Application Process

Distant Student Teaching Placement Application Process
Student Teacher Advisory Council (STAC)

Student teaching is a very important part of a teacher’s training.  Mansfield University recognizes the importance of supporting students through quality supervision during this critical learning phase.  The University’s distant student teaching placements are rich, diverse educational learning sites.  However, due to the distance between the University and these settings, supervision is hindered and University support limited.   As a result, any student interested in student teaching in a distant setting, i.e. a placement that is outside of the University supervision guidelines (Australia, Arizona, and Philadelphia) must receive special permission from the Student Teaching Advisory Council (STAC).  STAC will review student applications in an effort to ensure that each candidate chosen for distant placement is a strong teacher candidate and will be successful without the usual University supervision.  In addition, STAC is look for individuals who are mature, have had travel experience, can adapt and excel in a diverse setting, and are willing to embrace the financial and additional time commitments a unique placement will demand.  Please note that acceptance is not guaranteed.  Even after STAC has approved a candidate for a distant student teaching placement, the candidate must successfully complete the first, local student teaching assignment and maintain all gates, University requirements, including dispositions.  In other words, acceptance into a distant student teaching placement is an on-going review.

 At Least One Year in Advance:

1. Meet with the coordinator of Field Experiences to discuss the process and begin applying for a unique student teaching experience. During this meeting additional financial commitments and personal effort on the student’s part to secure housing were discussed. 

Meeting Date __________________________

2. Meet all required gates and clearances for student teaching at the time of application and throughout student teaching.

Certification Officer Validation ______________________________

At Least 6 Months in Advance Students Will:

1. Write a 1 to 3 page narrative discussing interest in teaching in unique setting, willingness to adapt to an unfamiliar setting, recognition of the additional financial and time resources that will need to be expended and unique ability (disposition) to embrace the diversity of this experience.  Submit to STAC through The Educational Field Experience Office.

Date/Comments_____________________________________________________

2. Present two letters of recommendation from education faculty who can speak to the quality of the candidate’s ability to teach.  One letter must be from the Observation and Participation professor.  If the student has not yet taken this course, a professor from another education course is acceptable.  It is important, however, that the writer of the recommendation has knowledge of the students’ ability to teach.  After the candidate has taken the above noted course, the instructor must provide his/her approval as well.  Submit each letter to STAC through The Educational Field Experience Office.

Faculty #1/Date____________________________________________________

Faculty#2/Date_____________________________________________________

3. Discuss personal narrative and recommendations during a STAC scheduled interview.  Each student’s disposition to work in the requested placement will be reviewed.

Date of Interview___________________________________________________

Panel Members_____________________________________________________

4. Receive endorsement of the first cooperating teacher and the University supervisor half way through the first, local student teaching placement. 

**Please note that a distant placement will be canceled (regardless of pre-existing accommodations) if the student teacher is not exhibiting a “B+” in the first half of student teaching.  Approval is an on-going process, and each candidate must continue to meet all requirements of the gates, dispositions, and University and Department guidelines throughout the semester in order to maintain the distant placement.

Cooperating Teacher ___________________________ Date_________________

University Supervisor___________________________ Date ________________

 STAC’s Final Recommendation:                 Approved                   Declined

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