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Office of Field Experiences

ID Card | Insurance | Interview | Orientation | Placements |  Registration | Teacher Performance Assessment

Deadline for Student Teaching (EFC 480) Applications

Link to Student Teaching Application

Fall Quarter: January 15 

Winter Quarter: June 1

Spring Quarter: October 1

*The current deadlines are subject to change for the 2020-2021 academic year*

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The Student Teaching Handbook provides an overview of your final internship experience.

Student Teaching Course Overview

Please read the course overview to learn more about student teaching expectations and placement.

Department Standards
All students completing an educational endorsement must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher for the last 45 graded quarter credits or overall CWU/transfer cumulative.  Students must also earn (prior to student teaching) a minimum grade of "C" in all required courses for certification.

Admission Requirements
Students may not enroll in education courses until they have been at least conditionally admitted into the Teacher Certification Program. Please see the admission requirements for the Teacher Certification Program.

Student Teaching (EFC 480) is a by-permission-only course which must be completed full-time over the course of one quarter. Students must attend the seminar which accompanies the student teaching experience. The seminar will meet a total of 20 clock hours during the quarter, normally at a time other than school hours, and at a place designated by the University Field Supervisor.

All assignments for Student Teaching are made through the Office of Field Experiences. Students must complete the Student Teaching Application online by the posted deadline.

In order to qualify for certification to teach in more than one specialization, students must meet all requirements as listed in the undergraduate catalog for each specialization and pass the appropriate state required exam (WEST-E or NES).

Prerequisites: Full admission to the Teacher Certification Program, 3.0 GPA or higher (either for the last 45 graded quarter credits or overall CWU/transfer cumulative), successful completion (grade of C or higher) of professional sequence, major and minor courses, successful completion of at least 75 percent of major and minor (to include certain courses), submission of proof of purchase of $1M liability insurance*, and submission of proof of registration of WEST-E or NES exam for a test date that will occur prior to the first day of the Student Teaching experience. All grades of Incomplete must be converted to C or higher prior to the beginning of the Student Teaching experience.

Repeatable for Credit: No

Grading Basis: S/U

Notes: Grade will be S or U.

 

Documents

Fall 2021 applications are no longer accepted.

Applications for winter 2022 will be accepted through October 1st, 2020.

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Identification Card

A student teacher identification card must be obtained either from the Connection Card office in Bouillon Hall, room 104 (for main campus students) or at CWU centers (for cohort students).

The card may be obtained after January 15 for Fall quarter Student Teaching; April 15 for winter quarter Student Teaching; and October 15 for Spring quarter Student Teaching.

The card is provided free of charge and will be required by both University Field Supervisors and the school districts in which you will be placed.

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Liability Insurance

Please visit the Teacher Certification website for more information about Liability Insurance.

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Orientation

The Student Teaching orientation will be scheduled by your University Field Supervisor. Attendance is mandatory. If you can not attend, prior arrangements must be made with your University Field Supervisor or you will be dropped from Student Teaching.

Orientation information will be provided by your University Field Supervisor via email or telephone.

A Student Teaching packet will be provided at orientation. The packet will include the Student Teaching Handbook and other orientation materials needed to get you started in the experience.

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Placements

Only the Coordinator of Field Experiences is allowed to seek placements for Student Teaching. Students may not act on their own behalf, nor have anyone other than the approved Coordinator of Field Experiences act on their behalf, regarding placements. Information regarding placements will be sent to student teachers when ready.

Geographic Assignments
  • Not all areas of geographic preference are available as options for placement in every quarter.
  • In areas where placement options are limited, students will be chosen based on a random lottery system. Typically, this refers only to Kittitas County placements (where there are usually no more than 8-12 placements available in any given quarter), but may also apply to other areas as well, based on district need and availability of Cooperating Teachers. (Extenuating personal or professional circumstances for areas with limited placement will not be considered.)
  • No placements will be sought in areas where full-time University Field Supervisors are not available to seek placements (typically, placements are sought in areas near the 6 University Centers).

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Registration

Students must attend a mandatory Pre-Autumn Information Meeting during the spring quarter prior to Pre-Autumn. This meeting will focus on general information about placement, procedures, expectations and refunds. Course/section numbers for pre-registration will be disseminated at this meeting. An email will be sent to applicant's CWU email account during spring quarter identifying dates and times of this mandatory meeting. Student ID must be shown in order to receive course/section numbers.

An email will be sent to applicant's CWU email account during Spring quarter with your course number to register. You must register by the end of Spring quarter. You will not be allowed in the classroom unless you are registered. Deadlines for withdrawal are different than deadlines for fall quarter (withdrawal information).

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Student Teaching Interview

  1. Potential school placements and/or mentor teachers may require an interview prior to approval.
  2. Student teaching interviews will be arranged by the Coordinator of Field Experiences.
  3. This allows the mentor teacher to ask the student teacher questions related to pedagogy, placement, student preference, and expectations.
  4. Students can also discuss questions and concerns regarding student teaching with the Office of Field Experience.

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Teacher Performance Assessment

What is the Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA)?

  • A performance-based assessment of pre-service teachers
  • Part of a national movement to make authentic performance the basis of pedagogy assessment
  • Artifacts are collected by teacher candidates during their full time student teaching
  • Candidates write commentary to explain and reflect upon their work
  • Will be used for initial certification in Washington State

Purpose of the TPA

Assess teacher candidates’ abilities to…

  • Consider academic contexts and students' socio-cultural backgrounds in planning
  • Plan instruction based on learning objectives
  • Use what they know about language and special educational needs to adapt instruction
  • Use instructional practices that support student learning
  • Support all students' academic language development
  • Use daily observations to adjust instruction to support students’ present and future learning
  • Assess students' learning
  • Use assessment results to plan next steps
  • Develop students’ understanding of:
    • The learning targets
    • Their own status in relation to the learning targets
    • Their own path to accomplish the learning targets

Structure of the TPA Portfolio

Tasks Requirements
Planning Context for learning
Planning for instruction and assessment
Instruction Engaging students in learning (videotaped)
Reflection Daily reflections on teaching
Assessment Analysis of student learning 
Feedback
Academic Language Examples across all areas
Student Voice (WA only) Examples across all areas
Two Types of Evidence: Teaching Artifacts and Commentary


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