Current Apprentice Teachers

The purpose of student teaching is to provide to the UTeach student a culminating experience that is sufficiently rich and deep in the expectations, processes, and rewards of teaching. Each UTeach Student Teacher’s characteristics and abilities are carefully considered along with the Cooperating Teacher’s teaching style and strengths when making placements. Our hope is that the complementary strengths of the UTeach Student Teacher and Cooperating Teacher will generate a synergism that benefits both people professionally.

Because UTeach students engage in numerous field experiences prior to the student teaching, it is expected that UTeach Student Teachers assume a teaching role very quickly in the semester and will begin to explore leadership opportunities beyond the classroom (e.g., attending conferences, publications, professional memberships, professional presentations). We have invested heavily in the preparation of each Student Teacher and are committed to ensuring their success as they enter this challenging experience.

How Placements Are Made

• Students are placed primarily in the Austin ISD and Austin area school districts.
• Placements are rarely made outside of local districts.  You must complete an appeal to request this extreme exception.
• All instructors who have observed students in the field are invited to provide input that will help UTeach make the best placements possible.
• During the mandatory orientation, students provide information about time constraints, transportation needs, and any preferences they may have.

Important: UTeach makes the best placements based on the availability of mentor teachers within a student's parameters. Students taking even a single course with Apprentice Teaching (which requires a petition) or who work a lot of hours severely limit their options. Please plan accordingly.

Requirements During Apprentice Teaching

Some of the requirements during the Apprentice Teaching semester:

• 25-30 hour a week minimum commitment.
• Teach two courses autonomously.
• First week of the UT semester, attend the evening seminar only—no time in the public school.
• First day in the public school is the Monday after the first week of the UT semester.
• First week in the school is observational.
• Second week, begin teaching your two classes.
• Retain these courses until the last day of UT classes.

Full-Time Enrollment Status for Half-Time Registration

The ideal schedule is to take EDC 651S and UTS 170 only in your final semester. Students in their final semester and taking at least 7 hours can be coded as full-time by the Registrar's Office.

Important: You must apply to graduate in order to request a change in status. Enter “request full-time status for half-time enrollment” in the Student Remarks section of the application. The Office of Student Records will verify your eligibility and notify the Office of the Registrar about the change in status. Once the Office of the Registrar makes the update, you may request verification for outside parties (e.g., insurance companies). This verification cannot be issued until after the 12th class day at the earliest.

If you are on financial aid, be sure to fill out your FAFSA to indicate fewer than 12 hours in your last semester. This will help prevent delays in the distribution of funds, which can happen when the Office of Student Financial Services has to refigure your package after the semester has begun because you indicated full-time enrollment. 

If taking fewer than 12 hours in a semester presents a financial hardship, see your UTeach advisor.

Getting Recommended for Certification

You'll get a lot of information about completing the certification process in the Apprentice Teaching seminar, UTS 170. Here are some basics:

• To be recommended for certification, you need to complete all program requirements; your degree needs to become official, and you need to pass both TExES exams.
• Usually, students take the required exams—Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility and a content exam—during the Apprentice Teaching semester.