Current Apprentice Teachers and UTeach INTERNS

The purpose of the final field experience is to provide to the UTeach student a culminating experience that is authentic in the expectations, processes, and rewards of teaching.  Each candidate’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 both will generate a synergism that benefits both people professionally.

Because all UTeach students engage in numerous field experiences prior to the Final Field Experience, it is expected that UTeach Apprentice 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). UTeach INTERNS are prepared to be the teacher of record for a full academic year at the school.  The whole UTeach Natural Sciences Team has invested heavily in the preparation of each candidate and is committed to ensuring their success as they enter this challenging Final Field Experience.

Final Field Experience HANDBOOK

How Placements Are Made

• Students are placed primarily in Austin area school districts (As far south as Dripping Springs ISD and Hays CISD and as far north as Leander ISD, Lake Travis ISD, and Georgetown ISD).
• 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.
• UTeach INTERNS are candidates who are able to take the initiative to secure a teaching job for the academic year.  The process begins in the spring semester with UTeach approval, successful test completion, and district agreements.

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:

• 35 hours a week minimum field commitment.
  • 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, candidates begin teaching the two assigned classes until the last day of UT classes for the semester.
• Teach two courses autonomously for a minimum of 14 weeks.
• Attend and actively participate in the weekly evening university seminar.
• Attend any required district orientations and meetings for student teachers.

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 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 final field experience semester.