Length of the Clinical Teaching Experience

To be recommended for certification, a clinical teacher must complete The Clinical Student Teaching experience, which consists of a 14-week session or two 7-week sessions, depending on the requirements of the candidate’s certification path.

Attendance

Clinical teachers are expected to report to their campus on time and remain at their assigned school for the entirety of the school day. Clinical teachers must be in attendance at their cooperating school every day of the clinical teaching experience. Leaving the school campus during the school day is not permitted without prior approval from your supervisor. It is the responsibility of the clinical teacher to inform the cooperating teacher, university supervisor/cadre coordinator, and school office before the beginning of the school day in case of an illness or forced absence. All absences must be made up by the clinical teacher. Excessive absences may result in having to repeat clinical teaching, a failing grade for clinical teaching, and/or the removal from clinical teaching. If it is necessary for the clinical teacher to be absent for one or several days during the student teaching experience, the clinical teacher is required to do the following:

• Telephone the assigned school as soon as possible and report the absence to the school secretary, or inform him or her the day before the absence
• Inform the cooperating teacher of the absence immediately
• Inform the university supervisor of the absence
• In emergency cases, the rule of prudent judgment should apply, including emergencies that may occur during the school day

Holidays and Professional Developmetn Days

Clinical teachers follow their assigned district’s calendar for all holidays, regardless of the scheduled University of North Texas holidays. For example, if you clinical teach in a spring semester, your spring break coincides with your district’s spring break, not UNT’s. Clinical teachers are expected to attend their district’s professional development days and to participate in any professional development programs unless prohibited from attendance by district or campus policies.

Religious Holy Days

In accordance with UNT Policy, a student may be excused from attending classes or other activities, including examinations, for observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. The student should notify his/her university supervisor of anticipated absence to observe religious holy days as early in the semester as possible. An excused student may not be penalized for the absence and must be allowed to complete any examination or an assignment missed during the absence within a reasonable period after the absence.

Career Day

A one-day absence is permitted for the purpose of professional interviews or the UNT/TWU Education Career Day. Prior approval from both your university supervisor and your cooperating teacher are required. Keep a written or electronic record of both your request for permission to be absent and the approval to do so. Education Career Day is held on the University of North Texas campus in the spring semester and Texas Women’s University campus in the fall semester.

Conduct with students

Clinical teachers must recognize their position as an adult role model for all students. As such, you are subject to the same standards of behavior regarding social interactions as a certified teacher. It is not appropriate to socialize in any way with students within the district to which the clinical teacher is assigned without the presence of the cooperating teacher or other appropriate certified personnel.

Texas Administrative Code:

(H) Standard 3.8. The educator shall maintain appropriate professional educator-student relationships and boundaries based on a reasonably prudent educator standard.

(I) Standard 3.9. The educator shall refrain from inappropriate communication with a student or minor, including, but not limited to, electronic communication such as cell phone, text messaging, email, instant messaging, blogging, or other social network communication. Factors that may be considered in assessing whether the communication is inappropriate include, but are not limited to:

(i) the nature, purpose, timing, and amount of the communication;

(ii) the subject matter of the communication;

(iii) whether the communication was made openly or the educator attempted to conceal the communication;

(iv) whether the communication could be reasonably interpreted as soliciting sexual contact or a romantic relationship;

(v) whether the communication was sexually explicit; and

(vi) whether the communication involved discussion(s) of the physical or sexual attractiveness or the sexual history, activities, preferences, or fantasies of either the educator or the student.

Seminar/Meeting Attendance

Attendance at seminars and meetings conducted by university supervisors and/or cadre coordinators is mandatory for all clinical teachers. Every effort will be made to notify you of scheduled meetings; however, the field supervisor/cadre coordinator is permitted to call ad hoc meetings as deemed necessary.

Substitute Teaching

Per the Texas Administrative Code and UNT policy regarding clinical student teaching, clinical teachers may act as an unpaid substitute teacher for one day during clinical student teaching. It is at the discretion of the partner district to utilize this service. It is recommended that the clinical teacher obtain the appropriate substitute training as provided by the respective district prior to substituting for the cooperating teacher.

Clinical Teacher Compensation

Policy: During the clinical teaching semester, clinical teachers are not permitted to receive compensation from the school district to which they are assigned for any jobs or tasks performed during the school day. These jobs include, but are not limited to, substitute teacher, tutor, coach, athletic trainer, and/or club sponsor.

Corporal Punishment

If the board of trustees of an independent school district adopts a policy under Section 37.001(a)(8) of the Texas Administrative Code under which corporal punishment is permitted as a method of student discipline, a district educator may use corporal punishment to discipline a student unless the student's parent or guardian or other person having lawful control over the student has previously provided a written, signed statement prohibiting the use of corporal punishment as a method of student discipline. In the instance corporal punishment is recommended, it is NOT to be administered by the clinical teacher. Only by the cooperating teacher or other appropriate certified personnel.

Working during Clinical Teaching/Taking Courses

Clinical teaching is considered a full academic load. Additional coursework is not allowed during the clinical teaching semester without prior approval from the Teacher Education & Administration Admission, Retention & Review (ARR) Committee. A clinical teacher may NOT be employed during the official school hours adopted by their placement district. Employment during clinical teaching is not advised due to the tremendous time commitment expected for lesson and classroom preparation.

Evaluation

Evaluation should be a continuous process in which the clinical teacher is informed of progress several times during the clinical teaching experience. Both the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor will jointly evaluate the clinical teacher’s performance and provide feedback to the clinical teacher on a regular basis. The university supervisor will observe and evaluate the clinical teacher a minimum of three times during the clinical teaching experience. The university supervisor will provide a final evaluation at the conclusion of the clinical teaching semester, totaling four evaluations. The final grade will be Pass/No Pass. The clinical teacher should discuss any questions regarding his/her final grade with the university supervisor or the Director of Clinical Practice.