Frequently Asked Questions
Student teaching is defined as a full day, full time, school-based experience that is supervised by both a certified experienced teacher and a university supervisor.
The primary objective of student teaching is to provide the opportunity for acquisition and demonstration of instructional competence for beginning professional educators.
The student teaching experience has been carefully designed to be as realistic and as intensive as actual teaching. This involves placing student teachers in schools with carefully selected and qualified supervising teachers.
Supervision is regarded as absolutely essential and is the mutual responsibility of the supervising teacher and the university supervisor, who are proven successful classroom teachers. The extent of actual student teacher or practicum student involvement and the assumption of full teaching and assessment responsibilities rest upon the mutual agreement of the candidate, the supervising teacher, and the university supervisor.
- You must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP), and will not be permitted to complete the application until this is complete. Apply for admission to the TEP. Your admission to the TEP will be approved upon completion of the admission standards during the October 1st or March 1st admission deadlines.
- See your specific program sheet, or make an appointment with an academic advisory to obtain a complete listing of the requirements. Students must apply for student teat least one semester prior to the semester during which they intend to student teach.
Applications will be accepted during one of the student teaching application intake periods. There is one intake period per semester, with relevant dates and deadlines provided on the Canvas preparation course you are invited to join your junior year.
Student teaching is graded on an S/F basis. A "Satisfactory" grade is assigned by your university supervisor and is based on the assessments completed by your supervising teacher and university supervisor, and successful completion of the edTPA. A failed student teaching experience must be repeated in its entirety. In some rare cases, student teachers have received an "I" Incomplete" or a "W" Withdrawal from student teaching.
There are no "built-in" absences. If you are going to be late or miss a day, notify the school office, your supervising teacher, and your university supervisor.
This is very important They are counting on you to be at school on time each day. If for reasons beyond your control absences occur, your IU supervisor and the Student Teaching Office will extend your experience the number of missed days. Excessive absences for any reason will result in termination.
You observe the vacation periods and schedules of the school to which you have been assigned, NOT the University vacation schedule.
You may not act as a paid substitute if your supervising teacher is absent. You may maintain leadership of the class if your supervising teacher is absent for a brief time during your full-time teaching period and if the principal designates a teacher-in-charge who is an employee. You are not an employee of the school or under contract with your school system/district. You may not receive any payment from the school during your student teaching experience — this includes for coaching and other extracurricular activities.
As a student teacher, you may not participate in any job actions (e.g., strikes or picketing). You also may not administer or witness corporal punishment. Both of these restrictions are for your own benefit.