Office of Field Experiences
the Field Experience Process
Field experiences offer teacher candidates meaningful opportunities to apply their learning in a real-world setting and gain valuable insights into the teaching profession. Students enrolled in teacher licensure programs will complete two types of field experiences:
Practicum: All experiences in the PreK-12 environment prior to the internship.
Internship: The culminating field experience (i.e., student teaching) that prepares students for their future careers in teaching.
Every experience follows three steps: the request, the match, and the confirmation.
Connecting PreK-12 Schools/Districts with UToledo Teacher Candidates
The Field Office contacts PreK-12 administrators, principals, and district leaders to request Mentor Teacher participation forthe upcoming term's field experiences. Administrators distribute this request within their schools. Educators may volunteer to serve as mentor teachers, or school leaders may nominate teachers they believe are well-prepared and suited for the role.
Please note that each school/district follows a specific process for field requests, and The Field Office follows such processes.
Field Office Matching Process
The Field Office reviews a list of qualified mentor teachers and matches them with teacher candidates based on several key factors.
- Location – Placements are made within a 30-mile radius of main campus to support accessibility and consistency across field experiences.
- Classroom Type - Grade and subject area are carefully considered to ensure alignment with the candidate’s licensure program.
- Previous Field Experience – Placement records are reviewed to ensure candidates gain diverse, well-rounded classroom experiences. For instance, a PreK-5 candidate with prior experience in Kindergarten may be placed in an upper elementary setting next. This approach applies across licensure bands, such as AYA (7-12) and Multi-Age (K-12), to include varied grade levels and instructional settings.
To ensure a diverse placement for all students, the Field Office may consider and
determine other factors. Examples include schools previously attended or those affiliated
with family connections.
Teacher Candidate and Mentor Teacher Matching and confirmation Process
The Field Office will make an informed and strategic decision to match teacher candidates and mentor teachers. Once a preliminary match is made, both parties are notified of the proposed placement.
Practicum: Upon receiving their placement, practicum candidates are expected to schedule an initial meeting with their mentor teacher to discuss school policies, expectations, and the teaching schedule.
Internship: After the Field Office assigns a preliminary placement and sends tentative confirmation to the principal/administrator, the candidate must complete an interview with the mentor teacher. The placement is finalized once all parties agree to proceed.
Because placements are thoughtfully coordinated in partnership with school sites and availability is limited, changes are uncommon and typically only occur in exceptional circumstances.
