Student Teaching

Student teaching in Indiana gives students an opportunity to develop teaching competence under the supervision of professionally licensed teachers cooperating with the university in the student teaching program.

Basic Procedural Steps for Student Teaching
The following instructions/information are offered to help you complete and submit your student teaching application and also to answer questions you may have as you prepare for your student teaching assignment.

1. Students should apply for student teaching in the fall of the year before that in which they expect to student teach. Go to the Office of Teacher Education Services Web site and click on Field Experiences for the dates specified for submitting the application.
   
   Students with a disability that could impact the student teaching experience should consider discussing such considerations with the Director of Teacher Education Services well in advance of their assignment. If an auxiliary aid or service, academic adjustment or other accommodation is to be requested, contact should be made with the Office of Disabled Student Development (765-285-5293) in a timely manner.
   
2. Requirements for submitting a student teaching application:
3. Elementary education and special education majors must have an overall grade point average of 2.5 or above.
4. Teaching majors pursuing a teaching program in a department outside of Teachers College must meet an overall grade point average of 2.5 or above and a grade point average of 2.5 or above in each license area.
   
5. Timeline for submitting student teaching application before admission to student teaching 
   
6. Instructions for applying for student teaching 
   
7. Requirements for admission to student teaching 

Geographic Preference for Student Teaching

1. Student Teachers can be assigned in a number of specified Indiana counties within a 75-mile radius of Muncie.
   
2. Students majoring in special education and physical education are also assigned within a 75-mile radius of Muncie. Students in both of these majors will be interviewed and assigned by their respective departments. OTES will facilitate the placements.
   
3. Students majoring in music education will be interviewed and assigned by faculty of the School of Music's Division of Education. OTES will facilitate the placements.
   
4. Students will be permitted to list some choices as to their preferred student teaching placement. Preferences will be considered but the final determination of the student's assignment will rest with OTES.
   
5. Students should retain a copy of the completed application for his/her professional file.

Preparing a High Quality Student Teaching Application
To be considered for a tentative student teaching placement, every student will submit an online application. This application provides information about the student to superintendents, principals, potential cooperating teachers, and other personnel responsible for student teaching placements. This application is a marketing tool for the student. The application and transcripts are submitted to a school corporation or school when requesting placement. This application is submitted just as the student prepares it.

A superintendent, personnel director, principal or teacher, who is deciding whether to accept the placement request will receive a first impression of the students' potential by reviewing the application materials. It is to the student's advantage to present the materials professionally. It is critical that the application be well-written, grammatically correct, and free of spelling and typing errors. The student will also include his/her philosophy of education.

Proofreading is essential. A mistake can damage the student's placement opportunity. Students must market themselves. The student should seek others help in proofing the application and the student should allow ample time to complete the application.

Major Reasons for Application Rejection

1. Spelling errors.
   
2. Poor quality response.
   
3. Marginal grade point averages.
   
4. School corporations requiring a 3.0 or better GPA.
   
5. Late applications (Many school corporations have completed their student teaching assignments by February and contact OTES with the message that they will not take any more student teachers.)
   
6. Some school corporations only permit their teachers to take one student teacher a year.
   
7. Some school corporations take only a limited number of student teachers.
   
8. School corporations have several levels of review: superintendent, personnel director, principal, department head and the classroom teacher. The application can be declined at any of these levels particularly if the student has a poorly prepared application or has marginal grades.

Confirmation of Placement

1. When a corporation accepts a student teacher, a signed contract will be returned to OTES. At that time, a placement confirmation will be mailed to the student's home address along with instructions for visiting the school.
   
2. Students should not be concerned if confirmation takes several months. Often fall placements are not received until May or June. Every effort is being made in OTES to place every student for student teaching.
   
3. It is possible that a request for student teaching placement may have to be submitted to several school systems before an appropriate placement can be obtained. As this process evolves, the student will not be contacted unless it is necessary. This process will be accomplished in a timely and professional manner.
   
4. The student is not to contact the school regarding his/her placement.
   
5. Placement status is available online.
   Note. Receipt of confirmation of student teaching placement means only that student teaching placement has been reserved. A final eligibility check will be done just before the start of the student teaching assignment, before the student is officially cleared to begin student teaching.
   

Registering for Student Teaching
OTES will electronically enter course permission. The student must register and pay for student teaching just as they would for any other course.

Final Eligibility for Student Teaching
The student's department as well as OTES will determine final eligibility for student teaching.