Students majoring in Elementary, K-12, Secondary or Special Education may fulfill their student teaching requirement through Chicago Semester. 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
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.
Placement Policies
- Student Teaching Applicants
- The maximum number of student teachers accepted into the program will be 24 per semester.
- Student Teaching Placements - City of Chicago
- When possible, students will be placed in Chicago Public Schools.
- When necessary, students will be placed in Chicago private schools.
- Under no circumstances will a student be placed in a school outside the city of Chicago.
- Student Teaching Placements - Dual Placements
- Each student teacher will receive one placement for the semester.
- A dual placement may be arranged if the student teacher is REQUIRED to have more than one placement in order to meet state licensure requirements. (Ex: dance, art, special education, reading, etc...)
- Because it is difficult to find qualified teachers in these specialized areas, and because many teachers do not want to have a student teacher for less than a full semester, we may not always be able to accommodate all students who NEED dual placements. This will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
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 Objectives
The student teacher will:
- Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges of teaching in multicultural, urban settings.
- Increase professional competence under the guidance of experienced and qualified teachers and supervisors.
- Develop proficiency in the complex skills of planning instruction, meeting individual needs and assessing student learning.
- Identify and implement effective strategies for teaching diverse learners in multicultural, urban settings.
- Develop a process of reflective thinking in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
- Work collaboratively to identify problems and generate solutions.
- Design an interdisciplinary unit appropriate for their students.
- Create a professional portfolio based on recognized teaching standards.
- Utilize available resources, such as libraries and museums, to enhance their teaching.
- Demonstrate professionalism in conduct, language, attire, punctuality and attendance.
Seminar Requirements
- Attend and participate in the weekly seminar.
- Submit weekly reflection papers.
- Observe their cooperating teachers teach all subject areas or periods.
- Prepare lesson plans for every lesson taught.
- Assume all teaching responsibilities for at least 2 weeks (for a 14-week placement).
- Maintain a student teaching notebook containing all lesson plans and written feedback from the cooperating teacher.
- Participate in school activities.
- Prepare and teach an interdisciplinary unit.
- Develop a professional portfolio.
- Participate in a neighborhood study.
Additional Seminar Enrollment
Student teaching is a full-time experience. Therefore, enrollment in other seminars offered at Chicago Semester is discouraged since it interferes with the student teacher's responsibilities in their classroom.
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
lisa.hensey@chicagosemester.org
Carole E. Kolconay, C.A.S.
Student Teaching Placement Coordinator
KKCEK@aol.com