- What is Student Teaching/Internship?
- What are my responsibilities as a student teacher/intern?
- What are the eligibility requirements for student teaching/internship?
- Can I choose my school and teacher?
- Can I student teach/intern outside of the BGSU placement area?
- How do I apply for student teaching/internship?
- Do I need additional insurance?
- What do I need to do before I can begin my student teaching/internship experience?
- What should I do if my situation changes and I can’t student teach/intern as planned?
1. What is Student Teaching/Internship?
Student teaching/internship is the culminating experience for the aspiring teacher. It is designed to be an intensive, full-time
classroom experience that allows the pre-service teacher to further develop and refine the skills, competencies and dispositions
needed to be an effective educator in today’s schools. Student teachers/interns work closely with experienced mentor teachers
and university supervisors to become reflective professionals who create environments, organize content knowledge, and teach
in ways that promote student learning.
Back to top
2. What are my responsibilities as a student teacher/intern?
The student teacher/intern’s effectiveness and success in his/her assignment will be promoted by:
1. Learning and following the rules and policies of the cooperating school.
2. Getting acquainted with the classroom mentor teacher at the earliest opportunity.
3. Learning the names, strengths, and weaknesses of the pupils with whom he/she is to work, but being professional in his/her
relationship with pupils.
4. Holding in confidence personal observations regarding the pupils and the schools.
5. Recognizing the legal responsibilities and authority of the classroom mentor teacher.
6. Being aware of one’s responsibility as a representative of the university.
7. Demonstrating an interest through active participation in the school and community activities.
8. Being informed on matters of school policy as these relate to school organizations, management, and administration in
general, and to student teachers/interns in particular.
9. Setting an example for pupils in personal habits, conduct, and dress.
10. Developing an effective speaking voice and proficiency in the use of communicative skills.
11. Maintaining a professional attitude and manner.
12. Approaching the learning and the teaching situation with a positive attitude.
13. Recognizing the professional responsibility of presenting points of view without imposing a personal bias.
14. Being receptive and accepting of constructive criticism.
15. Recognizing the need to maintain acceptable standards of discipline, as agreed upon by the classroom mentor teacher.
16. Maintaining, at all times, a courteous, cooperative, and professional relationship with the entire school staff.
17. Acquiring an initial understanding of the curriculum not only on the level on which the actual teaching is done but for
all other levels.
18. Preparing long-range unit and daily lesson plans for approval by the classroom mentor teacher in advance of their use.
Daily lesson plans should be prepared and presented to the classroom mentor teacher at least the day before class utilization
or at a time designated by the classroom mentor teacher. One of the primary causes of failure in student teaching/internship
is lack of effective planning and proper preparation for teaching. Planning helps to eliminate haphazard procedures, aids
in the organization of materials, and provides a feeling of security for the student teacher/intern.
19. Following the moral and ethical standards of the profession.
Back to top
3. What are the eligibility requirements for student teaching/internship?
A student teacher/intern is a regularly enrolled university student who has been declared eligible to be assigned for the
guided student teaching/internship experience by the Office of Research and Field Experiences of the College of Education
and Human Development in the chosen area of preparation. To obtain a student teaching/internship assignment, the student
is evaluated on the following eligibility factors:
1. Filed an application for student teaching/internship in the Office of Research and Field Experiences following a program
sign-up meeting held the semester preceding the anticipated methods-student teaching/internship experience.
2. Fully admitted to the College of Education and Human Development.
3. Fully accepted in a College of Education and Human Development program either as an undergraduate or baccalaureate degree
holder.
4. Completed 90 semester hours of university credit.
5. Completed any additional program-specific requirements.
6. Earned the accumulative grade point average required by the College and the program area (with no incompletes in courses
prior to the beginning of student teaching/internship) and the designated major grade point average as assigned by the respective
program area.
Students who are declared ineligible to student teach/intern have the right to appeal the decision via a letter to the program
coordinator.
Student teaching/internship may be deferred or denied by the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development upon the
recommendation of the program coordinator.
Back to top
4. Can I choose my school and teacher?
You may not make your own placement arrangements. Student teaching/internship placements are made by the program area and
the Office of Research and Field Experiences and are based on the following factors:
1. Eligibility of the student.
2. Quality and availability of approved field sites.
3. Availability of qualified university mentor and classroom mentor teacher.
4. Availability of approved area school sites. Methods/student teaching/internship is to be completed through this university
at approved sites within a 50-mile radius of Bowling Green.
5. Location of student’s prior school experience. Students are not to student teach/intern in school district they attended
or from which they graduated.
6. Students are not to student teach/intern in a school district where a close family friend or relative is professionally
employed.
Back to top
5. Can I student teach/intern outside of the BGSU placement area?
Applications to student teach/intern outside the university radius area will be accepted for extreme circumstance cases only. These written appeals must be submitted well in advance on an Application for Transient Student
Teaching/Internship Placement, along with all required documentation, and approved by the program coordinator and the Office
of Research and Field Experiences.
Back to top
6. How do I apply for student teaching/internship?
Mandatory sign-up meetings are held at the beginning of each semester and students must attend the appropriate meeting, as
directed by their program coordinator, one to two semesters prior to the term in which they intend to student teach/intern.
It is the student’s responsibility to follow the procedures and timelines established by their program faculty and to seek
timely advice from college and program advisers so they know their particular requirements. Online Applications and Personal
Data Records must be thoroughly completed and submitted by the due date to begin the placement process.
Back to top
7. Do I need additional insurance?
All student teachers/interns are strongly recommended to obtain professional liability insurance prior to the first day of
their experience. Professional liability coverage is provided to all members of BGSEA (Bowling Green Student Education Association).
This insurance guarantees protection against suits or damages for bodily injury, personal injury, legal claims, libel, slander,
etc. arising from professional activities in the assigned school. All student teachers/interns are expected to obtain liability coverage either through BGSEA or some other source.
Back to top
8 . What do I need to do before I can begin my student teaching/internship experience?
Student teachers/interns are to interview with their classroom mentor teachers prior to the start of student teaching/internship
unless they were assigned to the same teacher for the methods experience. Upon notification of the student teaching/internship
site and classroom mentor teacher, the student teacher/intern is to call the school and ask for a date and time for an interview
with the classroom mentor teacher. If possible, the interview schedule should allow time for observation of the classroom
mentor teacher working with a class in addition to the opportunity for discussion of teaching goals and philosophies. Interview
forms, after being signed by the classroom mentor teacher or the principal, are to be returned to the Office of Research
and Field Experiences. No placement is finalized until a successful interview has been completed.
Student teachers/interns do not need to submit evidence to the Office of Research and Field Experiences that they have been
tested for tuberculosis. Exception may be made by an individual district. If so, any student placed in that district will be notified.
A criminal background check (fingerprinting) by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCI&I) and a FBI
criminal history record check is a requirement for Ohio licensure and for student teaching/internship in most local school
districts. Information is provided with the student teaching/internship assignment packets. All student teachers/interns
should consult the student teacher community site to check on their school district.
Fingerprinting should be done electronically and is available at the Campus Police Department, (419) 372-2346, Monday through
Friday from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. and from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Student teacher/interns are also required to purchase two copies of the Student Teacher/Intern Handbook, one for themselves
and one for their classroom mentor teacher, and should become thoroughly familiar with the policies and procedures prior to
beginning the experience.
Back to top
9. What should I do if my situation changes and I can’t student teach/intern as planned?
You must notify the Office of Research and Field Experiences and your program coordinator immediately so the school and classroom
mentor teacher can be notified. Our ability to provide quality placements and mentor teachers depends on maintaining good
relationships with our school partners, and we cannot maintain those relationships unless we communicate important information
like this in a timely manner.
Back to top
|
