Student Teaching

Student teaching is the capstone experience for those seeking initial teaching certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a time for a Teacher Candidate to practice and refine the art of teaching and assume the role of a professional under the mentorship and guidance of the Mentor Teacher and the University Supervisor.

Application Instructions for Student Teaching

Review the Application for Student Teaching – process.
Complete the PennWest Application for Student Teaching and forward it (electronically) to your advisor along with required documentation as indicated on the application.
If needed, complete the Request to Enroll in a Course During or After Student Teaching.

Undergraduate Placement Considerations

All undergraduate student teachers will be placed within the service area (within 50 miles or not greater than 1 hour) of one of the three PennWest campuses.

Undergraduate student teachers who want to go outside of the PennWest region may consider completing student teaching as a visiting student with another PASSHE university.

Additional information regarding the visiting student option can be found here.
Please contact your campus Field Services Coordinator for additional information if you'd like to explore the visiting student option.

Graduate Placement Considerations

Whenever possible, graduate level student teaching placements will be made within the service area (within 50 miles or not greater than 1 hour) of one of the PennWest campuses.

Graduate level student teachers who will be working as the teacher of record in their own classroom in their content area for the entire student teaching semester may be eligible to have the supervised student teaching experience incorporated into their current teaching position.

Post-Baccalaureate students seeking this option are typically working for a school district with an emergency permit or long-term substitute permit.
Day-to-day substitute positions and building substitute positions cannot be used to fulfill student teaching requirements.
Please contact your campus Field Services Coordinator if you are working in a classroom as the teacher of record and would like to incorporate your student teaching experience into your current teaching position.
If you are an Online student living outside the service area, please contact your campus Field Services Coordinator.