THE STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Student teaching experience offered as part of the professional career development support services at Drexel University pertains to full-time undergraduates pursuing teacher certification. Part-time students who are unable to complete the extensive fieldwork required for recommendation for certification enroll in a non-field experience program upon completion of their undergraduate studies. We have three types of student teaching placements and all of the pathways whether undergraduate or graduate use these placements. See the table below for more information:

Getting Started

Before completing the online student teaching application, you must view the following guidelines:

• Eligibility for Placement [PDF]
• Professionalism & PA Code of Professional Practice and Conduct [PDF]
• Field Placement Consent Information [PDF]

Stage IV: Student Teaching

During the full-time, 13-week (minimum) final field placement for graduate students and 30-week (minimum) residency placement for undergraduate students within a carefully selected school, students work under the immediate supervision of a highly competent Cooperating Teacher, a Drexel University Field Supervisor, and the general supervision of the Drexel University Field Experience Coordinator. This experience approximates full-time teaching and provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate everything that they have learned. This phase demands a full teaching load and as representative of the University and the teaching profession, the Student Teacher functions as a full-time staff member of the school and is expected to uphold the highest level of personal and professional standards and ethics. Students may submit a request to the Field Placement Office to be placed in a specific school district.

In order to receive placement students must submit Student Teaching Field Placement Application in order to formally apply for placement for stage IV. Please submit the application for placement by the proposed deadline in order to receive a timely placement. Field experience must take place within an approved school setting as identified and confirmed by the Field Placement Office. Per the School of Education's policies, field experiences are not to occur within a school or building in which a teacher candidate's children attend or family members are employed. Note: If you plan of study changes, please submit and updated form indicating that the new submission is a revision. You must also contact the appropriate coordinator within the Field Placement Office.

Student Teaching Timeline:

Goals of the Student Teaching Experience

• To provide a sequential, on-going classroom teaching experience, with the teacher candidate ultimately assuming the majority of the classroom responsibilities under the direct supervision of a mentor teacher
• To provide experiences that will allow teacher candidates to connect practice and theory
• To provide teacher candidates opportunities to implement best practices in instruction, classroom management, student motivation and assessment in a variety of applicable situations
• To receive ongoing constructive feedback from a mentor teacher and a site director who will assist the teacher candidate in continually strengthening his/her teaching skills
• To provide opportunities to be involved in the daily life and activities of the host school
• To encourage the teacher candidate to seek further involvement in the overall school community in an attempt to better understand the many responsibilities of a classroom teacher
• To provide the teacher candidate with opportunities for professional growth and self-reflection
• To allow the teacher candidate opportunities to consider school reform and the many critical and contemporary issues that relate to U.S. P-12 education.

Student Teaching Placements

The student and intern teaching experience comprise a full-time, a minimum thirteen-week placement in which the teacher candidate is “on the job” five days per week for the extent of a school day and gradually assumes all teaching responsibilities in that classroom. All teacher candidates will be placed with a host teacher (referred to as a “mentor teacher”) with a minimum of three years of experience, including one year at the current placement,  and who is certified in the same certification area being sought by the teacher candidate. Teacher candidates are encouraged to identify preferences for placements; however, final placement accommodations are determined by the School of Education’s Field Placement Office. Eligibility for student teaching is based on the following requirements:

• Candidate has earned a “B” or better in the required education pedagogy courses, which include; best practices, several introductory classroom and service learning field experiences, classroom management, portfolio development, current research in instruction, evaluation, teaching diverse students, diagnostic teaching, curriculum and lesson planning, constructivist learning and reflective practice;
• Has earned (and will maintain) a GPA of at least a 3.0 or better in their university course work, including the content area of their certification;
• Has submitted an introductory letter, current resume, recommendation letter by a School of Education faculty member, required clearances and any other required documents (e.g. TB test);
• Undergraduate students and provisionally accepted graduate students with an undergraduate cumulative GPA below a 3.0 have successfully passed Pre-Academic Performance Assessments (PAPA) exams. The appropriate test module codes are as follows:

In all student teaching placements, site directors regularly visit the classrooms and collaborate with the mentor teachers(s) in supervising and evaluating the teacher candidate. Site directors conduct a minimum of four formal observations of teacher candidates. The teacher candidate, mentor teacher and site director will also conduct an introductory meeting to discuss mutual expectations and final Exit Interview grade meeting to discuss the teacher candidate’s overall progress. All teacher candidates are required to attend a weekly seminar course linked to their field experience. The weekly seminar is usually held on campus at Drexel University or in an online setting.

Supplemental Forms Required for Placement:

Introductory Letter

• Introductory Letter [PDF]

Recommendation Letter(s)

• Undergraduate Recommendation Form [PDF]
• Graduate Recommendation Form [PDF]

Resumé

• SCDC Resumé Writing Tips

Online Application

For questions, contact: