D726 Early Clinical in Secondary Education is the first clinical course for candidates preparing to teach adolescents at Western Governors University. WGU describes it as a pivotal bridge between theory and practice, with observation and reflection at its core.
Secondary classrooms differ from elementary ones in pace, content depth and student independence. Your task is to see how experienced teachers make subject content accessible to teenagers and to start trying strategies yourself.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University |
| Code | D726 (also appears as D707; follow your degree plan) |
| Stage | First clinical course in the secondary route |
| Competencies | Three |
| Next clinical | Advanced Clinical in Secondary Education |
What D726 Covers
| Competency (summarized) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Applies instructional strategies from content and pedagogy | Using a strategy suited to your subject |
| Reflects on dispositions and ethics | Professional behavior in school |
| Reflects on the Early Clinical experience | Insights for your teaching |
Observing Secondary Teaching
Questioning and Discussion
Notice how the teacher asks questions, how long they wait and how they handle wrong answers. These small moves shape participation in secondary classes.
Example: In a science class the teacher asks students to predict a result in writing before any discussion. Interpretation: committing to an answer makes learners more invested and reveals misconceptions. Try: ask for written predictions before a short demonstration of your own.
Subject-Specific Teaching
Consider what is distinctive about teaching your subject, for example worked examples in maths, source analysis in history or modeling a thesis in English.
Classroom Environment
Look at entry routines, seating, how directions are given and how the teacher moves around the room.
Typical Work and Approaches
| Work type | What it tests | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Observation record | Noticing practice | Fact, interpretation, link |
| Strategy trial | Applying pedagogy | Small, planned, reviewed |
| Reflections | Analysis | Specific examples |
Choosing a Focus for Each Visit
| Visit focus | What to watch | Question for your mentor |
|---|---|---|
| Openings | How the period begins and how attention is gained | What routines did you build first? |
| Questioning | Types of question and wait time | How do you plan discussion questions? |
| Assessment | Quick checks during the lesson | What do you do when the check shows confusion? |
| Relationships | How the teacher addresses students | How do you handle off-task behavior? |
A Strategy Trial in Your Subject
Choose something small and subject-linked: a worked example followed by a student attempt in maths, a claim-evidence-reasoning prompt in science, a source question in history or a sentence-frame in English. Agree it with your mentor, run it and gather one piece of evidence of how students responded.
In your write-up, state the aim, the plan, what you observed, why you think it happened and what you would do next. Tie it to a concept from your studies on content and pedagogy.
Dispositions and Ethics
Secondary placements raise issues of boundaries, honesty and confidentiality. You may overhear things about students or be asked personal questions. Reflect on how you responded or how you would respond, and what professional standards guided you. Use real moments rather than statements about your character.
Also reflect on reliability: arriving on time, following school procedures and communicating if you must change plans. These everyday behaviors matter to mentors and appear in the competency language.
Structuring Your Observation Notes
Secondary lessons run on a clock, so structure notes by time. Record the start, the transition points and the close, and note what students did at each stage. This makes it easy to see where attention rose and fell and to link your observations to pacing decisions you might make as a teacher.
| Time | What the teacher did | What students did | My question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Entry task on board | Settled within a minute | How was the routine taught? |
| Middle | Modeled, then released to pairs | Talked and worked on task | How are pairs chosen? |
| Close | Exit question | Wrote short responses | What is done with the results? |
The example rows are illustrative; fill the table with your own observations.
Questions Worth Asking
Early clinical visits are a rare chance to ask experienced teachers how they work. Prepare questions that go beyond "how do you manage behavior".
Ask how they plan a unit, how they decide which misconceptions to tackle, how they use data from quick checks and how they build relationships with a hundred or more students. Record the answers, link them to your readings and decide which you might adapt. These notes also improve the quality of your final reflection.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Observing the teacher but not the learners.
- Generic strategy descriptions.
- Not linking to subject content.
- Weak privacy habits.
Study Tips for D726
- Watch learners as well as the teacher.
- Note one strategy per visit.
- Plan your trial with your mentor.
- Reflect within a day.
How We Help with D726
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Frequently Asked Questions
The first clinical course for secondary education candidates at WGU.
Three in WGU's program guide.
Same title; use your degree plan code.
Advanced Clinical, then Student Teaching.
Follow your task and placement rules.
No. Study support only.