Table of Contents
- Guidelines for Student Teaching
- Attendance & Make Up Policy
- Reflections & Journals
- Prospective Student Teachers Information
- Student Teaching Handbook
- Forms
Guidelines for Student Teaching
Important: Please bring a copy of the Student Teaching Handbook to Orientation on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 9:30 a.m., in the Show Me Center. You can download a copy of the handbook from the Field Experiences Web site.
The Block IV Teacher Work Sample is to be completed based upon the first eight weeks of student teaching. See calendar for due dates.
Once you are enrolled in student teaching and find you cannot follow through for any reason, you must notify us at (573) 651-2125 immediately.
We cannot guarantee your placement for student teaching in any particular school. We will place you in schools within reasonable driving distance of your place of residence during student teaching.
If you have a particular hardship such as no transportation, disabilities, or other unusual situations that require special consideration, describe the situation on the back of your application. You also may arrange an appointment to discuss the matter if further explanation is needed.
You will have two experiences, in different districts, as follows according to your major.
- Early Childhood - 1, 2, or 3 and Kindergarten
- Elementary - 1, 2, or 3 and 4, 5, or 6
- Exceptional Child K - 12 and Elementary grades 1 - 6
- Secondary & Middle School - Major area in appropriate grade level
Attendance & Make Up Policy
Our basic requirement is that you be present every day possible and that you make up every day missed. This includes days missed for illness or emergency, as well as days schools are dismissed for inclement weather. However, unusual circumstances can be presented to the Director of Field Experiences for consideration. For example, some student teachers have reported to their first half schools before the required starting date. You should indicate on your work progress report the times that you attended prior to that date.
If you start early you are still expected to work until the designated ending date of student teaching. Your attending more than the required number of days can help you in at least three ways:
- Supervisors should give you improved ratings on your summative evaluations on Part IV A and D -- Professional Responsibilities.
- In the event of a serious illness or other real emergency that may require your absence, you may be given make up consideration for your extra days if deemed appropriate and approved by your supervisor and the Director of Field Experience.
- You will give the school and cooperating teacher reason to commend your professionalism. This extra time you devote to student teaching will afford you more experiences that will ultimately enhance your teaching.
Make up days have been incorporated in the student teaching calendar between the first and second half assignments and during finals week. If you are in a school that misses a long period due to weather or emergency situations, we will arrange some means for you to make up the time so that you are not penalized for something over which you have no control.
During student teaching you are expected to keep a journal of reflections on your student teaching experiences. Some of these could be included in your Teacher Work Sample.
These reflections should be built around lessons that you have taught. Comments relative to how you would rate the lesson in terms of objectives accomplished, student interest and engagement, and activities that seemed to work or not work should be included. You might ask, "What evidence can I give which indicates the lesson was effective?"
You also may write reflections on student behavior as to causes, how you handled misbehavior, the effectiveness, and how you would handle it the next time. (See student teaching handbook).
Prospective Student Teacher Information
To complete an Application for Student Teaching, you must apply within the first two to three weeks of the semester before you intend to teach. Sign ups will be done in the Block III classes the semester prior to when you plan to student teach. However, if you are not in a Block III class, you must come by the Field Experience Office, Scully Building room 304a in order to fill out your application. You will need a current degree audit in order to fill out your application.
Before your student teaching assignments can be made, you must complete, or have previously completed, the steps which are detailed below.
- You must have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program. If there is any doubt as to whether this has been done, please verify this with the Education Advising Office in the Scully Building, Room 309, or by calling 573-651-2128.
- You must have fulfilled the prerequisites for student teaching as listed in the Southeast Missouri State University Bulletin.
When enrollment is open we will enroll you in your Block IV courses. You do not have to do anything unless you have a scholarship or some financial aid, which would require you to enroll at a particular time. In that case you must let us know. Also, be sure that there are no holds on your account which will prevent your enrollment.
We will begin the process of placing you in your chosen schools right away. If we cannot place you in one of your choices, we will make every effort to place you in schools within reasonable driving distance of your student teaching address. You should not contact any of the schools regarding your placement until you receive your assignment from this office. Please let us know immediately if your plans regarding student teaching should change. It reflects unfavorably on you and the University to ask schools to make placements and then cancel them. You must notify the Field Experiences Office if you drop - not just the registrar. A major obligation to a student has been fulfilled by the University when an assignment has been secured, unless it is in the wrong subject matter area. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Field Experiences Office at (573) 651-2125. All assignments which are confirmed may be picked up in the Field Experience office during finals week. Some placements take longer to make and will be sent to you as soon as possible after finals week.
Student Teaching Handbook
All students preparing to do their student teaching must have the Student Teaching Handbook. You may download it from this Web site. This guide is a helpful tool which outlines your student teaching experience and may provide answers to questions you might have regarding your upcoming student teaching assignments. Please bring the handbook to the orientation session at the Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall. Your student teaching supervisor will refer to items in the handbook to explain and answer any questions you have at that session.