Student Teaching Policies, Application Process, Removal from Student Teaching

Application for Student Teaching Placement

Student Teaching Eligibility Requirements

Check the School of Education website for the current eligibility policy.

Prior to beginning student teaching and practica, undergraduate and graduate certification candidates must:

1.   Be admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) at Checkpoint One and successfully complete all requirements for Checkpoint Two. For secondary majors this includes submitting passing scores on Praxis II® examinations along with other requirements.

2.   Undergraduate students must complete all required courses for their specific degree program with grades posted on the transcript which meet the following standards:

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.75
• A minimum GPA in professional education courses of 2.5 with no grade in these courses less than C (2.0).

Graduate students must complete all courses required for licensure and meet a and b above.

3.   Meet the following requirements for specific degree program or major areas:

• Elementary education candidates must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in each of the following general-education areas: fine arts, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. In addition, candidates must obtain a grade of C (2.0) or better in all required courses.
• Secondary education majors and secondary graduate certification candidates must attain a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 in education and content courses with all grades of at least a C (2.0).

4.   Resolve all courses with I (Incomplete) prior to beginning the student teaching experience. Course grades must meet the above standards.

5.   Complete all correspondence courses with grades posted to the transcript prior to beginning the candidate’s student teaching experience. Correspondence courses must be completed by the last week of July if candidates applied to student teach in the fall semester and by the last week in November if candidates applied to student teach in the spring semeste.

6.   Attend an informational session explaining eligibility requirements and the application process for student teaching and practica. Notification of these sessions is made via e-mail to candidates.

7.   Submit, after attending one of the informational sessions, a student teaching application packet to the director of student teaching and clinical practice. This packet must be submitted by the deadline posted on the student teaching bulletin board in the south hall of Greenlawn Hall. This deadline is in early December of the academic year prior to the student teaching semester. For example, candidates planning to student teach during the fall 2013 or spring 2014 semester must submit applications by the end of the fall 2012 semester. Late applications are considered on a case-by-case basis if accompanied by a letter of explanation; however, student teaching placements are not guaranteed for late applicants. Applications are only valid for the academic year listed on the application. If a student teaching experience must be postponed beyond that academic year, a new set of application materials will be required.

8.   Provide with the application, the names of two IU South Bend full-time faculty, at least one of whom is from the School of Education, who can be contacted for recommendations. Prior to requesting student teaching placements, a list of candidates applying to student teach is circulated to the faculty for review. Positive evaluations are required for placement.

9.   Candidates must provide evidence of successful completion of a certified course in first aid and in CPR. See departmental guidelines for each area.

10.  Attend a student teaching orientation session within the last week of July or first two weeks of August for fall student teachers and within the first two weeks of December for spring student teachers. Candidates are notified by letter of these scheduled sessions.

11.  Meet with academic advisors to be sure all course requirements are completed prior to student teaching    hing. If it is determined that a candidate has not met degree program requirements, the candidate may be removed at any time from the student teaching or practicum experience. A student teaching placement is not a guarantee that requirements have been met, nor is the process of determining eligibility to be considered a substitute for meeting with an advisor. Candidates found ineligible for student teaching or practica because they did not meet the above criteria may appeal these decisions in writing directly to the dean of the School of Education.

12.   Candidates are allowed to state preferences for student teaching placements, but the first priority is to place according to availability of qualified classroom supervising teachers. The following restrictions apply to student teaching placements. Candidates may not student teach at schools (and in some instances in school corporations):

• beyond a 20 mile radius of IU South Bend.
• where they have been employed; however, candidates may student teach where they have been substitute teachers.
• where they have been school board members or are related to a school board member.
• out-of-state, except in certain school districts in southern Michigan which have a contractual agreement with Indiana University.
• attended by their children or where a relative is employed. If a relative is employed in a central administrative position, candidates may not be allowed to student teach in the school corporation.
• where they have attended as a student.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to complete forms accurately. If it is discovered that a candidate did not provide accurate information and is placed in a school where one of the above limitations applies, the individual may be removed from the student teaching assignment.

To ensure that the student teaching office has accurate information, candidates must notify the director of student teaching and clinical practice via e-mail if any changes (name, address, phone number, etc.) occur between the time of application and the start of student teaching.

Removal from Student Teaching, Practicum Experiences, and Internships

In conjunction with the supervising classroom teacher and university supervisor, the director of student teaching and clinical practice determines if a candidate should be removed from a student teaching placement. The director of student teaching and clinical practice notifies the candidate, school, and school corporation. When a student teacher is removed from a placement, the reasons are explained to the candidate. If the candidate wishes to attempt a second placement, the candidate is required to develop and satisfactorily complete a professional improvement plan before he or she is assigned a second placement. The professional improvement plan is a written document created collaboratively between the student teacher and the director of student teaching and clinical practice. The department head is involved as needed and must sign the plan. The director of student teaching and clinical practice may enlist the assistance of the department head, dean, or a designee in determining if the student teacher’s progress is satisfactory and warrants a second placement. Written professional development plans must adequately address all areas of concern and be aligned with current standards aligned with licensure areas. The director of student teaching and clinical practice determines if the candidate is to receive an Incomplete or Fail for the semester according to grading policies, or if the candidate is to withdraw from the course.

Candidates are only provided two opportunities for successful placements. The second placement is in the next spring or fall semester following the semester in which the candidate is withdrawn from the first placement.