Teacher Education Office: Student Teaching

Supervised teaching is an essential part of Robert Morris University teacher education programs.  During this experience, the cooperating school and the University work together as a supervising team.  The primary purpose of this partnership is to assist each student teacher to master those skills which identify a competent beginning teacher.  

Student Teachers

Student teaching is a time when the student teacher learns about the teaching profession and integrates the skills needed to cope with a full day of teaching in the public schools.  For details specific to your pre-student teaching and student teaching experience by major, please refer to the Student Teaching Handbook.  For information on the Teacher Work Sample, click here.

As soon as a student receives confirmation of their student teaching placement with a school district, he or she must contact their cooperating teacher at the district and arrange a meeting to discuss classes, students, lesson plans, and teaching materials. This occurs the semester prior to actual student teaching.  Students also visit the cooperating teacher for a full day during the second or third week of the Professional Semester (as part of the required teaching methods course EDUC41x0 Content-Specific Pedagogy).

Students MUST submit required documentation to your student teaching school district BEFORE you begin student teaching.  For further roles and responsibilities of the student teacher, please see the Student Teaching Handbook.

Please Note: The RMU education teacher certification program offers international student teaching opportunities. If you are interested, please obtain the latest version of the RMU International Student Teaching Bulletin (available on the wall rack outside the Education offices, or contact your Program Coordinator for details. 

University Supervisors

The university supervisor has a "bridging" or "linking" role in the preparation of the student teacher.  The university supervisor examines the practicality and effectiveness of the teacher education programs at Robert Morris University as reflected in the performance of the student teacher.

For the roles and responsibilities of the university supervisor, please see the Student Teaching Handbook.

Cooperating Teachers

In this experience, the cooperating teacher is the most significant person for the student teacher. He/she must be willing to accept a partnership with Robert Morris University and the university supervisor, and at the same time create a teaching team with the student teacher. The cooperating teacher should offer encouragement to the student teacher when needed and constructive criticism when the student teacher is capable of doing better.  It is the responsibility of the university supervisor and the cooperating teacher to help the student teacher to capitalize on his or her strengths and correct deficiencies wherever they exist.

Robert Morris University respects the ability and the dedication of the cooperating teachers who participate in our teacher education programs.  The cooperating teacher is the vital link between university preparation and professional employment for the student teacher.

For the roles and responsibilities of the cooperating teacher, please see the Student Teaching Handbook.