Student Teaching
Student teaching and seminar includes a fourteen week session or two seven-week sessions of actual teaching in a setting that is consistent with the area in which the student is seeking certification.
Student teachers are supervised by a cooperating teacher and a university supervisor from Cabrini.
Student Teaching Applications
Undergraduate students must apply for student teaching at least six months prior to the semester they wish to be placed.
Post-baccalaureate students wanting to be placed for a fall student-teaching experience must have their application and accompanying documents submitted by January 30. The spring placement application deadline is May 30.
Any questions can be directed to Mrs. Megan Norris, Director of Student Teaching and Field Experience, at 610.902.8348 or mln49@cabrini.edu
Student Teaching Workbooks - Assignments in these workbooks should be discussed with the Director of Student Teaching and Field Experience, who may modify them to meet current PDE competencies.
Eligibility - Student Teachers must have:
- an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better
- take/attempt the appropriate certification exam (ask advisor)
- current and clean record/clearances:
- Pennsylvania Child Abuse (valid for only one year)
- Pennsylvania Criminal History (valid for only one year)
- FBI Criminal History (valid as long as the student remains in the same program)
- TB (Mantoux) Test: a negative Tuberculin skin test is required (good for two years).
The TB Test can be done by a family physician or through Cabrini's health services.
Seminar Sessions
Teachers attend approximately six seminar sessions held at Cabrini throughout the course of the student teaching experience. Conferences between supervisors and student teachers take place at the seminars, and a variety of speakers address various topics including classroom management, drug and alcohol issues, family support, certification process, etc.
Grading
Student teaching is graded on a pass/fail basis. Exemplary student teaching can earn a "pass with honors" grade.
Credits
Student teaching is a 12-credit course. Post-baccalaureate students may be eligible for tuition reduction if they have at least two years of full-time teacher-aide experience or at least one year of full-time teaching experience.
Grade level placements
Elementary education students are placed in a grades PK-4 classroom, whereas secondary students are placed in a grades 7-12 classroom specific to the content area the student is pursuing (Biology, Chemistry, Communications, English, Math, Social Studies).
Early childhood students must complete at least one seven-week period in a primary classroom. Students in other areas can choose to split their placement, seven weeks in one grade and seven weeks in another grade still within the range of their certification. All placements must be approved and go through the Director of Student Teaching and Field Experience.
Student Teaching Handbook
The handbook includes information about the whole student teaching experience including the assignments student teachers must complete over the course of their placement (i.e., lesson plans, unit plans, IEPs, etc.).
Responsibilities
The teaching responsibilities of the student-teaching experience progress until the student teacher is in full responsibility, planning, delivering and evaluating all lessons for a minimum of two weeks.
The cooperating teacher, student teacher and supervisor collaborate on the planning and timing of the progression of these responsibilities making the timeline slightly different for each student.
Visits by supervisors
Cabrini Supervisors make approximately six visits across the 14-week student-teaching experience. The number of visits may vary for post-baccalaureate students who already have some full-time teaching experience prior to student teaching.
Written feedback is provided by the supervisor at each visit. The cooperating teacher provides on-going feedback, guidance, and support as the student teacher progresses through the experience.