Student Teaching Handbook
Teacher preparation guide » Cooperating teachers » Student teaching abroad » Office of Partnerships and Placements » Documents and forms » Contact
NEW Social Media policy applicable to FSEHD majors in all field experiences, including volunteering:
- Be professional on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites.
- Do not post anything you don’t want your potential employer to see.
- Do not “friend” any PK-12 students.
- Do not post any pictures or videos of PK-12 students, unless explicitly authorized in writing by host district or school.
- Do not disclose any children’s, families’ and teachers’ names or describe them on social media.
Preparing to Teach (Pre-Student Teaching)
| Your placement is finalized, when and if you meet the following requirements | Where to turn in | When |
|---|---|---|
 |
Print, sign, and date the |
June for Fall, October 30 for Spring placements, but no sooner than three months before student teaching |
| Community service requirement (undergraduates only) |  Online report |
May 11 for Fall, October 30 for Spring placements |
| Praxis II PLT | Online | April for Fall, October for Spring placements |
| Praxis II Content Knowledge | Online | Varies by program |
| Diverse Field Experience Survey | Online |
Must be submitted: March 14 to March 25, 2012 |
| Unofficial RIC transcript (should reflect all program courses completed, no incompletes, overall GPA, Content GPA ) | Hard copy to your department | Check with the department |
| Implemented lesson plan | To practicum instructor | Check with practicum instructor |
| Disposition evaluation (optional in some programs) | Online |
Check with practicum instructor |
| Teacher Candidate Mini-Work Sample (TCMWS) | To practicum instructor | Check with practicum instructor |
| Valid BCI results when starting student teaching (valid for one year). Follow |
Have with you at all times | By first day of student teaching |
| Program requirements, such as content portfolio, additional lesson plans, etc. | To your department | Contact Department Secretary, and if unavailable, Department Chair |
Student Teaching Application
- Before applying you should be Admitted to FSEHD, and have met prerequisites for practium courses.
- Attend one of the two mandatory meetings informational meetings, attendance will be taken. If you do not attend, your placement may be delayed for a semester.
- Apply online during the month of November/December for the following Fall, and during April/May for the following Spring.
- Navigate to RIC Custom Applications, then RIC Feinstein School, then Application Student Teach (SS).
- You will be asked to select your preferences. Research partner districts before applying; do not request placement in a district where you were employed, were a student, or have close family members working in or attending the schools. Secondary and K-12 applicants should talk with their program advisors before requesting placements.
- For dual placements use the "+" option to enter your second placement request.
- Once your placement is formally approved you will receive a placement letter with your teacher name, school, dates, and contact information. At this point you may formally contact the teacher to inquire about details for your student teaching placement.
- Special note-K-12 programs (art, health education, music, physical education, technology) allow teacher candidates to student teach either fall or spring semesters; some secondary education programs (mathematics, science, spanish,) only allow teacher candidates to student teach in the spring semester.
Spring 2014 Student Teaching Requirements and Due Dates
Fall 2013 Student Teaching Requirements and Due Dates
Spring 2013 Student Teaching Requirements and Due Dates
Student Teaching Policies
- Student teachers may not be placed in a school where they have been employed, were a student, or have family members working.
- Incomplete Grades on Transcripts. The Office of Partnerships and Placements will not seek a student teaching placement for a student with an outstanding Incomplete grade on his/her transcript the semester they apply for student teaching. In order to be considered for a student teaching placement, grades for any Incomplete course must be submitted and posted by November 1st for spring student teaching and March 1st for fall student teaching. Placement requests will only be made for students who have successfully earned grades in their courses with an Incomplete prior to these dates. All program requirements need to be met as well. Students who do not meet these criteria will be able to petition in order to be able to student teach their targeted semester.
Appeal Process
A teacher candidate may submit a formal written petition to seek permission to submit and post an Incomplete grade after the November 1st or March 1st due date deadline. The petition must include a letter from the teacher candidate with specific details about the situation, a letter from the professor of record in the Incomplete course, and a written recommendation from the teacher candidate’s academic advisor (with an email cc to the Program Department Chairperson). The FSEHD Assistant Dean for Partnerships and Placements will consider each request on a case-by-case basis. A formal appeal must be submitted by October 1st for spring student teaching and February 1st for fall student teaching.Students with Incomplete grades from a course the semester prior to student teaching must complete the course and have a passing grade posted within two weeks of the end of the semester's grade period of the Incomplete.
- The first day of student teaching is the opening day of the school, not the first day of RIC semester, for the fall student teaching. Spring dates are posted by the Office of Partnership and Placements.
Full Semester 14-week Student Teaching Fall 2012 Placements:
Opening day January 22, 2013—May 10, 2013Split Placements for Spring 2012 Student Teaching:
First half –Opening day January 22, 2013—March 15, 2013
Second half— March 18, 2013—May 10, 2013 - Any candidate admitted to FSEHD after August 24, 2009 who majors in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education or Secondary Education and a teaching concentration in Special Education will be required to complete one full semester of student teaching in each certification area. For more information on this new requirement contact the appropriate Department Chair and program
- Student Teaching Course Load Policy. The student teaching experience and the student teaching seminar are considered the culminating courses for teacher candidates in the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (FSEHD). All program requirements, including all coursework and courses related to specialization must be fulfilled prior to the placement of a teacher candidate in a school setting. FSEHD faculty members expect teacher candidates to dedicate their full academic attention to their student teaching duties in the schools the semester they are enrolled. Consequently, teacher candidates are not permitted to register for any courses other than student teaching, student teaching seminar, and SPED 440 (Collaboration: Home, School and Community) during or after their student teaching experience. Questions concerning this policy should be addressed to the Office of Partnerships and Placement. Appeal Process for Course Load Policy:A teacher candidate may submit a formal written petition to seek permission to take an additional course during student teaching. The petition must include a letter from the candidate, a written recommendation from the teacher candidate's academic advisor and a letter of recommendation from the Department Chairperson. The FSEHD Assistant Dean for Partnerships and Placements considers each request on a case-by-case basis. A request must be submitted by the drop/add date of the semester prior to the teacher candidate's placement in student teaching.
- Absences. Teacher Candidates are required to be present every day, and are required to follow the school/district calendar not the College's schedule. The Teacher Candidate must inform the cooperating teacher, the cooperating school, and the College Supervisor if absent from the school assignment. Absences must be made up and should be kept to the absolute minimum for true emergencies.
- Grading is Satisfactory /Unsatisfactory (S/U). The S grade cannot be assigned without successful completion of the TCWS, and satisfactory OPR results. A student teacher must be successful in his/her first placement before moving onto the second placement. The Assistant Dean in the Office of Partnerships and Placements works with grading issues and discrepancies. Grades submitted for first half split placements could be considered tentative until the student has completed all the work for that placement.
Student Teaching Assessment Timeline For Spring 2013
Requirement |
Person Responsible |
Due Date |
Where/How to Submit |
Observation and Progress Report (OPR) 1 |
Cooperating Teacher (CT) and |
Full placements-by end of |
|
OPR 2 |
CT and CS |
Full placements-by end of |
|
OPR 3 |
CT and CS |
Full placements-by Wed. of |
|
Teacher Candidate Work Sample (TCWS) |
CS or Seminar |
By Thursday of last week of |
|
Grade for student teaching- |
CT and CS |
For CT-by last day of student |
Link sent to CS and CT |
| Exit Survey | Student teacher | By the start of the Finals Week |
CT Exit Survey is completed on ricpay.org when pay request is submitted |
Seminar Grade |
CS |
By Tuesday of week |
CS submits grade through RIConnect and notifies E. Sullivan of any Incompletes and other issues. |
Notes about grading for student teaching
Grading is Satisfactory /Unsatisfactory (S/U). The S grade cannot be assigned without successful completion of the TCWS, and six satisfactory OPR results in Chalk and Wire database. A student teacher must be successful in his/her first placement before moving onto the second placement. The Assistant Dean in the Office of Partnerships and Placements works with grading issues and discrepancies. Grades submitted for first half split placements could be considered tentative until the student has completed all the work for that placement.
Student Teaching Documents and Forms
- Assessments (Teacher Candidate Work Sample and OPR information and data entry points)
- How to apply for Rhode Island Teacher Certification
- How to apply for Out of State Teacher Certification
- Information for cooperating teachers
- Supervisors must follow the state travel policy and procedures for automobile travel.
Expectations of the student teacher
FSEHD's RIPTS). The student teaching experience is designed to provide the teacher candidate with an opportunity to further develop and refine her or his skills. The Teacher Candidate is an active participant of the three-person team (Teacher Candidate-Cooperating Teacher-College Supervisor) working in a school-based setting. The Cooperating Teacher serves as the mentor who, with the College Supervisor, assists the Teacher Candidate to become a successful professional. The Teacher Candidate is expected to:
- Apply appropriate teaching practices to the student teaching experience;
- Attend and participate in all required College meetings and student teaching seminars;
- Participate in student teaching for a 14 (full placement) or 7 weeks (split placement) and assume total responsibility for the instructional program for a period of no less than three full weeks for a full placement and two for a joint placement;
- Understand the 'guest' status of the Teacher Candidate in the school and that final authority for the classroom rests with the Cooperating Teacher.
- Assume classroom responsibilities by being well prepared, attending professional meetings as suggested and participating in extra curricular activities;
- Interact with children and youth in a manner that builds a positive self-concept in each pupil;
- Demonstrate a professional manner through promptness, confidentiality, ethical conduct and other appropriate behaviors;
- Fulfill all of the program requirements of student teaching. Failure to meet responsibilities may result in termination of the student teaching experience. Requests for termination of the student teaching experience may originate from the College Supervisor, Cooperating Teacher, or Cooperating School Principal.
Problems And Concerns
Problems or concerns about a student teacher or a student teacher's placement are to be directed to the Assistant Dean of Partnerships and Placements. Dr. Eileen Sullivan and her assistant, Kimberly Crabill. They may be reached at:
- esullivan@ric.edu or 456-8593
- kcrabill@ric.edu or 456-8114
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