About Student Teaching
Student teaching must take place in Brockport/Greater Rochester area school districts (see exceptions below), where the University has a relationship with school personnel and college supervisors have a reasonable travel distance. There are two SUNY approved alternative locations for student teaching outside the Brockport/Rochester area:
Student teaching placements in the Brockport/Greater Rochester area school districts consist of a either a single placement over the course of the semester (15 weeks) or two separate placements. The schedule and duration will differ if you are part of an alternative location program. As with field experience, an application and resume must be submitted the semester prior to student teaching in order to have the Field Experience Office secure a placement for teacher candidates.
Teacher candidates can request permission to student teach outside the Brockport/Greater Rochester area by submitting the Out of Area Student Teaching Request form.
Student Teaching Seminar
Student teaching candidates are required to attend weekly seminar meetings with their university supervisor and seminar group. During the seminar meetings, candidates have an opportunity to discuss questions about their student teaching placement, receive support on student teaching assignments, and learn from the experiences of their university supervisor and colleagues. Most seminars will by synchronous virtual meetings. Some will be held face-to-face or in a hybrid format. Professional development opportunities such as guest speakers for certification or classroom management, or visiting a local school district for mock interviews may be incorporated into the seminar meeting time.
Student teaching candidates will be informed about their university supervisor and the day/time/modality of their seminar group meetings prior to the start of the semester. Typically the seminar is held in the late afternoon or early evening, after regular school district hours. University supervisors will inform their seminar group about the location of the meeting.