Teacher preparation/certification programs in Bloomington require 12-16 weeks of student teaching. An additional practicum of six weeks is required for students who are adding a license addition to the initial teaching area. When completing a license addition, the major student teaching assignment will be reduced to ten (10) weeks, with an additional six (6) weeks in the license addition subject area. Students completing a dual certification program like the TAL program will be required to complete student teaching in each of the initial certification areas (elementary generalist and elementary mild intervention).

Both student teaching and practicums are full-day, full-time, off-campus, school-based experiences that are completed in consecutive weeks. The extent of actual student teacher or practicum student involvement and the assumption of full class responsibilities rests upon the mutual agreement of the student, the supervising teacher, and the university supervisor. Augmentation of the program is achieved through participation in the total education activities of the school and school community. Such participation is regarded as an integral part of the experience, not optional or supplemental.

The student teaching experience has been carefully designed to be as realistic and as intensive as actual teaching, including placing student teachers in schools with carefully selected and qualified supervising teachers. Supervision from the university is provided by professionals who have been successful classroom teachers and administrators.

Students are given an opportunity to express a preference for the type and location of school to which they will be assigned. Most placements are made in the public and private school—elementary, middle, junior high and senior high—statewide for students on the Bloomington campus. In-state students are encouraged to student teach in their home town region as placements fill up in the local area quickly. Students should not do their student teaching in the school system in which a relative is employed. Priority is given to those students whose families reside in Bloomington, out-of-state students, and international students for placements in Bloomington. Students must petition the Academic Standards Committee for consideration of out-of-state placements.

Students also have the option of applying for student teaching and/or practicums in special areas through the Global Gateway for Teachers program, such as those provided by the Navajo Nation Program, the Urban Program and the Overseas Program. These types of assignments require specialized study.

The Application Process 

Student Teaching begins with a mandatory application meeting. Prospective student teachers are required to sign up electronically for the meetings one full year before student teaching. Student teaching or practicums will be completed through IUB, unless an exception is granted by the appropriate authority.

Students are required to provide a criminal history check to the school districts before participating in student teaching. Each school district has its own requirements for the type, means of obtaining and where those criminal history checks must be sent. Students will be required to contact the school corporation(s) in which they are placed for student teaching for that information. School districts may deny a student teaching assignment based on a misdemeanor or felony record.

Eligibility for Student Teaching and Practicum Require the Following:

1. Unconditional admission to the Teacher Education Program.
2. Senior or graduate status in the university, or be within two semesters and one summer session of graduation. (In no case should a student have completed fewer than 84 credit hours prior to the semester in which the student teaching and/or practicum is to be done.)
3. Completed at least three-fourths (75%) of the number of credit hours in the content(s).
4. Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 at Indiana University.
5. Attend an application meeting and submit all required materials for student teaching or practicum one year before expected start date of placement.
6. Complete all professional education courses, including required laboratory field experience courses, and have attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all professional education courses. A minimum grade of C must be attained in each professional education course.
7. If earning a license addition, all courses must be completed, including required laboratory field experience courses with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the license addition area. A minimum grade of C is required in each license addition course.
8. Elementary, early childhood and elementary/exceptional needs majors must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in content courses for each of the following areas: language arts, fine arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
9. Elementary majors must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the area of concentration, license addition or academic minor and no grades lower than a C.
10. Secondary and all school settings programs may have C- grades in the content area(s).
11. Secondary or all school settings programs require a minimum GPA of 2.5 in each content area (Exception: Mathematics which requires a 2.0 GPA).
12. Show proficiency in the area(s) in which the student teaching or practicum is to be done. This requires a school, department, project, or program recommendation; and may also include passing a required qualifying examination (i.e., World Language) or meeting other requirements established by the respective school, department, project, or program that has been approved.
13. Transfer students must be enrolled at least one semester or summer in education courses on the Bloomington campus before student teaching and taken all professional education courses through Indiana University.
14. Students found ineligible for student teaching or a practicum may appeal this decision. At Bloomington, students should follow the appeals processes described in the Undergraduate Student Portal section of the School of Education website under Academic Policies.

Student Teaching Policies

Completion of Student Teaching

• Grading: Student teaching is graded on an S/F basis. A “Satisfactory” grade is based on the assessments completed by the supervising teacher and on the recommendation of the university supervisor. In order for the candidate to pass the student teaching experience, the candidate cannot earn any scores of ‘1’ and/or no more than one score of ‘2’ in any category on the final evaluation.
• Interruption/Termination of Student Teaching: The final authority for the classroom students’ academic progress rests with the supervising teacher. If the student teaching experience is determined as detrimental to student learning (based on observations, written documentation, and discussions with the university supervisor), the student teaching experience may be terminated.
• Eligibility for Incompletes: If student teaching is interrupted and the candidate is doing satisfactory work at the time and/or deemed by supervisors as benefiting from a remediation plan, a grade of “I” (Incomplete) may be recorded. An arrangement with the Office of Clinical Experiences is required to remove an “Incomplete” grade. If a student should receive an “F” (Failure) for student teaching, the individual situation will be discussed to determine if the candidate could repeat the student teaching experience in its entirety.

Calendar/Vacations
It is the policy of Indiana University that teacher candidates WILL follow the calendar of the respective school corporation. Fall teacher candidates will report the first teacher day of the school corporation. Spring teacher candidates will report the first day back from holiday break. Fall and Spring candidates will honor the school corporation’s breaks (not IU breaks).

Absences
There are no sick days in student teaching. All teacher candidates are expected to fulfill the required number of days of their student teaching assignment. Days missed must be made up. If a teacher candidate is going to be late or miss a day, he/she must notify the school office, the supervising teacher, and the university supervisor. The school should be notified no later than 6:15 am. The supervising teacher and university supervisor must be informed after the school is called. If extenuating circumstances occur, the university supervisor and supervising teacher will meet to discuss extending the experience and make a recommendation accordingly to the teacher candidate. Excessive absences will result in an extension of the student teaching experience or termination.

Additional Activity Parameters
The following activity parameters must be followed during the student teaching placement:

• A teacher candidate may not act as a paid substitute if the supervising teacher is absent. Teacher candidates may maintain leadership of the class if the supervising teacher is absent for a brief time and if the principal designates a teacher-in-charge who is an employee. 
• Candidates are not employees of the school or under contract. They may not receive any payment from the school during the student teaching experience (this includes coaching or other extracurricular activities). 
• Candidates may not take courses while student teaching, and are strongly discouraged from holding a job. However, students are allowed to enroll in EDUC-M202: Job Searh Strategies for Educators while student teaching.
• Candidates may not administer or witness corporal punishment. 
• Candidates may not transport any student in their own vehicle. 
• Candidates may not visit students in their homes or in private. 
• Candidates should always conference with students in an open, visible and easily accessible place. 
• Candidates may not take any unsupervised responsibility for extracurricular events or activities including school-sponsored trips.

Suspected Child Abuse
It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to report suspicions of child abuse. Follow these steps: 

1. Take time to write complete notes regarding observations, conversations, etc. that have led to suspicions of child abuse. 
2. Share your concerns and notes with the supervising teacher and/or principal and work with them to notify the Department of Child Services or local law enforcement. 
3. Advise the university supervisor of the situation.

Disabilities
If a teacher candidate requires assistance or academic accommodations for a disability, they should first contact the Office of Disability Services for Students in Wells Library W302, 812-855-7578. After eligibility for disability services has been determined, every attempt will be made to accommodate qualified students with disabilities (e.g. mental health, learning, chronic health, physical hearing, vision neurological, etc.). You must have established your eligibility for support services through the appropriate office that services students with disabilities. Note that services are confidential, may take time to put into place and are not retroactive; captions and alternate media for print materials may take three or more weeks to get produced.

It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to communicate with the Office of Clinical Experiences information about this assistance and/or academic accommodations. You can reach the Office of Clinical Experiences by emailing stuteach@indiana.edu or calling 812-856-8503.

Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct
During student teaching/practicum, teacher candidates are still held to the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct and must behave in accordance to this code. Students/Teacher Candidates will face harsh consequences if this code is violated (up to and including failing the course and IU may take further action).