Field Experience
It is the mission of the iteachTEXAS program to meet the needs of individuals who have a desire to become highly effective teachers, while also meeting the needs of school districts to obtain highly qualified teachers.
Field Experience is an important time in the life of a teacher. It is critical, challenging and rewarding to all involved, as it is a time of great professional growth. This experience typically has a lasting effect upon a teacher’s outlook toward teaching and therefore greatly affects future generations of students. We offer two routes for completion of the Field Experience:
Option 1
Internship
On this route, you will complete a one-year (two semester) paid internship during which time you are employed full time as a teacher in your content field. In this position, you receive the salary and benefits of a first-year teacher. A long-term substitute position does not fulfill this requirement.
You must secure your own Internship position through the district application/interview process. Currently, there is not a shortage of EC-4 Generalist teachers. Since it is most difficult to obtain an EC-4 teaching position, we encourage you to be flexible and open to additional content areas, such as the 4-8 Generalist area. Also, in today’s market, you must make yourself as marketable as possible. Prior to interviewing, you should accomplish 30 hours of observation, complete 80 hours of instruction, and take and pass your content certification tests.
Once you obtain an Internship, you will be enrolled in the Field Experience course, Field Experience: The Classroom Teaching Experience. This course provides detailed information for the newly hired teacher. You will be required to submit self-reflections and classroom reflections during your Internship. |
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Option 2
Clinical Teaching
We are proud to offer this 12-week, five day-a-week, full day Clinical Teaching option in the fall of 2009. Our statewide program is designed to identify the content areas in which you have demonstrated mastery. Once the content area(s) is identified, content certification test is passed, and instructional course work completed, you are eligible to obtain a Clinical Teaching placement in a public school. You must understand that during the Clinical Teaching time you are under the direction of the classroom mentor teacher. Failure to follow the directions and guidance of the mentor teacher will result in release from the program.
Your Clinical Teaching placement must meet the following requirements:
- Placement school must be in a public school
- Placement in content area
Placement with mentor teacher:
- Teacher is certified in the state of Texas
- Teacher has been teaching for a minimum of three years
- You complete a district criminal background check form
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Supervision During Field Experience
During the Field Experience period you will be assigned a Field Supervisor who will make periodic classroom visits and work closely with the mentor teacher to ensure a successful teaching experience for you. Also, by state mandate, each school district must provide an on-campus mentor for the beginning classroom teacher. Often the first-year intern is expected to pay the school district for the service, typically via payroll deduction. As costs and arrangements may vary from district to district, we recommend asking your hiring school district for its policy for mentor teachers.