Student Teaching (Clinical Experiences)

Clinical experiences are placements in educational settings that allow ISU students to observe and participate in ongoing teaching of birth to grade 12 pupils. ISU students participate in clinical experiences by taking clinical experience courses. There are two types of clinical experience courses: practicum and student teaching.

Practicum courses provide short-term placements in educational settings, experience in which ISU students observe teaching and learning in schools, and/or short-term teaching under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher.
Student teaching courses are longer-term experiences in which students teach full time under the supervision of an experienced teacher and are expected to become increasingly independent in their planning, classroom management, and teaching. Over the course of student teaching experiences, students come to be in control of a classroom.

Every clinical experience (practica and student teaching) at Iowa State University combines classroom experience with academic learning such as reflections, lesson plans, assessments, etc. Both parts come together to determine the final grade.

Purpose of clinical experiences

Gain professional insights and practical teaching experience through observation, planning, and practice under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
Gain deeper insights into the professional responsibilities of a classroom teacher (instruction, classroom management, record keeping, building procedures, student evaluation, planning, organization, parent communication, following curriculum guidelines, etc.).
Gain experience in planning and implementing lessons using a variety of teaching strategies and methods, which must be differentiated to meet the individual needs of children in the classroom.
Gain experience working with colleagues in the school setting, accomplishing activities under the direction of the cooperating teacher.

Commuting outside of Ames

Placements for the majority of clinical experiences (practicum courses and student teaching courses) occur within 60 miles outside of Ames. You may have an hour long drive (one way) to reach your clinical experience school building.

Four clinical experience levels

Clinical Experiences are divided into four levels. Consult with your specific program as program requirements may be different.

The following licensure areas will be using these four levels:

Elementary Education
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Sciences Education
English Education
History-Social Sciences Education
Math Education
World Languages and Cultures Education

The following licensure areas will have similar objectives, but different expectations for course fees, supervision, transportation and time commitment:

Physical and Health Education
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Early Childhood Education

The following licensure areas will not be using the four levels:

Music Education
Agricultural Education

Level One

Objective: Observing effective teaching.

Course Fee: Not applicable.

Supervision: Not applicable.

Transportation: Not applicable.

Time Commitment: Two and a half hours must be made available for one school day between Monday and Friday.

Level Two

Objective: Actively teaching in a classroom with one lesson (minimum.)Course Fee: $25. This fee will be given to the cooperating teacher to serve as a thank you for hosting.Supervision: Not applicable.Transportation: Placement may be within 60 miles of the university, so transportation is needed.

Time Commitment: Half of one school day must be made available, Monday through Friday.

Level Three

Objective: Actively teaching in a classroom with two lessons (minimum.) This is often affiliated with methods courses and occurs the semester before student teaching.Course Fee: $125. $50 will be given to the cooperating teacher to serve as a thank you for hosting.Supervision: A supervisor will visit the classroom three times to meet and provide feedback on the two lessons implemented. Cost of supervision is $75.Transportation: Placement may be within 60 miles of the university, so transportation is needed. Elementary Education majors have carpool coordinated for them.

Time Commitment: Half of one school day must be made available, Monday through Friday.

*Graduate students such as CI 591G Math must make four visits and teach four lessons. A supervisor evaluates 3 lessons. Course fee is $200. $100 is for the supervisor and $100 is given to the cooperating teacher.

Level Four

Objective: Have primary responsibility for planning and instruction within a classroom for a minimum of ten school days. This is a 14-week program.

Course Fee: $260 for 8 weeks, $455 for 14 weeks, $520 for 16 weeks. $150 will be given to the cooperating teacher to serve as a thank you for hosting. $250 goes to the supervisor. Please note: Part of the supervisor costs are paid by Teacher Education Services. This figure is prorated based on the number of weeks in placement.

Supervision: A supervisor will visit the classroom and provide feeback on one lesson every two weeks.

Transportation: Placement may be within 60 miles of the university, so transportation is needed.

Time Commitment: Monday through Friday during the school day.

Repeating clinical experiences

Repeating Pre-student Teaching (Practica) Experiences

In the event that a student does not earn the minimum grade specified by his or her program requirements in a given methods course, he or she will be required to retake both the methods course and the practicum associated with that methods course for the courses to count toward teacher licensure.

In the event that a student does not earn a satisfactory grade in a given practicum, he or she will be required to retake both the practicum and methods course associated with that practicum for the courses to count toward teacher licensure.

Any student who does not receive the required minimum grade or is dismissed from two practica (two times in one course or in two different courses) will not be allowed to take courses with practica in teacher education related courses, and will be counseled to find another major.

Repeating Student Teaching

In the event that a student is dismissed from student teaching or receives a grade lower than a C, the student will not be allowed to retake student teaching.

Students are allowed only one opportunity to obtain the minimum grade for student teaching because of the importance of this experience in showing they meet the 12 educator preparation standards necessary to obtain a license. Students who do not successfully complete a student teaching placement will be counseled to earn a different degree.

Iowa State University Policy on Repeating Practica or Student Teaching (doc)

Teacher Education Services

Teacher Education Services works with all students pursuing licensure (a state-issued license to teach). This office works with coordinators, advisers, and students in the various early childhood, elementary, and secondary options within the School of Education teacher education to arrange practicum and student teaching placements in K-12 settings.

Quick Links
Student Teaching: From Ames to Indonesia

William Terry reflects on student teaching in an Ames elementary school. He plans to spend the second half of his clinical experience teaching in Indonesia the first elementary Education student to do so in ISU's unique international student teaching program. Video »
Teacher Education Services
ISU Teacher Education Services assists students on their path to becoming an educator from admissions through student teaching and licensure. Contact »
Did You Know?
Some of our students share their international student teacher experiences in blogs:

Heather Fremont

William Terry
Path to Becoming a Teacher
Decision point 1: Admission

Decision point 2: Student teaching

Decision point 3: Licensure
Tools