Student Teaching and Internship
Description
Student teaching is the capstone experience for students in the Elementary Education and ESE/Elementary Education degrees. During the semester-long experience, teacher candidates gradually assume full teaching responsibilities in a classroom with the guidance and support of an experienced teacher. Teacher candidates demonstrate that they can effectively provide K-6 students with rigorous standards-based instruction and are prepared for their first teaching position. During the time a teacher candidate is engaged in student teaching, any outside employment or additional academic work (with the exception of Senior Seminar) must be approved by the Chair of the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Research.
Requirements
To qualify for student teaching, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Complete all program coursework with a grade of C- or higher.
- Maintain a minimum program GPA of 2.5.
- Submit an application through Exxat or another designated data management system during the appropriate application window:
- Fall semester: April 1 – May 1
- Spring semester: October 1 – November 1
- Pass all required FTCE certification exams by the close of the application window (May 1 for Fall, November 1 for Spring):
- Elementary Education/ESOL/Reading majors must pass:
- Professional Education Exam (PED)
- Subject Area Exam (SAE) for Elementary Education K-6
- Exceptional Student Education (ESE)/Elementary Education/ESOL/Reading majors must pass:
- Professional Education Exam (PED)
- Subject Area Exam (SAE) for Elementary Education K-6
- Subject Area Exam (SAE) for Exceptional Student Education K-12
- Elementary Education/ESOL/Reading majors must pass:
Meeting these requirements ensures that candidates are prepared for the responsibilities of full-time classroom teaching.
Fingerprinting and Background Checks
To comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act, all students completing a field experience in the State of Florida must be fingerprinted and complete a background check. Teacher candidates in Escambia, Okaloosa, or Santa Rosa Counties will be sent fingerprinting information via email from the Office of Clinical Placements and Partnerships prior to field placement.
Distance students should refer to their local school district website for procedures and costs for fingerprinting and background checks when they complete their application in the data management system. Students will not be allowed entry into a school without first completing the fingerprinting and background checks required by that district.
