Clinical Partnerships and Practice
Field Placement Selection
For qualifications and expectations, please click the following links:
Mentor Teacher Selection Process
Step |
Stakeholders Involved |
Procedure |
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1 |
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School Confirmation. The Field Coordinator ensures that each partner school has a current and active affiliation agreement in place. This agreement, managed in coordination with the Accreditation and Assessment Manager, establishes mutual understanding and agreement between the university and the school district. Referral. PK–12 school administrators are invited to refer qualified mentor teachers for upcoming placements. In some cases, administrators may permit teachers to express interest directly. As outlined in the Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor Requirements, all mentor teachers—whether referred or self-nominated—must meet established eligibility criteria. |
| 2 |
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Evaluation. Referred mentor teachers are reviewed to verify that all qualifications and requirements are met. The Field Coordinator then adds eligible teachers to the pool of potential placement sites. |
| 3 |
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Selection. The Field Coordinator matches each teacher candidate with a mentor teacher based on multiple factors, including:
The candidate’s prior field experiences are also reviewed to ensure a diverse range of placements across their program. This results in a preliminary placement. |
| 4 |
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Confirmation. Following the preliminary placement, a tentative confirmation is sent to the building principal or administrator. As outlined in the Student Teacher Handbook, candidates must then interview with the proposed mentor teacher. This interview allows the Field Coordinator to assess the compatibility between the candidate and the mentor. A placement is not considered final until all parties—the candidate, mentor teacher, and administrator—reach mutual agreement. Upon successful completion of this process, the placement is officially confirmed. |