Student Teaching

(Download 2009 Student/Cooperating Teacher Handbook)

The certification options in Agricultural Extension and Education culminate in the student teaching experience. Courses AEE 495 (10 credits) and AEE 313 (2 credits) are scheduled by student teaching candidates during Spring Semester of their senior year.

Students apply for student teaching during the Spring Semester of their junior year. Applications are available in 213 Ferguson Building. The placement of students for student teaching is a critical part of the undergraduate teacher education program.

To student teach, students must:

1. Have completed at least 75% of the technical agriculture course requirements
2. Have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average
3. Pass a series of PRAXIS pre-certification teacher examinations required in PA
   • 2008-09 PRAXIS Information Sheet
   • Praxis Testing Centers & Dates
   • Alternate Scoring Method
4. Have documentation of at least 80 hours of volunteer or paid education work experience with learners of the age group the candidate plans to teach. At least 40 of these age-appropriate 80 hours must be with learners whose cultural, social, or ethnic backgrounds differ from the candidate's own. (Click here to view and print the PDF version of the required form.)
5. Complete AEE 295 "Observation Teaching" at the designated school where they intend to student teach, during the summer and fall of their senior year.
6. Completed AEE 100, AEE 311, AEE 412, and AEE 413.

A list of cooperating teachers and schools is maintained by the department. Cooperating teachers are selected on the basis of their programs. Efforts are made to match student teachers with appropriate cooperating schools.

The student teaching experience is designed to provide all aspects of classroom and laboratory teaching experience. Student teachers are given more responsibility for program management as the twelve-week experience progresses. A checklist, Professional Performance Activities in Agricultural Education, derived from an analysis of the duties and responsibilities of a teacher, is used periodically during the student teaching by the student teacher and cooperating teacher to assess progress and insure a variety of experiences. Staff supervision from the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education supplements the on-site supervision of the cooperating teacher.