Student teaching is intended to be the capstone experience of your undergraduate career. During your 12-week student teaching experience, carried out during the spring semester of your senior year, you become a full-time mathematics teacher, with most of the professional responsibilities of that position.
Student teaching is a 12-to-13 week unpaid teaching internship. Student teachers are paired with experienced high school teachers. Student teachers gradually take on more and more teaching responsibilities until they reach a full teaching load. The student teacher generally sustains the full load of courses for 3 to 5 weeks. Throughout this experience student teachers are supported and observed by their University Supervisors. These supervisors are Department of Mathematics faculty or associates of the department who include retired high school mathematics department chairs.
The Department of Mathematics at Illinois State University uses a performance-based assessment of the student teaching experience. The assessment model consists of a list of student teacher attributes accompanied by performance descriptors for each attribute in classifications of exceeds expectations, meets expectations, and does not meet expectations. These attributes are in alignment with standards and principles of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium, and the Illinois State Board of Education. The attributes represent performance, knowledge, and dispositions that are highly valued in our department and by the profession.
Student teachers assess their own performance and are assessed by their cooperating teachers and university supervisors. All parties use the performance attributes as an assessment standard. We have standardized grading criteria based on the performance attributes. According to these criteria, a good teacher who meets expectations for most attributes earns a "B" in student teaching. This appropriately reflects the high standards for student teachers we have as a department and that are sought after by the profession.
Students may qualify for student teaching by:
Students work with the Department's Coordinator of Student Teaching to arrange student teaching placements in Central Illinois or in the Chicago area. Placements are in urban, suburban, or rural areas in small or large schools. Although most student teachers are placed in high schools, middle school placements may also be arranged.
In the Department of Mathematics, student teaching occurs in the spring semester of the senior year.
Students apply for student teaching in the fall semester of their junior year. The Clinical Experiences Office works in collaboration with the Department's Coordinator of Student Teaching, the student-teacher candidate, and the school site in order to secure the placement.
