Application  

The culminating experience of the Teacher Education program is student teaching, the ultimate field experience.  Under the guidance of a University Supervisor and a cooperating teacher, a student teacher assumes the duties of a full-time classroom teacher, from planning and executing lessons to classroom management, parent conferences, and school committee work. Student teaching is a full time responsibility that provides just a taste of what teaching is like in the "real world."

To be eligible to student teach, a candidate must have applied and been admitted to the Teacher Education program and have passed through Gate C.  For more details on the Gate System, refer to the link in the website of the Office of Professional Preparation and Licensure.

Teacher Education students must apply to student teach. 

Visit the Office of Field Experiences (Beering Hall, room 3241) in the FALL SEMESTER 12 to 18 months prior to the anticipated professional semester, generally upon passing through Gate B or in the fall of the junior year. 

If you plan to student teach during the fall semester, you must apply in October of the preceding academic year. For example, if you intend to student teach during the fall 2010 semester, you must apply during the month of October 2009.

If you plan to student teach during the spring semester, you must apply in November of the preceding academic year.  For example, if you intend to student teach during the spring 2011 semester, you must apply during the month of November 2009.

If you plan to student teach during the 2010-2011 academic year, you must visit the Office of Field Experiences to sign up for an Application Workshop.  Download this memo (DOC) or this memo (PDF) for details.

• Attend a Student Teaching Application Orientation Workshop, receive a pass code, and complete the application.
• Submit the application within two weeks or by the posted deadline (whichever occurs first).  OFE secures approximately 750 student teaching placements each academic year, so it is imperative that teacher education candidates adhere to posted deadlines and complete applications thoroughly, accurately, and in a grammatically correct fashion.

Application and placement timeline for a Fall student teacher: (PDF)
Application and placement timeline for a Spring student teacher: (PDF)

The length of student teaching varies by program area.  A head university supervisor works with each particular program area.  The Office of Field Experiences requests placements based on the recommendation of the head university supervisor. Consult the following chart for specific information: