This handbook is intended to provide guidance to those coordinating and facilitating students in student teaching, the final semester of the Professional Development Sequence (PDS). During this semester, students will have the opportunity to work in general education classrooms serving students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Students must spend five days per week in the classroom for a total of 70 days. Two supplementary weeks are available to provide additional teaching opportunities, accommodate development needs of preservice teachers, or enable students to make up any absences that occur during the course of the semester. Student teachers are responsible for preparation, planning, teaching and debriefing during school days. Student teachers should plan to mirror their cooperating teachers' hours as closely as possible.
In addition, students will take an additional course that should be coordinated with their field-based experience. This course may be offered during the school day or in the evening.
Student teachers may choose to complete the student teaching semester in a grade level in which they have not worked, or they may choose to return to a grade level. Student teachers sometimes may continue placements with teachers to whom they have previously been assigned, if the agreement is mutually beneficial and the student teacher has had experiences with diverse student populations.
Please note: If the coordinator has not served as the coordinator for these students in semesters one and two, the coordinator should review the information on those semesters’ responsibilities, particularly the pre-semester responsibilities and web site information you will need.
I. Pre-Semester Responsibilities
Sample forms for cooperating teachers and student teachers may be found in the Student Teaching Materials located in the EC-6 ESL Coordinator and Field Supervisor Handbook.
A. Cooperating Teachers and Principals
Coordinators should review the Recruiting and Placement Timeline for the upcoming semester on the website at: Coordinator Placement Information . Placement procedures should be followed for the district in which students will be placed.
It is the coordinator’s responsibility to seek field placements in PreK - 5th grade classrooms. If there is uncertainty as to whether a coordinator is using all potential placements on a campus, please contact the primary coordinator for that campus prior to attempting to make any placements. Austin ISD and Round Rock ISD schools have UT Primary Coordinators as do other districts listed.
After placements have been confirmed through Austin ISD and Round Rock ISD, UT’s Education Services Office will e-mail coordinators Confirmation Letter templates to send to Cooperating Teachers before students arrive in their classrooms.
Coordinators may use the following communications with the cooperating teachers. Additional sample forms for cooperating teachers and interns can be found in Student Teaching Materials Webpage.
Program Coordinator’s Communications with Cooperating Teachers
As Cohort Coordinator, I will be available to help you through e-mail _______ and telephone _______. E-mail is the most efficient way for us to communicate, but do not hesitate to telephone me if you have questions or concerns that you would like to discuss. Please leave a voicemail message if I miss your call.
Regarding the Field Supervisor
_______, your intern's field supervisor, is a graduate student with teaching experience working with young students and university training in supervision. You are welcome to e-mail or telephone_______ for assistance or guidance in working with your student teacher.
Telephone: _______ E-mail: _______
Student Teacher Contact Form
The student teacher should provide the cooperating teacher with a completed Student Teacher Contact Form. The coordinator will provide the student teacher with the cooperating teacher contact information prior to collecting the CT Contact Form from the ST. (See Student Teaching Materials Webpage)
Student Teacher Autobiographical Sketch and Contact Information
The cooperating teacher will receive an autobiographical sketch and emergency contact information from the student teacher on or before the first day of internship. (See Student Teaching Materials in the EC-6 ESL Coordinator and Field Supervisor Handbook.)
Cooperating Teacher Contact Information Form
The cooperating teacher should complete the CT Contact Form provided by the cohort coordinator and share it with the ST to submit as directed by their coordinator. The student teacher should keep a copy for themselves. (See Student Teaching Materials Webpage )
Share Yourself
Cooperating teachers should take time to share some information with interns. They would like to know about professional experiences, family, interests, personal goals, etc.
Cooperating Teacher Communications
It is recommended that the coordinator communicate via e-mail on a regular basis throughout the semester with the cooperating teachers.
Cooperating Teacher Conferences with the Intern: Reflective Conversations
Cooperating teachers should read the document entitled “Observing and Planning Effective Conferences with Beginning Teachers.” (This document is located on the main page of the EC-6 ESL Coordinator and Field Supervisor Handbook.)
Field-Based Course Requirements
At the beginning of the semester, program coordinators will provide cooperating teachers with information via e-mail regarding specific field-based course work assigned by the student teacher's instructors. Students should seek additional clarification or assistance from the appropriate instructors.
Confidentiality and Code of Ethics
Before arriving on campus, the student teacher will be informed about the significance of confidentiality in schools. In addition, interns are required to read and sign our Policies and Procedures Checklist, which includes §247.2, the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators. The forms can be found for the different groups at the Policies Web page.
Coordinators should provide packets of information for cooperating teachers that include a schedule for the semester, ideas for orienting the student teacher to the school and classroom, a list of student teacher and cooperating teacher responsibilities, guidelines for evaluating performance, and other pertinent materials required by the College of Education. In addition, it is helpful if cooperating teachers receive a list of major assignments that student teachers will be expected to complete in conjunction with their field placements (e.g., pacing guide, units to be taught, individual tutoring, student assessments). Please refer to the Guiding Student Teachers Handbook , Coordinator and Field Supervisors Handbook and the Policies and Procedures for important cooperating teacher and field supervisor information.
The coordinator and/or the field supervisor must meet personally with each cooperating teacher and principal prior to the student teacher’s first day on campus. Often coordinators can schedule a time through the principal to meet with all the cooperating teachers on their campus either before or after school. Generally, requirements can be reviewed and questions answered in 30-45 minutes.
B. Field Supervisor
Coordinators should arrange a meeting with the field supervisor(s) assigned to the cohort well in advance of the beginning of the semester. Field supervisors should be provided with copies of all materials that will be distributed to student teachers and their cooperating teachers. Field supervisors must contact cooperating teachers and meet with them prior to the students’ first day on campus. The coordinator should review expectations for initial meetings with cooperating teachers and student teachers, classroom visits and observations, mid-semester and final evaluations, record-keeping and mileage reports. A week-by-week calendar of responsibilities/expectations is often helpful, particularly for new field supervisors. Field supervisors should review their materials available on the Field Experiences Web page: Coordinator and Field Supervisor Resource Page . In addition, field supervisors must be provided with information on the MANDATORY professional development sessions for field supervisors and student teachers provided by the Field Experiences Office at the beginning of each semester. Field supervisors should provide cooperating teachers with the Web address for cooperating teacher materials (see Cooperating Teacher section at the Wiki main page: COE Field Experiences Wiki).
C. Student Teachers
Prior to the beginning of the Student Teaching semester, coordinators should schedule an initial meeting with their student teachers to review policies and procedures for the semester. At this meeting, coordinators should review the General Policies and Procedures document provided by the Education Services office and obtain signatures on appropriate forms. These forms should be maintained in each student teacher’s file. In addition, coordinators should obtain contact information for each student, determine if any absences will be required due to religious observances, and inquire about any individual circumstances or needs. Student teachers should be advised as to whom to contact in the event of an emergency or absence.
Student teachers should be advised not to contact their cooperating teachers prior to receiving notification to do so from the cohort coordinator or field supervisor. Student teachers should never approach a school for a placement. Placements are made between the schools and the coordinators. Student teachers should also be encouraged to contact the coordinator directly if there are any unresolved questions or concerns regarding the field supervisor and/or cooperating teacher.
Coordinators should provide packets for student teachers that include a schedule for the semester, ideas for getting to know the school and cooperating teacher, a list of cooperating teacher responsibilities, guidelines for evaluating performance, and other pertinent materials required by the College of Education. In addition, it is helpful if students receive a list of major assignments they will be expected to complete in conjunction with their field placements (e.g., pacing guide, units to be taught, individual tutoring, student assessments).
D. Professional Development Sequence Instructors
Coordinators should contact all of the instructors working with their cohorts to schedule a mutually convenient meeting time about two weeks prior to the semester start. During the Student Teaching semester, students usually take only one methods course. Faculty should be encouraged to bring their syllabi and any additional pertinent information to this meeting. Coordinators should facilitate, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to share their goals and objectives for the student teachers. This meeting also provides an opportunity for instructors to review requirements student teachers will be expected to complete in their field placements, due dates for major assignments, and other information about their courses. Given the intensity of the Student Teaching semester, every effort should be made to avoid scheduling conflicts and to ensure that due dates for assignments are distributed over the course of the semester. Instructors should also be asked to contact the coordinator if a student teacher is experiencing difficulty in meeting course requirements and/or has excessive absences. Coordinators should share course requirements that involve special conditions (e.g., tutoring, taping, testing, case studies) with the cooperating teachers at the beginning of the semester, in addition to associated parent permission forms to be completed, as required by the College of Education.
E. Field Experiences Office (Education Services)
The office typically holds a field supervisor orientation meeting at the beginning of the fall semester to discuss field supervisor responsibilities. New coordinators are encouraged to attend this meeting. Required forms are available in the office and can be collected prior to the beginning of the semester. Coordinators are encouraged to contact the program coordinator if questions or concerns arise.
II. During Semester Responsibilities
A. Cooperating Teachers and Principals
It is the coordinator’s responsibility to mediate any problems that arise. Coordinators should always be available to campus personnel for questions or concerns. Coordinators should visit each campus at least once or twice during the semester to keep the lines of communication open.
During the Student Teaching semester, the coordinator should begin planning to receive a new cohort of students and thinking about potential placement schools following placement procedures and email prompts from the Education Services Office staff. An orientation meeting with the new interns is scheduled by the Education Services Office during this semester to which the coordinators of new cohorts will be invited to meet their students.
B. Field Supervisors
Coordinators should maintain regular contact with the field supervisor(s). Weekly contact in person or via phone or e-mail is strongly encouraged. Field supervisors should be advised to contact the coordinator immediately if a student teacher is experiencing difficulty in meeting minimum expectations or if problems with placements occur. The coordinator should ensure that field supervisors fulfill the requirements for observations and supervision as required by TEA and Field Services Office guidelines and policies. The coordinator and field supervisors should schedule a time to meet with the student teachers at least once per month during the semester. This can often be accomplished at a brown bag lunch on a day the student teachers are on campus.
The field supervisor should always notify student teachers (and/or cooperating teachers, if appropriate) if scheduled observation days and/or times change. Student teachers and cooperating teachers should know, in advance, the whereabouts of the field supervisor during the scheduled observation time.
Coordinators should remind field supervisors to regularly check their e-mail for messages concerning their cohort or other College of Education requirements. They must also ensure that field supervisors conduct mid-semester and final evaluations in a timely fashion.
C. Student Teachers
It is the coordinator’s responsibility to monitor the student teaching requirements. Should problems with placements arise, the student teacher should contact the coordinator and every effort should be made to resolve the difficulty. Placement changes should be kept to a minimum, but may at times be necessary to provide the student teacher with an appropriate model or to avoid serious personality conflicts. In addition, the coordinator may need to mediate conflicts between the student teacher and the field supervisor. If a student teacher is experiencing significant difficulty meeting expectations, the coordinator may need to develop an Individualized Performance Plan (IPP) with the field supervisor, cooperating teacher and student teacher. The director of Education Services should be notified and must review a copy of the IPP.
The coordinator and field supervisors should schedule a time to meet with the student teachers at least once per month during the semester. This can often be accomplished at a brown bag lunch on a day the student teachers are on campus.
D. Professional Development Sequence Instructors
Coordinators are encouraged to contact PDS instructors on a regular basis to maintain open communication. If the coordinator develops an IPP for a student teacher, instructors should be consulted to determine if similar behaviors associated with their courses should be included.
On the rare occasion when a student teacher experiences severe difficulties with a PDS instructor, the coordinator should attempt to determine the cause of the problem and mediate. If mediation is unsuccessful, the student teacher should be apprised of his/her options for seeking appropriate remedy. The director of Education Services should always be advised of these cases.
E. Field Experiences Office (Education Services)
It is the coordinator’s responsibility to notify the office of any changes in placements or of IPPs developed for individual student teachers. Coordinators are also responsible for attending regularly scheduled meetings and maintaining contact with the office to ensure that all College of Education requirements are met. Coordinators should not hesitate to contact the office if questions arise or to clarify any concerns about field placements with the program coordinator. Coordinators must submit a written summary for any student who has not successfully completed his or her IPP.
During this final PDS semester, coordinators will receive emails from Education Services including a new cohort roster (for the upcoming new Intern I semester) and new student PDS application essays. Essays should be reviewed and scored with the rubric using instructions provided in the email regarding scoring and individual student meeting, if needed. Supporting resources regarding essays are available if a coordinator needs to meet with a student to further discuss the application essay. Essays and the corresponding rubric should be maintained in the new cohort student Box Folder.
III. End-of-Semester Responsibilities
A. Cooperating Teachers and Principals
Coordinators are encouraged to solicit feedback from cooperating teachers and principals on campuses providing placements for student teachers. Questionnaires can accompany thank-you notes to participating professionals, and might include questions about the student teacher’s preparation, interactions with the field supervisor, and suggestions for improvement.
It is crucial that final evaluations for the student teachers are completed in a three-way conference with the field supervisor, the cooperating teacher and the student teacher. These evaluations become a part of the student’s portfolio in the Field Experiences Office. The evaluations should represent the high standards of the University in terms of professionalism (e.g., content, neatness, and accuracy). Since this evaluation is a part of the student’s official course record, the cooperating teacher may receive a completed copy only if the student teacher grants permission.
B. Field Supervisor
Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that field supervisors submit all required paperwork in accordance with timelines established by the Field Experiences Office. In addition, coordinators must complete evaluation forms for each field supervisor and submit them to his/her respective department chair.
It is crucial that final evaluations for the student teacher are completed in a three-way conference with the field supervisor, the cooperating teacher and the student teacher. These evaluations become a part of the student teacher’s grade record in the Field Experiences Office. They should represent the high standards of the University in terms of professionalism (e.g., content, neatness, and accuracy).
The field supervisor is responsible for submitting the final evaluations electronically completed by the field supervisor, cooperating teacher, and student teacher to the coordinator. The coordinator must submit them to the Field Experiences Office for final approval. The evaluations should represent the high standards of the University in terms of professionalism (e.g., content, neatness, and accuracy).
It is recommended that coordinators meet with the field supervisor to debrief the current semester and to discuss any potential concerns regarding the Student Teaching semester.
C. Student Teachers
It is crucial that final evaluations (Summative Assessments) for the student teachers are completed in a three-way conference with the field supervisor, the cooperating teacher and the student teacher. These evaluations become a part of the preservice teacher’s official grade report in the Field Experiences Office. They should represent the high standards of the University in terms of professionalism (e.g., content, neatness, and accuracy).
Coordinators are encouraged to solicit feedback from student teachers regarding the cooperating teacher and the field supervisor. Student teachers may wish to comment on the ability of the cooperating teacher and field supervisor to model appropriate practice, to provide support and feedback for student teachers, and to meet College of Education requirements.
Coordinators should meet with any student teacher who has an IPP or has failed a course in the PDS. The coordinator, student teacher, cooperating teacher, and other PDS faculty, as appropriate, should ascertain whether or not the student teacher has satisfied all of the requirements of the IPP. If any IPP requirements were not met or if PDS courses were failed, then the meeting should focus on the student’s options for the following semester.
Coordinators should provide student teachers with current information about completing the certification process and preparing for the TExES examinations. Coordinators will also complete letters of recommendation for students, as requested.
D. Professional Development Sequence Instructors
In the event that a student teacher has failed a PDS course or course requirements have been included in an IPP, the coordinator and faculty members must discuss whether or not IPP requirements have been satisfied. The coordinator may also wish to solicit feedback from the PDS faculty concerning cohort communication and any concerns they have regarding the student teacher, as it relates to the field experience.
E. Field Experiences Office (Education Services)
The coordinator is responsible for submitting all required paperwork and forms to the office in accordance with established timelines. Mileage reports must be submitted using the electronic format provided by the office at: End-of-Semester Requirements . In addition, the office should be advised concerning any student who has not successfully satisfied the requirements of the Student Teaching semester and options for the subsequent semester should be discussed with the director.
During the Student Teaching semester, students should also be encouraged to attend the Teacher Career Fair hosted by the Education Services: Field Experiences and Career Services Office. Students may ask coordinators to write letters of reference.
