About Student Teaching

Student Teaching is the Capstone Project that allows you, after successfully completing the semester, to apply for your Teaching License in the State of Ohio. This is typically done in Phase 4 of your program. All coursework from your Program Plan needs to be completed prior to being eligible to Student Teach. (See criteria to be eligible to Student Teach.)

Student Teaching is considered to be the most important and challenging component of your teacher prep program. It is a 16-week “professional internship.” Student Teaching requires a large time commitment from you. You will need to begin to think about how you will manage all your personal responsibilities and commitment during this time. During your professional internship you will be required to report to your assigned school placement Monday through Friday during the required hours your mentor teacher is required to be there. This typically is 8 hours a day. Expect to spend time in the evenings and on the weekends to reflect, plan and prepare for future instruction.

The objective of Student Teaching is to provide experiences where students seeking licensure can effectively demonstrate skills in each of the following areas:

• Planning and Preparation
• The Classroom and School Environment
• Engaging students in meaningful instruction
• Assessment
• Professional Responsibilities
• Professional Dispositions
• Behavior Management

Teacher Candidate Placement Policy

All Student Teaching placements are made within a 50-mile radius from the main campus at The University of Akron.

Teacher Candidates will be placed in local school districts with which we have developed partnerships and which meet the criteria for each Teacher Candidate’s licensure area.  We also take into consideration where Teacher Candidates have completed their Field work.  We work to ensure that each Teacher Candidate receives experience in diverse settings within their College of Education experiences. These partner schools can be public, private or charter schools, as long as they are accredited by the State of Ohio.

The University of Akron will request an appropriate Teacher Candidate placement during the semester prior to Student Teaching.  (See criteria to be eligible to student teach.)

A student teacher is not permitted to student teach in the same school district where he/she is employed, where relatives are employed, where their children are attending, or from which he/she has graduated within the last 10 years.

Students may not change, switch with another student, or refuse a placement.

Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from their assigned school placement.

To be eligible to student teach, candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Be admitted to the College of Education.
2. Completion of all program requirements.
3. Have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.5 or above.
4. Have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.5 or above in your content area(s).
5. In your professional education coursework you cannot have a grade below a C. Any Professional educational coursework with a C- or below must be retaken.
6. MUST PASS at least ONE CONTENT AREA (ECITP/PITP or Middle Child licensure areas, it is RECOMMENDED that you take both content OAE assessments before you student teach but, you only need to pass one. .090 is NOT  a content OAE)
7. Clean FBI and BCI report.
8. Required meeting with your faculty advisor prior to applying.
9. Submission of completed student teaching application by required deadline.
10. Approval from the Student Teaching committee.