STT 399.72 Student Teaching in Physics

Realizing the Democratic Ideal:

Teacher Education at Illinois State University

STT 399.72 -- STUDENT TEACHING IN PHYSICS

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

Spring Semester 2008

(Final version: 2/14/2008)

STT Orientation PowerPoint - For cooperating teachers - view in conjunction with MP3 below.

STT Orientation MP3 - For cooperating teachers - listen to MP3 in conjunction with above PPT.

Catalog Description:

STUDENT TEACHING

8 s.h.

Spring

2.5 cum GPA req., PSY 215, C&I 212, 214, 216, PHY 209, 302, 310, 311, and min of 100 clock hours of approved pre-student teaching Clin Exp. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 312 and PHY 353 req.

Directing the learning of students; participating in school and community activities; assuming full responsibility for a group of learners under the supervision of an expert teacher. Assignments are made on the basis of the student's area of specialization. The student's transcript indicates the area in which student teaching was completed.

Note: Students must register for both section 1 and section 2 of student teaching in physics, 399.72, for a total of eight semester hours. Illinois State University does not use a +/- grading system, and, as a result, the eight semester hours of STT 399.72 are graded in two 4-semester sections providing for A/A, A/B, B/B, and B/C mixed grades.

Instructor:

Name: Dr. Carl J. Wenning, Coordinator
Physics Teacher Education Program
Office Location: Moulton Hall, Room 322
Office Hours: drop in or by appointment
Telephones: (309) 438-2957 (office); 454-4164 (home); 830-4085 (cell)
e-mail address: wenning@phy.ilstu.edu

Duration & Dates:

The student teacher will be working with a cooperating teacher on a daily basis for a minimum of 50 full days. Eleven weeks of student teaching are scheduled to take into account the fact that most schools have spring break week. Student teaching will commence Monday, February 18, 2008 (or Tuesday, February 19 if the school observers Presidents' Day) and continues through Friday, May 2, 2008 (or later if necessary).

School Visits:

The university supervisor will make at least five visits during the student teaching practicum, and more if necessary. These visits will be announced. During these visits the university supervisor will be performing both formative and summative assessments of the student teacher's practice, and will be meeting both privately and jointly with the teacher candidate and the cooperating teacher(s). Details about school visits are available. (Note: The 1st "visit" will consist of an introductory DVD movie and corresponding PPT presentation; the 5th "visit" might consist of a telephone-based discussion.)

Goal and Performance Objectives for All Undergraduates:

The goal of student teaching is to provide student with a mentored transition period between being a student an teacher. Another of the goals is to determine if the student teacher is qualified to be certified as a teaching professional. The objectives of student teaching, which serve as the basis of this assessment, are aligned with the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and the National Science Teachers Association standards. A successful student teaching experience will ensure that prospective physics teachers:

possess and demonstrate a knowledge and conceptual understanding of science necessary to develop science literacy of students as delineated in national and state science education standards;
select, design, and incorporate scientific inquiry into classroom instruction, and understand the role inquiry plays in the development of scientific knowledge;
relate science and technology to everyday life in a manner appropriate to the interests and level of the students and subject being taught;
are knowledgeable about the values, beliefs and assumptions inherent to scientific knowledge and the generation of knowledge within the scientific community;
select and design and implement instructional approaches that reflect current research in science education, knowledge of how children learn, and goals of the profession as set forth in state and national standards and frameworks developed by the science education community;
experiment with methods, reflect upon outcomes and revise teaching practices based upon knowledge of student needs, successful experiences, goals and practices advocated by the science education profession, and the results of research on effective teaching;
implement a quality science curriculum and understand and apply the recommendations of national, state, or local standards and curriculum frameworks for science education in planning the science program and in selecting instructional materials;
use family and community resources to further the goals of science education;
understand and practice teaching as an act extending beyond the classroom, taking initiative in planning, developing and leading science education activities in the schools, community and profession;
create learning opportunities for all students to derive meaning from science instruction which is based on current research on teaching and learning, and on national goals for science education;
design and manage learning environments with the time, space, and resources needed for teaching and learning science; and
use authentic and equitable assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure continuous intellectual, social, and personal development of the learning in all aspects of science.
use instructional abilities to teach reading/learning skills in the content area of science.

Documentation: (Student teachers: Please pay close attention!)

Student teaching fulfills legal requirements for initial teacher certification. As such, the student teaching experience must be fully documented. The following list explains the forms that the cooperating teacher and student teacher are responsible for completing during the student teaching experience:

Student teacher completes Student Teacher Information Sheet and returns it to university supervisor before leaving campus for student teaching.
Student teacher mails two weekly reports consisting of Weekly Report of Time Allocation and Weekly Reflection Sheet (a different one for each week obtained through the PHY 353 course syllabus) to the university supervisor (Carl Wenning) each Friday. Preaddressed, postage-paid envelopes have been provided for the student's convenience of returning the two weekly reports. Student teacher must retain copies of all weekly reports.
Student teacher completes mid-term self-assessment using Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form
Student teacher completes mid-term self-assessment using the Mid-Term Realizing the Democratic Ideal Student Teaching Assessment form; assessment is discussed at third site visit.
Cooperating teacher completes Mid-Term Evaluation of Student Teacher using the Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form at the MIDDLE of the student teaching assignment and retains the form for later use for discussions with the university supervisor.
Student teacher completes Summary Reflection Sheet and returns it along with other required reports at the end of student teaching.
Student teacher completes final self-assessment using the Final Realizing the Democratic Ideal Student Teaching Assessment form; assessment is discussed at final site visit and signed by student, cooperating teacher, and university supervisor.
Cooperating teacher completes final Evaluation of Student Teaching using the Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form at the CONCLUSION of the assignment and gives it to the University supervisor during his last visit.

Course Alignments:

Please note the follow abbreviations used in Sources of Objectives. The following number refers to standard number.

IPTS=Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
INTASC=Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium
NBPTS=National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
NSTA=National Science Teachers Association
ISUCF=Illinois State University Conceptual Framework
PTAC=Physics Teacher Education Advisory Committee

In order to graduate, every teacher candidate must demonstrate each of the following competencies at a B level or above:	Sources of Objectives	STT 399.72 Assessment Form Correlate
(1) understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of his or her discipline(s) and supports other educators and students in creating learning experiences that are meaningful to all students.	IPTS#1, INTASC#1, NBPTS#2, NSTA#1, ISUCF#3, ISUCF#5	CONTENT KNOWLEDGE
(2) understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning experiences that support the intellectual, social, personal, and career development of all students.	IPTS#2, INTASC#2, NBPTS#1, NBPTS#4, NSTA#5	HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
(3) understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.	IPTS#3, INTASC#3, NBPTS#6, NSTA#5, ISUCF#1, ISUCF#6	DIVERSITY
(4) understands instructional planning and designs interventions based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community and curriculum goals.	IPTS#4, INTASC#7, NBPTS#3, NBPTS#5, NSTA#6	PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
(5) uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.	IPTS#5, INTASC#5, NBPTS#1, NBPTS#5, NSTA#9, ISUCF#4	LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
(6) understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.	IPTS#6, INTASC#4, NBPTS#7, NBPTS#8, NSTA#5, ISUCF#7	INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY
(7) uses knowledge of effective written, verbal, nonverbal and visual communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.	IPTS#7, INTASC#6, ISUCF#9	COMMUNICATION
(8) understands various forms of formal and informal assessment and evaluation strategies and uses them to support the continuous development of all students.	IPTS#8, INTASC#8, NBPTS#10, NSTA#8	ASSESSMENT
(9) understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and the community to support student learning and well-being.*	IPTS#9, INTASC#10, NBPTS#11, NBPTS#12, NSTA#7	COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS
(10) is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices and actions affect students, parents/guardians, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally.	IPTS#10, INTASC#9, NBPTS#13, NSTA#10, ISUCF#8	REFLECTION AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
(11) understands education as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct and ethics, and provides leadership to improve student learning and well being.	IPTS#11, NSTA#10, ISUCF#2	PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
(12) interprets the nature of science, engages students in activities examining the values, beliefs, and assumptions underlying the creation of scientific knowledge, and compares science with other ways of knowing.	NSTA#2	THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE - NATURE OF SCIENCE
(13) engages the students effectively in science-related exploration of the natural environment.	NSTA#3	THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE - SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
(14) relates science to the daily lives and interests of students, as well as to a larger framework of human endeavor and understanding.	NSTA#4	THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE - CONTEXT OF SCIENCE
(15) develops and applies a coherent, focused science curriculum that is consistent with state and national standards for science education and appropriate to meet the needs, abilities, and interests of students.	NSTA#6	THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE - SCIENCE CURRICULUM
(16) values and maximizes student learning.	Physics Teaching Advisory Committee	THE INTANGIBLES OF TEACHING - STUDENT LEARNING
(17) demonstrates instructional abilities to teach reading (including metacognition/student self regulation) in the content area of science.	Illinois Reading Standards for all Teachers	THE INTANGIBLES OF TEACHING - STUDENT READING
(18) possesses those personal traits of excellent teachers.	Physics Teaching Advisory Committee	THE INTANGIBLES OF TEACHING - TEACHER QUALITIES
(19) produces in her/his cooperative teacher and university supervisor overall impressions of excellent teaching ability.	Physics Teaching Advisory Committee	THE INTANGIBLES OF TEACHING - OVERALL IMPRESSION
(20) conduct weekly self-assessments based upon the required competencies described in the INTASC and NBPTS standards.	INTASC and NBPTS Standards	WEEKLY REFLECTIONS
(21) teaches in a fashion that is consistent with the Democratic Ideal, including teaching of a diversity/multiculturalism lesson.	CECP and ISU PBA Task Force	MULTICULTURALISM/ DIVERSITY LESSON

* This is where the Web Page for Parents from PHY 302 can come into play. Consider creating/updating a resource web page using metacognition/self-regulation resources from the corresponding PHY 311 Web page Planning for Effective Instruction. Tom Holbrook at University High School has a page worthy of emulation at the following URL: http://www.uhigh.ilstu.edu/science/parents/parents.htm

Course Alignment with Teacher Education Unit's Conceptual Framework:

Conceptual Framework	Course Objective No.
Moral Virtues:
Sensitivity toward the varieties of individual and cultural diversity.	3
Disposition and ability to collaborate ethically and effectively with others.	11
Reverence for learning and seriousness of personal, professional, and public purpose.	1
Respect for learners of all ages, with special regard for children and adolescents.	5
Intellectual Virtues:
Wide general knowledge and deep knowledge of the content to be taught.	1
Knowledge and appreciation of the diversity among learners.	3
Understanding what affects learning and appropriate teaching strategies.	6
Interest in and an ability to seek out informational, technological, and collegial resources.	10
Contagious intellectual enthusiasm and courage enough to be creative.	7

Student Teacher Information Sheet

Prior to departing campus for student teaching, each student teacher must complete and turn in to the university supervisor a Student Teacher Information Sheet that provides contact information, class schedule, classroom 'absences' calendar, etc.

Assessment Outline:

There are two assessments associated with student teaching that will be used to determine the grade for the course:

Student Teacher Performance Assessment Instrument

Evaluation of classroom teaching is competency based. Evaluation is aligned with the course objectives stated above, and as detailed primarily in the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the NSTA Standards for science teaching, and three "intangibles of teaching." The Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form may be downloaded here as a 444kB , 22-page portable document file (pdf). This instrument will be used by both the student teacher and cooperating teacher to perform each of their two assessments during the student teaching practicum.

Student Teacher Effectiveness Reporting System

The Student Teacher Effectiveness Plan (STEP 4), as part of the Student Teacher Effectiveness Reporting System (STERS), consists of seven assignments that cumulatively validate the positive impact of teaching on students during the student teaching practicum. STEP has been developed as part of PHY 310, PHY 311, and PHY 312. The system requires teacher candidates to use student performance data from assessments, activities, and assignments, subject to approval by the cooperating teacher. The seven assignments are as follows:

1. The major concepts, principles, theories, and laws of science
2. The unifying concepts of science
3. Technological applications of science
4. The philosophical and historical nature of science
5. The practice of scientific inquiry
6. Issues related to science and technology
7. Science in the community

The assessments you select in order to demonstrate your teaching abilities must be directly linked to the objective(s) of the activity, and must demonstrate success by showing that your objective(s) has/have been achieved. Success is generally defined as the achievement of an intended objective to a degree that is reasonable and acceptable given the characteristics of the students and other constraints that might affect attainment of the goal. See the STERS document for details. A STERS Scoring Rubric will be used to assess the quality of submissions, and is available for review.

Weekly Reflection Self-Assessment Instruments:

Students will perform weekly self-assessments based upon the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. Which self-assessment the student teacher chooses to do generally will be based upon that week's most salient experiences. At the conclusion of each week of student teaching, student teachers will select and complete a different self-assessment form chosen from among those below. Over the course of the student teaching practicum all 10 regular and the one summary reflection must be completed; no reflection may be repeated, and the summary reflection must be completed at the the end of the student teaching experience. The self-assessments must be sent to the University Supervisor along with the usual and ordinary weekly forms. Self-assessment instruments may be downloaded as PDF documents or MS Word files.

Some General Pointers for Success:

Professional performance expectations are made clear in the official Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form and the Student Teacher Effectiveness Reporting System.
Student teachers are expected to work from daily lesson plans prepared in cooperation with and reviewed by the cooperating teacher.
Student teaches should maintain hard copies of all lesson plans (pragmatic but detailed enough to be seriously useful) in a folder maintained at the school, and should be available for inspection by the university supervisor upon request.
Inquiry practice/constructivism is expected to be the main approach employed during the student teaching practicum.
A variety of instructional active-learning practices should be used.
Student teachers need to teach one effective multiculturalism/diversity lesson during student teaching.
Timely documentation of the student teaching practicum according to official requirements is critical.
Effective and efficient planning and time management are critical factors to success during student teaching.
Begin working on your Democratic Ideal teaching portfolio from day one; work regularly to avoid a mad dash at the end of the semester; collect documentation as you move through your practicum experience; periodically review the course syllabus for PHY 353.
Regularly work on and submit your STERS-mandated reports upon completion.

Expectations (based on the Democratic Ideal; see the Final Student Teaching Assessment rubric for details):

Moral Virtue 1A: Develops learning goals and activities that are suitable for diverse learners
Moral Virtue 1B: Demonstrates a belief that he/she can impact student learning
Moral Virtue 2A: Develops positive working relationships with other teachers, educational support personnel, the university supervisor
Moral Virtue 2B: Includes families in the educational process
Moral Virtue 3A: Enhances content knowledge and pedagogical skills
Moral Virtue 3B: Makes appropriate, sound, fair and logical decisions
Moral Virtue 3C: Uses reflections to improve instruction
Moral Virtue 3D: Has a developed philosophy of education that influences professional practice
Moral Virtue 4A: Advocates for all students
Moral Virtue 4B: Demonstrates persistence in helping all students learn
Intellectual Virtue 1A: Demonstrates knowledge of content
Intellectual Virtue 1B: Demonstrates effective use of written, verbal and nonverbal communications tools
Intellectual Virtue 2A: Demonstrates knowledge of individual student’s skills and knowledge
Intellectual Virtue 3A: Uses appropriate guidance and discipline strategies to create a positive environment for student learning
Intellectual Virtue 3B: Lessons are well planned and designed to meet instructional goals
Intellectual Virtue 3C: Utilizes multiple assessment strategies effectively
Intellectual Virtue 3D: Has a positive impact on student learning
Intellectual Virtue 4A: Integrates a range of available instructional resources, including technology to enhance student learning
Intellectual Virtue 5A: Models enthusiasm for learning

Warning: The failure to demonstrate even one of the above indicators adqueately is cause for the student not passing thorugh Teacher Education's "Exit from Student Teaching" gateway.

Professional Integrity:

Student teachers are expected to follow the various rules of ethical conduct for student teachers and their implications as set forth and discussed in PHY 353 - Student Teaching Seminar.

Academic Integrity:

Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. A student's name on any in academic exercise shall be regarded as assurance that the work is the result of the student's own thought and study. Offenses involving academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to the following: cheating, computer dishonesty, plagiarism, grade falsification, and collusion. For more information about this important topic, visit the Student Dispute Resolution Web site.

Teacher Education Work Policy:

It is the policy of Illinois State University Teacher Education Program that student teachers should not have outside work (e.g., a part-time job) during the student teaching practicum. Experience has shown that such student teachers rarely have enough time to complete their required student teaching work. They are sometimes referred to as "unorganized" when, for unknown reasons, they fail to get their work done in a timely fashion. This usually translates to being unprepared to teach a class and to not getting scoring completed in a timely fashion. If for any reason a student teacher absolutely needs to work, this should be first cleared with the University Supervisor and other appropriate university personnel.

Grading:

The following guidelines will be used to help establish the final grade in student teaching. Illinois State University does not use a +/- grading system, and, as a result, the 8 semester hours of STT 399.72 are graded in two 4-semester units providing for A/A, A/B, B/B, and B/C type grades. The grade for student teaching will be based on two equally weighted components:

results of the Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form, in combination with
results of the Student Teacher Effectiveness Reporting System.

Grades will be assigned by the university supervisor in consultation with the cooperating teacher using the Student Teacher Performance Assessment Form on the following basis:

A/A The teacher candidate's attitude and performance clearly reflects a "seriousness of intent" in learning to teach. The teacher candidate's performance is strong in nearly all of the professional skill areas. Average item score typically in the range of 2.2 to 3.0; no deficiency* in any standard. All required reflections/documentation well done and turned in on time. The teacher candidate is ready to become a beginning teacher and is most highly recommended without reservations
A/B The teacher candidate's attitude and performance clearly reflects a "seriousness of intent" in learning to teach. The teacher candidate's performance is strong in nearly all of the professional skill areas. Average item score typically in the range of 2.1 to 2.2; no more than one deficiency* among standards. Most required reflections/documentation done well and turned in on time. The teacher candidate is ready to become a beginning teacher and is highly recommended with minor reservations.
B/B The teacher candidate's attitude and performance reflects a tolerable "seriousness of intent" in learning to teach. The teacher candidate's performance is acceptable in many of the professional skill areas, but weak in a significant number of the areas. Average item score typically in the range of 2.1 to 2.2; no more than one deficiency* among standards. Required reflections/documentation completed but not on time and/or poorly done. The teacher candidate will need some supervisory support, but is ready to become a beginning teacher and is recommended with reservations.
B/C The teacher candidate's attitude and performance reflects a questionable "seriousness of intent" in learning to teach. The teacher candidate's performance is weak in nearly all of the professional skill areas. Average item score typically in the range of 2.0 to 2.1; no more than one deficiency* among standards. All required reflections/documentation completed but not on time and/or poorly done. The teacher candidate will require supervisory support before taking on the responsibilities of a beginning teacher and is recommenced with significant reservations.**
C/C The teacher candidate's attitude and performance reflects a marginal "seriousness of intent" in learning to teach. The teacher candidate’s performance is weak in nearly all of the professional skill areas, with unsatisfactory performance in some areas. Average item score typically in the range of 2.0 to 2.1; no more than two deficiencies* among standards. Most, but not all, required reflections/documentation completed. The teacher candidate will require substantial supervisory support before taking on the responsibilities of a beginning teacher and is recommended with serious reservations.**
F/F The teacher candidate did not satisfy obligations of student teaching.**

* A deficiency is defined as a mean score of less than 2.0 among all dimensions of any one standard.

The above set of split grades will be added to another set of split grades from the Student Teacher Effectiveness Reporting System to determine a weighted mean. The split grades from the STERS will be assigned as follows:

A/A average score on all seven assignments 2.70 to 3.00 (90% to 100%)
A/B average score on all seven assignments 2.55 to 3.699 (85% to 90%)
B/B average score on all seven assignments 2.40 to 3.549 (80% to 85%)
B/C average score on all seven assignments 2.25 to 3.399 (75% to 80%)
C/C average score on all seven assignments 1.95 to 2.249 (65% to 75%)
F/F average score on all seven assignments less than 1.95 (less than 65%)

The final composite split grade for the student teaching practicum will be established by averaging teach of the two sets of letter grades according to the following weighting and scale system:

Averaging Weight:

A/A = 4.0 pt
A/B = 3.5 pt
B/B = 3.0 pt
B/C = 2.5 pt
C/C = 2.0 pt
F/F = 0.0 pt

Final Grade Scale:

A/A = 90% minimum
A/B = 82.5% minimum
B/B = 75% minimum
B/C = 62.5% minimum
C/C = 50% minimum
F/F = < 50%

For instance, averaging a B/C with an A/A results in (2.5 + 4)/2 = 3.25 average out of 4 possible = 81.25% = B/B

** WARNING: Teacher candidates who fail to earn a grade of B/B or better in student teaching will not be recommended for graduation. They will be advised to undertake remediation and be required to student teach again until such time as all deficiencies are remediated.

The student teaching grade will be determined by the university supervisor upon reflection of the following: (1) observations made by supervisor during site visits, (2) compliance with directives of university supervisor and/or cooperating teacher, (3) recommendations of cooperating teacher, (4) results of cooperating teacher's final assessment using the official performance assessment instrument, (5) quality and completeness of weekly reflections, (6) on-time compliance with directives associated with required documentary paperwork, and (7) any other pertinent evidence that reflects on the student teacher's capacity to act in a professional and prudent manner. The professional teaching portfolio does not constitute part of the grade for student teaching; it is associated with PHY 353.

SAAMEE: A Model for Academic Success.

Caution: Keep in mind as you progress toward student teaching that as a student teacher your students will have an interest in finding out about you. This will lead them to Internet searches. Don't put anything on a web page, uTube, Facebook, MySpace, etc., that you wouldn't want students, parents, teachers or administrators to see.

Disposition Concerns: The College of Education, in an effort to ensure top quality graduates, provides faculty members and interested others with the opportunity to provide input into the teacher preparation process. One of these inputs is in the area of disposition concerns. Education faculty, in particular, are encouraged to bring to attention of CECP any significant problems associated with the following major areas. If three or more filed dispositions concerns have not been resolved, the teacher candidate will be blocked from advancing in Professional Studies.

Collaboration Issues: The ability to work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort.
Honesty/Integrity: The ability to demonstrate truthfulness to oneself and to others; demonstrate moral excellence and trustworthiness.
Respect: The ability to honor, value, and demonstrate consideration and regard for oneself and others.
Reverence for Learning: Respect and seriousness of intent to acquire knowledge.
Emotional Maturity: The ability to adjust one’s emotional state to suitable level of intensity in order to remain engaged with one’s surroundings.
Reflection: The ability to review, analyze, and evaluate the success of past decisions in an effort to make better decisions in the future.
Flexibility: The willingness to accept and adapt to change.
Responsibility: The ability to act independently, demonstrating accountability, reliability and sound judgment.

Conditions of Student Teaching:

Critical policy and legal conditions are part and parcel of student teaching. They include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

Student teachers must be enrolled for two sections of STT 399.72 totaling 8 semester hours of credit.
Student teachers must have all coursework associated with PHY 312 completed prior to beginning student teaching.
Student teachers must have the Social Context Project associated with PHY 353 completed prior to student teaching.
Student teachers must be enrolled in PHY 312 and PHY 353 during the same semester as student teaching.
Student teachers must complete the Democratic-Ideal-related professional teaching portfolio associated with PHY 353.
Student teachers must complete the NSTA-related assessments (STERS) associated with student teaching.
Student teachers are expected to comply with the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.
Student teachers are expected to comply with the common and accepted ethics of the teaching profession.
Student teachers must adhere to the intellectual and moral virtues outlined in ISU Teacher Education's conceptual framework, Realizing the Democratic Ideal.
Student teachers are expected to comply with all directives found in the Student Teacher Handbook that include such topics as attendance, appearance, corporal punishment, liability, outside activities, professional conduct, etc.
Student teachers must comply with all statements of responsibility of the student teacher found in the Student Teacher Handbook.
Unexcused absences from and repeated late arrival for student teaching are grounds for dismissal from student teaching.
Students dismissed from student teaching earn a letter grade of F/F; a similar grade will be given for PHY 353.
Student teachers are expected to regularly develop and teach from legitimate daily lesson plans; these lesson plans should be shared with coopering teacher and the university supervisor at least one day in advance of teaching a lesson, and hard copies should be maintained in a folder at the school site for examination at any time.
Student teachers are encouraged to obtain student teacher tort/civil liability insurance from the Illinois Education Association for a very nominal fee.

WARNING!

It appears as though some Illinois school districts are using "predatory practices" to secure student teachers for future employment. Recently representatives from an outside school district called a student teacher (not our department) assigned to East Peoria Community High School and asked if they could visit the school to observe the student teacher at work. The student teacher is majoring in an area where there is a shortage of qualified candidates, and these individuals were, in effect, recruiting. The Administration at East Peoria High School was not called by the employees of the other district and the student teacher only informed the secretary that these individuals would be in the building. Until they arrived, no EPCHS administrator knew that they were coming. As a result of this event, such recruiting will be prohibited at EPCHS in the future. If you should be approached by an outside school district for purposes of recruitment, be absolutely certain to obtain permission from both your cooperating teacher and you school's administration before inviting "recruiters" in for a look see.

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