Student Teaching
Going beyond the 10-week experience
Teacher candidates at William & Mary are required to successfully complete a full-time, 10-week student teaching experience in an accredited K-12 school in their grade level(s) and subject area(s) of endorsement. Prior to full-time student teaching, teacher candidates complete at least 100 hours of early clinical experiences, as well.
Clinical Faculty Program
The Clinical Faculty Program is a hallmark of the William & Mary teacher preparation program and has been recognized statewide and nationally as an exemplary model. The Clinical Faculty Program provides intensive, year-long training to cooperating teachers through which they develop specific skills in mentoring, supervising, and evaluating teacher candidates.
Selecting cooperating teachers
William & Mary plays an active, collaborative role in selecting cooperating teachers. The William & Mary Clinical Faculty network is comprised of six partnering school divisions and 26 formal partnership schools, through which master K-12 teachers are carefully identified, recruited, and trained to serve as effective cooperating teachers.
Successful placement
Field placements are arranged by School of Education faculty and staff in close collaboration with a network of K-12 Clinical Faculty partners. Nearly 75% of all teacher candidates are placed with trained Clinical Faculty. The remaining teacher candidates are placed with effective, experienced teachers who have been recommended by school administrators and who have been fully oriented to the roles and expectations involved in mentoring a teacher candidate.
Observation and feedback
Student teachers are formally observed and provided written feedback a minimum of five times by a university supervisor. Additionally, each student teacher participates in a formal three-way evaluation conference with a university supervisor and the cooperating teacher at the mid-point and conclusion of the student teaching experience. During these evaluation conferences, student teachers receive formal written feedback aligned to a comprehensive set of state and national professional competencies.
