Students majoring in Elementary, K-12, Secondary, or Special Education may fulfill their student teaching requirements through the Chicago Semester program. Students will learn about the characteristics of their school community and explore a specific Chicago neighborhood to better understand the unique attributes, assets, and challenges of urban life.
Former Student Teachers' Comments
Cooperating Teachers' and Administrators' Comments
Placement
Student teaching in Chicago provides an opportunity to study and serve the many cultures in a large city. Students are placed in Chicago Public Schools that meet their home college’s accreditation requirements and offer an urban teaching experience that can only be found in a city like Chicago. Students are placed in one classroom for 14 weeks unless licensure requirements mandate more than one placement. Student teachers work five days a week and attend a weekly professional seminar.
Professional Seminar
Student teachers are required to attend a weekly professional seminar at the Chicago Semester office that provides them with an opportunity to share experiences and discuss various urban issues. Students will explore a range of educational issues and prepare themselves for entering the job market as a first-year teacher.
Seminar topics
- Teaching in a Diverse Society
- Love and Logic in the Classroom
- Social Justice
- Language and Culture
- Neighborhood Tour and Presentation
- A Class Divided/Blue Eyes Brown Eyes
- Classroom Management
- Parents as Partners
- Resume Writing
- Mock Interviews
- Teaching in Chicago
Visit Day
Each October and February, prospective student teachers are invited to travel to Chicago and visit schools where CS student teachers are working. Students will have an opportunity to talk with current student teachers and to meet their supervisors. After this visit, prospective students will have a better understanding of the wide range of school settings available in Chicago.
Staff
Lisa K. Hensey, Ph.D.
Student Teaching Program Coordinator
Carole E. Kolconay, C.A.S.
Student Teaching Placement Coordinator