Student Teaching
The student teacher experience gives teacher-education students a taste of what it’s really like to be a teacher.
The experience you acquire during your student teaching lets you hone the theoretical skills that you learned during your teacher training, and helps you prepare for your professional teaching career. You will be paired with a master, mentor teacher who will work with you, co-teach with you, and then turn the class over to you to teach. Student teaching is a college-supervised experience that is all day, every school day for one semester (Fall or Spring). It takes place your final semester here at SUU that leads to both your SUU degree and your Utah State Board of Education (USBE) license.
All Students will be required to meet the general teacher competencies approved by the USBE during their student teaching semester before being recommended for licensure. Students will be prepared during courses and required class workshops through the completion of a Professional Learning Plan (PLP).
Please be aware of the following policies:
- SUU does not provide out-of-state placements for Student Teaching or Block.
- All students will be required to complete and submit a PLP for approval. The Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT) will no longer be required. Secondary Ed. will no longer be required to take the Content Praxis for their major. Students will only need to complete Content Praxis for their minor (only if required).
The administrative work associated with student teaching will be done through the SUU Teacher Education Sonia Portal.
Forms
- Placement Guidelines
- Students will be invited to apply for Student Teaching during the beginning of their Block semester or by their content supervisor. All applications will be made within the Sonia Portal.
- Student Teaching Stipend: The 2024 General Legislative Session, HB 221 Stipends for Future Educators was passed. This state funding pays a stipend to Utah university/college students who are completing their student teaching in a Utah public school. The stipend is an award of up to $6,000 per student teacher. Stipends may be prorated based on length of student teaching experience. There is only one year of funding (2024-25) for the student teacher stipend at this time.
- How can I receive my stipend?
- Please note: you have to have a finalized student teaching placement prior to going to the next step.
- Complete the application at the state level and then take a screenshot, or provide proof that you have completed that application.
- Bring proof of application along with a letter from the university that includes your CACTUS ID number, dates and length of Student teaching to the school district office at 2077 W Royal Hunte Drive. This letter will be given to you once your placement is finalized.
- At the School District office, you will be asked to fill out a W4 form and a stipend/statement form for the beginning amount of $3000. You will need to provide the address in which the check will be sent. (We cannot currently give you a date when you can expect the payment, as this is dependent on the state sending the money to districts in a timely manner).
- When you complete your Student Teaching experience, we ask that you complete an additional statement form for the final $3000 and have your mentor teacher sign that form stating that your experience was completed. (You can obtain that form from your school) Bring that completed form to the District office for the final payment.
- Please be aware that NO taxes are being taken out of this stipend, so you will want to talk to a tax advisor for any tax implications.
- How can I receive my stipend?
- Student Teaching Responsibilities Checklist: This checklist contains information about the roles of those participating in student teaching (student, mentor, supervisor).
- SUU Daily Lesson Plan
- Daily Reflection & Weekly Summary Log
- Student Teaching Responsibilities Checklist: This checklist contains information about the roles of those participating in student teaching (student, mentor, supervisor).
- Final Evaluation: For reference only. All evaluations will be completed within the Sonia portal.
- Student Teaching Schedule - Elementary
- Student Teaching Schedule - Secondary
- Student Teaching Schedule - SPED
Forms to submitted to Caitlin Ravanelli's secure file share link:
- Mentor Teacher Acceptance 1099 Stipend Request: The 1099 Stipend Request form should be submitted every semester a mentor has a student teacher.
- W9: The W9 will need to be submitted yearly.
- Direct Deposit Form: The Direct Deposit form will only need to be submitted once.
- Student Teaching Responsibilities Checklist: This checklist contains information about the roles of those participating in student teaching (student, mentor, supervisor).
- Final Evaluation: For reference only. All evaluations will be completed within the Sonia portal.
- Supervisor Mileage Travel Form
PLP Resources
SUU teacher education programs have adopted the Professional Learning Plan (PLP) to prepare students for licensure. The PLP will replace the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT) starting Fall 2024. This plan will consist of a combination of coursework, workshops, and practical experience that will demonstrate the student has met the requirements of the USBE general teacher education competencies.
The main components of the PLP:
- Coursework- Key assignments that tie to USBE competencies will be assigned within the curriculum prior to and during student teaching.
- Student Teaching- The student will be able to demonstrate competencies during their final semester.
- Portfolio- During student teaching, students will build and populate a portfolio that will be submitted for approval. This portfolio will demonstrate competencies and can be used by the student to increase employability or for graduate program applications.
- STER document: This rubric was finalized July 2024.
Contact Student Teaching
