Student Assistance

ACCOMMODATIONS. A student teacher with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who requires special accommodations (i.e. additional time to complete paperwork, absences for medical reasons) must contact their university supervisor and the Office of Disability Services (ODS) prior to beginning the internship. Then, if an accommodation request is granted, ODS will issue a letter for the university supervisor through the student describing the nature of the disability and the accommodation(s) recommended. Any accommodation(s) will commence from the date the letter from ODS is presented to the university supervisor. Requests for retroactive accommodations for the purpose of changing a final grade will not be considered.

 

CONFERENCE. Part of the mission of the music education faculty is to help students successfully complete their degree program. Occasionally, student teachers encounter problems that may require special assistance in order to successfully complete the internship. In such cases, the student teacher, the Director of Music Education, and the university supervisor (in collaboration with the mentor teacher) meet in conference to discuss possible solutions. The Academic Adviser and an administrator from the School of Music may also be involved in the conference. 

 

Actions that can prompt a conference include: 

• A request from the student teacher, or university supervisor

• An absence or tardy from student teaching without sufficient communication 

• Failure to complete or submit paperwork in a timely manner 

• Insufficient or lack of lesson planning 

• Lack of participation in school-site events 

• Violation of, or failure to conform, to the code of ethics 

• Posting inappropriate content to social media that violates the policies herein 

• Failure to meet the minimum requirement of 300 student teaching/150 direct teaching clock hours 

• Removal from the internship by the principal 

 

Possible outcomes that can result from a conference with the ST include: 

• Arranging for an observation of an exceptional teacher who models the skills the intern lacks 

• Modifying the schedule for independent teaching to begin more gradually and/or to add days if possible 

• Providing special experiences during the period after independent teaching in order to address areas that need improvement 

• Referral to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for personal or therapeutic support 

• Referral to the Office of Student Financial Aid for advice on financial assistance 

• Referral to Student Health Services for medical support 

• Referral to the Office of Disability Services (ODS) for the purpose of requesting special accommodations needed to complete the internship 

• Providing information about the possibility of repeating the internship in a subsequent semester 

• Advising the student regarding an alternate degree and/or path to licensure