Teaching Experience Options
Paid One-Year Internship VS Unpaid 490-hour Clinical/Student Teaching
To start a teaching assignment you must have completed 4 of the 6 required classes with a B or better, completed your 50-hours of field-based observations and passed your content test and STR (if applicable) by July 1 to start your teaching assignment in the Fall semester and by December 1 to start your teaching assignment in the spring semester. These deadlines are imperative in order to be able to receive the Statement of Eligibility or clinical/student assignment information from the ISD, secure a mentor and university field supervisor.
The alternative certification program coursework is offered completely online. This allows candidates to complete the teaching assignment in an accredited Texas Education Agency (TEA) public school district or accredited private school anywhere in Texas provided a credentialed University Field supervisor is available. If the requested school is outside a 2-hour driving radius of Commerce, then we must be able to secure a university field supervisor before the school can be approved. Per TAC Chapter 228 a candidate's teaching experience shall not take place in a setting where the candidate is related by blood or by marriage to the field supervisor or mentor. East Texas A&M takes that a step further that the candidate cannot be related to an administrator at the school or to a teacher on the same grade level team.
Once your teaching experience begins, a partnership is formed between the program and your school district. You will benefit from intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support from a university field supervisor and school district mentor teacher. There are two options for completing your teaching experience:
- 1. A year-long paid internship is where you go out and apply for a teaching position in the subject/grade that you are pursuing. Once you interview and are offered a contract as Teacher of Record then a Statement of Eligibility** will be sent to your Human Resources department and you can apply for an intern or probationary certificate. You must be teaching in the area you are pursuing at least 4 hours/periods a day.
OR
- 2. A one-semester (490 hours) unpaid clinical/student teaching placement where you are assigned to a mentor teacher’s classroom. This is a full day, five days per week commitment. The placement for student teaching will be determined by the alternative certification program staff. Completion of a separate student teaching application and short interview are required. Application deadline is May 15th for the Fall Semester and November 15th for the Spring Semester.
**Statement of Eligibility (SOE): The Statement of Eligibility form is provided to the student once TEA pre-teaching assignment requirements have been met and a teaching job has been secured. The SOE provides school districts with documentation supporting admission into the East Texas A&M University EPP necessary for employment in an internship position. The employing school district completes “Employing School District” section of the form and returns it to Tracey Stedman.
Note: A teacher candidate must gain employment in a Texas Education Agency (TEA) accredited school providing a credentialed supervisor is available. To determine accredited schools, you may view the TEA website.
Support Staff
Once placed in a teaching experience assignment, the program appoints a university field supervisor who provides constructive feedback on a regular basis after conducting classroom observations. A mentor teacher, one who is recognized as a master teacher, is appointed by the district to work with you and provide support. Your mentor serves as a professional model for you to follow and is the one to whom you turn for advice and guidance on a daily basis. The principal also plays an active role in supervising your professional development and may conduct evaluations of your teaching performance. The university field supervisor, mentor and principal make up your Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) whose purpose is to provide support during your teaching experience and lead to your success in the classroom. You will also have an EPP coordinator who will be checking in with you and your mentor.