Fall 2013
Student Teacher
Information Meeting
May 1, 2013
Mrs. Staci Fuqua, Coordinator
Field Placements
sfuqua@utm.edu
ESS Web Address
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www.utm.edu/ess
Dates
Handbook
Forms
PRAXIS Information
Licensure
Dates
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Orientation Seminar:
Tuesday, August 20th -Friday, August 23rd
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
DRESS PROFESSIONALLY!
There are NO excused absences for these
days. Do NOT schedule a trip or surgery or
other appointments during this time.
Dates, continued
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August 23rd - Meet with your first placement
principal and cooperating teacher(s).
Call before you go and let them know you will be
there. Find out when to arrive, how long to be at
school each day, the dress code, lunch
arrangements, where to park, and anything else
the principal and CT want you to know. Share
your CT packet for student teaching.
Google phone numbers and directions.
Dates, continued
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First Placement:
August 26- October 10
Second Placement:
October 14 – December 6
You will have a fall break at some point.
You are not allowed to be absent from
student teaching for UTM’s fall break. For
those schools with an inter-session, please
attend one week of inter-session, even if
your CT is not working.
Dates, continued
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Mid-Semester Seminar: Required
October 11th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Additionally, your supervisor may also
schedule a mid-semester seminar. This
would be scheduled after school. Your
supervisor will notify you of the date/time
they may hold this meeting with you.
Dates, continued
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Exit Seminar/Reception: December 4, 2013
The exit seminar will take place at 4:00 p.m.
This is a whole group seminar with the Ed.
Studies Dept. Chair.
You will also have an individual meeting with
your supervisor, who will inform you of the date
and time. See “exit conference” info on
calendar.
Immediately after the exit seminar, we will start
the reception.
Final Exit Conference with
University Supervisor
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Final exit conference with University
Supervisor will be held one of these
dates.
December 9-11, 2013.
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Your supervisor will inform you of date,
time, and location.
Absences
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For each absence, you must notify your CT, principal,
supervisor, and me. Seminar days scheduled by me,
professional development days, conferences scheduled
by your school, parent-teacher conferences, and inservice days are not counted as absences. Only
contagious illness and death in the immediate family are
excused. I will entertain excuses on a case-by-case
basis and may require a doctor’s note.
You will make up all unexcused absences and any
excused absences over 5, no matter what the cause
and no matter who approves the absence.
Student Teaching Handbook
and Student Teaching Forms
www.utm.edu/ess -Look at this site!!!
 Print one copy of the handbook and bring to
orientation. I recommend you place it in a 3-ring
binder. Read and study it. Failure to adhere to
student teaching policies could result in removal
from student teaching.
 Print ONE copy of EACH form and bring to
orientation. Read and study each form. Prepare
questions.
DO NOT print this information until after August
10th due to revisions taking place this summer.
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PRAXIS Information
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Click on www.ets.org/praxis for information
and test requirements for Tennessee.
Upcoming PRAXIS Dates: Check the
website.
Notice that registration is typically about a
month before the test date.
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEMPT
YOUR CONTENT AREA PRAXIS BEFORE
YOUR 2nd Placement BEGINS!!!!
Praxis II Content Area
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Everyone has a Praxis II content area that is also
your exit exam for graduation. Check the ESS
website (www.utm.edu/ess) , call 7203 (Gooch
205) or talk with your advisor for the test with an
asterisk (*) if you are not sure what your content
area/exit exam is.
Music, Art, Dance, and FCS, check using the
above options also. You must TAKE it for
graduation. You must PASS it (and any others
required by the state) in order to get a teaching
license.
Praxis II - PLT
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Everyone must take one of the PLT tests
for licensure. Check in Gooch 205 if you
are unsure which one is required for your
program. This is also on the website. 
If you are in a K-12 program, you may
choose any of the PLT exams. Go on the
Praxis web site and try the practice exams
to help you decide which one to take. The
library has practice tests.
When to Take Praxis II
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You should have already taken your
*content area/exit exam. If not, register
NOW for it. The Records Office has to
have your score or proof that you have
taken it by the end of October.
The best time to take the PLT for you is
NOW. If you can only take one test soon,
take the *content area/exit exam first.
Licensure
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Mrs. Jenny Hahn is our Licensure
Coordinator. She will attend mid session
seminar in October and help you complete
the application for licensure.
How many of you have taken the PLT?
Your Content Area* test(s)? All Praxis
exams? Is there anyone who has passed
all of your Praxis II, including PLT?
Student Teaching Assignments
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PreK-K
Radius
Placement process
Schools Attended
Notification
University Supervisors
PreK and K Assignments
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All K-6 MSIL students must have a K assignment
because they do not take K-Prac.
I generally request PreK for PreK-3 majors and grades
1-3 for K-6 majors instead of K for the lower grade
placement. Especially in the fall, I need all
kindergartens that are nearby for K-Prac.
Secondary students will have a middle school and a
high school placement (except Ag., FCS, and Business).
K-12 majors will have placement in two different school
levels.
Radius
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Placements are typically assigned within a
60-mile radius. University Supervisors
must be able to drive easily to placements.
Expect some driving. That way, you’ll be
pleasantly surprised if you don’t have to! 
Placement Process
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All placements have been requested and many
have been confirmed. FYI…placement
assignments are not negotiable!
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Per state and university policy, the Coordinator of
Field Placements is the only person who
requests placements; placements are made
through principals and other administrators, NOT
through cooperating teachers. You may NOT
request your own placement!
Policy Info.
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According to placement policy, student
teachers may not be placed in schools
which they themselves attended or in
schools where relatives currently
attend/work.
Student teachers may not be placed where
they have been employed.
Notification of Placements
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Everyone will be given placement details at
orientation. Don’t worry, you WILL have a
placement!
If time permits, my office will email you prior to
August to let you know your placement. My office
will not begin notifying you until after June 1st.
Contact your first placement by week of August
10th (not before) and let them know you will arrive
on August 26th.
Schedule a visit for August 23rd to meet the
principal and CT. NOTE: Wait until after first
week of August to schedule this visit!
Meeting with Principal and CT
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Ask about hours, parking, lunch arrangements, dress
code, and policies.
Ask to see textbooks. Record publisher, title, and
edition information for each subject. The LRC (in the
Paul Meek Library) has Tennessee textbooks and
resources.
Ask the principal and CT for other information they may
want you to know.
Share your assignments and the cooperating teacher
packet, as well as contact information for you, your
supervisor, and our office.
TREAT THIS MEETING AS AN OFFICIAL INTERVIEW!
Prerequisites/Grades/GPA
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Next week, I will do a 2nd
prerequisite/grade/GPA check and I will do a
final prerequisite /grade/GPA check after
summer school classes end.
If I have concerns, I will notify you via email.
Any student lacking prerequisites, failing any
course(s) required to student teach, or having a
cumulative gpa <2.75, will not be permitted to
student teach in the fall.
Criminal Background Checks
Due NOW!-I verify that I have them on file.
 Past due signed releases
 Past due results
 YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO
STUDENT TEACH UNTIL I HAVE BOTH
ON FILE.
**Again, I will notify you if there is an issue.
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Materials to Bring to Orientation
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Student Teaching Handbook
All Student Teaching Forms
Highlighters, Post-It’s, a calendar
Writing instrument (Pen or Pencil)
A check for STEA/Proof of Professional
Liability Insurance (We will discuss at
orientation)
Planning Ahead
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Appropriate clothing
Gas money
Child care for emergencies for those with
children of your own
Focus on student teaching and not on other
coursework and outside jobs.
Medical appointments - no excused
absences for checkups of any kind
Planning Ahead
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Appropriate clothing
Gas money
Child care for emergencies for those with
children of your own
Focus on student teaching and not on other
coursework and outside jobs.
Medical appointments - no excused
absences for checkups of any kind
S.T. Badge- “NEW”
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Each student teacher will be issued a student
teaching I.D. badge and badge holder.
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The Office of Education Student Services has
decided to cover the cost of each badge for the
fall ‘13 term.
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Badges will be distributed at the orientation in
August.
S.T. Placement Fee- “Possibility”
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The S.T. Placement Fee has been approved at
the campus level. We may not know final
outcome until late June.
 If approved……
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There will be a $400 Placement fee charged to your Banner
account when Fall ‘13 fees are assessed.
 Any financial aid you receive can cover this expense.
 Calculates to $26.67 per week (x 15 weeks)
The Cooperating Teacher at each placement will be paid $200.
The Office of ESS will process all paperwork associated with the
payment that will be mailed directly to the Cooperating Teacher.
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*I’m sharing this so you can be prepared. If for any reason
it is not approved, you will be pleasantly surprised! 
Questions????
The following dispositions characterize the UTM
teacher education UG and G candidate:
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Communicates effectively, both orally and in
writing.
Attends and is punctual for all classes and field
experiences.
Demonstrates positive interactions with peers,
faculty, and P-12 school personnel.
Accepts constructive criticism.
Changes behavior in response to faculty
suggestions.