the link in our bio 🔗

Imagine being able to say that you completed a teaching internship at the @kennedyspacecenter (KSC). That’s exactly what elementary education major Ashley McBee did earlier this spring as the inaugural @ucfteachered intern to participate in the @nasa Internship I opportunity. 🚀 In partnership with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation and NASA KSC Exploration Station, this new internship experience allows teacher education students to create and implement lesson plans for local schools during their field trips to KSC in a classroom setting. It was the perfect experience for McBee, who even built a new NASA-approved lesson plan on moon craters for elementary students with guidance from her supervising teacher, Steve Portz. “It was very eye-opening for me to see what a non-traditional classroom format looks like, and how you can still apply your degree to the needs of students in other educational settings.” McBee says one of the highlights of her internship involved teaching a lesson on the solar system and UV rays to first-graders. That included a hands-on activity in making bracelets using UV-reactive beads before going outside to watch their beads change color in sunlight. “For me, the most rewarding part was to see the kids experience a hands-on STEM activity and then apply it to the real world. It was mind-blowing for them because they can see the sun but not the UV rays. Getting to see that ‘aha!’ moment of a lesson is why I love teaching and working with students.” Discover more about the NASA internship and other placement possibilities at the link in our bio! 🌎

Join us for an engaging conversation at the UCF Literacy Symposium! 📚✨ Explore how young people navigate news, politics, and identity in today’s digital world with Dr. Rachel Besharat Mann. 🗓 April 23, 2026 ⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM 💻 Virtual via Zoom Don’t miss this insightful session, register now!

Mary Annaliese Dehner-Muniz ’20, a @ucfteachered alumna, is paving her own pathway in education by combining two of her biggest passions — teaching and the arts — to create her new homeschool enrichment program, @dehnerelitearts Academy. Inspired to help K–12 learners thrive, she blends creative expression with personalized academic tutoring to support children's critical thinking. Want to see how she turned her passion for teaching and the arts into a growing community resource? Check out the link in our bio! 🎨

Thank you to the UCF Elementary Education program students who joined our youth every Saturday for the reading program. We are truly grateful for your time, dedication, and the investment you are making in the future of our young readers. Your commitment to education and mentorship makes a lasting difference, and we appreciate all that you do!🌹 #D5 #GoKnights #LeadershipMatters #FYP #UCF

Thank you to Orange County Public Schools (@ocps_official ) for inviting STE to the Careers in Education Fair at Timber Creek High School! Our faculty enjoyed connecting with prospective college students and highlighting the many pathways to a career in education at UCF.

Behind every successful student is a group of exceptional faculty and staff 💡 The Spring 2026 STE Faculty Meeting highlighted the innovation, teamwork, and dedication that set STE apart. 🌟

Today, they were in internship orientation. Next week, they’ll be out and about in real classrooms! 🍎 Hundreds of @ucfteachered students are gearing up for professional teaching experience and mentorship through internships this spring with local schools and other educational settings. Through instructional assistance, lesson planning, student assessment and more, our teacher candidates aren’t just learning the ropes — they’re shaping the future of education in Central Florida and beyond. 🖤💛

Hello, Spring 2026! 🌼 A new semester begins at the UCF School of Teacher Education, and our future educators are ready to learn, lead, and inspire. Go Knights! ⭐️

🎉 Congrats to our Fall 2025 Consortium for Overseas Teaching (COST) Cohort on an amazing semester abroad! 🌍 These stellar scholars completed internships in Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Ecuador, New Zealand, and Greece, gaining global classroom experience from bustling cities to tranquil rainforests. 📚🌎 Thinking about teaching overseas? COST offers placements in 16 countries for Internship I, II, or Practicum! 🗓️ Deadlines: • Sept 1 : Spring • Mar 1 : Fall Apply the semester before your internship!

Find your balance this Spring 2026 🌿 Enroll now in Yoga, Intermediate Yoga, Pilates, and Introduction to Mindfulness in Daily Life. Build strength, reduce stress, and invest in your well-being this semester.