Clinical Teaching

Spring 2025 Calendar

The Clinical Teacher’s Role

A clinical teacher occupies a dual role in that he or she is both a college student and a teacher with all the implications of each classification. As a student, you are subject to all regulations governing the relationship between college student and clinical teacher. As a teacher, you are working as a professional and must accept the responsibility of the position.

Clinical teachers are assigned to a school campus for the entire semester to meet Tarleton State University’s clinical teaching requirements and to exceed the State Board for Educator Certification requirements. During the assigned time, you are required to follow the daily schedule of the campus to which you are assigned. Changes in placement can only be made by the Coordinator of Field Experiences.

You will begin by observing and assisting the first week. Beginning with the second week, you may start teaching one period/subject a day and pick up one period/subject each week and gradually move into teaching the entire day. You will eventually teach the entire day for a minimum of three weeks. You will teach in as many different situations as possible during the 15/16 weeks of clinical teaching.

Professional Responsibilities

  1. Conduct yourself in a professional manner. Maintain a professional relationship with the students, faculty and staff at all times.
  2. Conform to dress code of district in compliance with Tarleton State University’s Field Experiences Dress Code.
  3. Be fair, impartial, and consistent in working with students.
  4. Be open to constructive feedback and incorporate it in subsequent planning and teaching.
  5. Research the subject matter and adequately prepare to teach the subject each day.
  6. Identify the students by name as quickly as possible. Get to know your learners.
  7. Observe and study the mentor teacher’s plans, techniques, discipline procedures, and classroom organization and management before attempting to direct any project.
  8. Be proficient in the correct usage of written and oral language.

Responsibilities to the Campus

  1. Become familiar with and abide by all school policies.
  2. Plan, write and teach a minimum of one unit, which will be taught during a minimum three weeks of full time teaching.
  3. Be regular and punctual in meeting all classes.
  4. Follow the district calendar and school clock for teacher campus time and attend all day or evening campus sponsored activities. Clinical teachers attend all professional meetings and in-service programs.
  5. All personal absences need to be cleared by the mentor teacher and the field supervisor. Excessive absences may adversely affect the clinical teacher’s grade or lengthen the clinical teacher’s assignment. If you are going to be absent, call your supervisor, your teacher, and your school.

Responsibilities to the University

  1. Have lesson plans ready and approved by your cooperating teacher, according to your teacher’s and school’s policy, prior to your lesson.
  2. Send weekly reflection and time documentation sheet to the field supervisor each Friday.

Removal from Clinical Teaching

Removal from clinical teaching occurs when the campus principal and/or the cooperating teacher requests that the clinical teacher no longer remain in the current placement and/or on the campus. The Field Experience office may also remove you due to any violation of the code of ethics.

Upon removal from a placement, you will meet with a committee of Tarleton State University faculty.

At their discretion, the committee may choose one of the following options based on the severity of the request for removal or ethics violation:

  • Option 1: You will receive a grade of U (Unsatisfactory) in EDUC 4335 and 4690. You will be allowed to graduate from Tarleton State University, but you will not be eligible for or allowed to apply for certification through Tarleton. You will be dropped from the Teacher Education Program and may graduate non-certified. To be able to graduate that same semester, you will need to have enough unused hours to substitute for the 9 hours designated for clinical teaching.
  • Option 2: You will be removed from clinical teaching for the semester but allowed to re-enroll the next semester with a new placement on a different campus. You will receive a grade of K (Incomplete) for EDUC 4335 and 4690. The grade will be changed at the completion of clinical teaching.
  • Option 3: You will be allowed to continue Clinical Teaching (EDUC 4335 and 4690) that semester with a different placement on a different campus.

After the committee’s decision, you will work with the Field Experiences Director and the Certification Officer to complete requirements.

The committee’s decision may be appealed in writing to the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development.