Student Teaching

Placement

The College faculty is committed to ensuring that each student teacher be given a high quality practicum experience in a good school. Although students may request particular sites and grade levels, final placement decisions regarding location and grade level will be made by the appropriate department in conjunction with the Council on Teacher Education on the basis of the professional needs of its students, the quality of the placement sites, and the supervisory capacity of the department and Council faculty.

Minimum Academic/Early Field Experience Requirements

Prior to engaging in early field experiences, all candidates must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check and annual blood-borne pathogen training. All students must maintain at least 2.5 Illinois and cumulative grade point averages (GPA) as well as a minimum 2.5 GPA in both professional and content courses and satisfy all requirements of the Common Assessment Plan (CAP) for undergraduate professional education programs leading to initial certification in order to student teach. A list of the courses counted for professional education and content area is available from the adviser and/or the Council on Teacher Education. Students who do not meet these minimum grade point average criteria must petition the Council on Teacher Education for permission to student teach. For a petition to be approved, the student must provide evidence of extenuating circumstances. In addition to these requirements, undergraduate students must be registered in an approved teacher education program, and most, if not all, education methods courses and coursework in the major must be completed prior to student teaching.

Council on Teacher Education policy stipulates that students must have completed 80 clock hours of early field experience prior to student teaching. These hours must be age-, site-, and in most cases, subject-specific to the teaching major.

By law, candidates must pass their subject matter certification tests before they will be recommended for certification. It is in the student’s best interest to take the content test no later than two test dates prior to the desired certification date.

Since student teaching represents the culmination of the professional education coursework, practica must be completed through the University of Illinois. For additional information regarding student teaching, please consult the Council on Teacher Education section in the Programs of Study, or the appropriate clinical experiences program coordinator.