This project is an exploration of the benefits of a field-based pre-student teaching semester in which elementary education students work with college professors and practicing elementary teachers in a more holistic way than is possible with traditional campus-based courses. A group of twenty-six college students met four days each week, seven hours each day for a combination of lecture, group interaction, and classroom experiences. The classroom site for this project was a room within the university laboratory school converted for this use allowing convenient access to the teachers and students in the laboratory school. The project students also worked in groups of six and seven in four public schools located in areas with a more culturally diverse student population than is typical of the laboratory school. Project evaluation indicated that participants believed they were better prepared for student teaching than within a more traditional program. Practicing teachers in the laboratory school and the public schools expressed the belief that their students also benefitted from this experience. Scheduling, communications, coordination, and curriculum development are areas that need considerable attention for successful implementation of the model. (Author)