Pre-Service Training is one of the most exciting—and challenging—elements of the Arizona Teaching Fellows experience. Candidates accepted into the program begin their commitment by participating in an intensive, five-week training using a student-centered curriculum focused on improving student outcomes in schools where students lag several grade levels behind. Pre-Service Training practice teaching takes place at a Phoenix-area public school facility engaged in a fully operating summer school program. Afternoon Pre-Service sessions will take place on the campus of Grand Canyon University. The rigorous training program provides Fellows with opportunities to learn through a combination of observation, teaching, and study, so they can hit the ground running from their first day in the classroom.

Pre-Service Training prepares people without formal education backgrounds to be immediately effective in challenging school environments, building on the deep content knowledge they already possess by preparing them to teach it. Sessions and professional development activities focus on the foundations of effective teaching, such as lesson planning, instructional delivery, and classroom management—and participants are able to apply those skills right away by leading summer school classes and working with experienced teachers. 

Pre-Service Training consolidates a large amount of training into 5 short weeks, making the program extremely demanding. Fellows must attend training sessions five days a week, approximately 12 hours per day not including commute time and prep time. The following table offers a snapshot of the daily demands necessary to train new Fellows.