Clinical Experiences

Field Experiences and Student Teaching

In addition to your coursework at UMD, you will be placed in a variety of field experiences to meet licensure requirements depending on your major. 

Student Teacher Candidates

  • Each program has different student teaching requirements
  • Student teachers in each program have different placement time frames
  • All student teachers receive a UMD Student Teaching Handbook
  • All student teachers are required to complete a midterm and a final evaluation
  • Student teachers completing the edTPA are required to complete and upload their edTPA through Tk20 to Pearson, and will receive supporting documents through edTPA faculty and the ALFE office. 

Student Teaching Applications

Students needing to complete their Field Experience requirement(s) must submit an application in Tk20. Applications need to be completed the semester prior to student teaching. After completing the application, you will need to meet with your faculty advisor to review your Program Clearance Packet and your readiness for student teaching.

*Applications open the first day of the semester and are due at 4 p.m. on the 4th Friday.

Application Instructions

Components of Student Teaching Application 

Log in to Tk20

You will use your UMD username and password to log in to Tk20.  The application you need to complete will depend on the program in which you are enrolled:

IESE Student Teaching

  • If this is your first student teaching experience (typically Block 4), then you will complete the "Initial Student Teaching Application [term]" in Tk20.
  • If this is your second student teaching experience (typically Block 5), then you will need to complete the "Block 5 Student Teaching Application [term]" in Tk20.

STEP Student Teaching

  • Complete the "Initial Student Teaching Application [term]" in Tk20.

Post Bac Student Teaching

  • Complete the "Initial Student Teaching Application [term]" in Tk20.

Notice for International Student Teaching Applicants

Participation in International Student Teaching is contingent on current health and safety developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or other international situations. The International Student Teaching program will comply with local public health recommendations, as well as, the recommended standards of the University of Minnesota. The International Student Teaching Coordinator and Field Experience Officer will be in contact with applicants throughout the process. Decisions about whether programs will be run are made on a country-by-country basis. Applicants will be notified if their program is canceled. For detailed and updated information, please visit the UMD Study Abroad COVID-19 website.

Handbooks

Required prior to Clinical Experiences

Students will not be placed in schools unless the following is completed.

  1. Receipt from purchasing Education Minnesota Liability Insurance. Students can obtain the insurance with a credit card. Insurance is only good until August the year of purchase. If insurance is purchased Fall or Spring, students will need to purchase it again for the following Fall.
  2. Completed Background Check.
  3. Mantoux test results and confidentiality form if placement is in Superior, WI. Students will be contacted by Office of Field Experiences if this applicable.
  4. Other district paperwork as needed.

Field Experience Badge Procedures

A Field Experience Badge is required for all Education students during their field placements. To request a badge, submit your information and a digital photo to the Field Experience Badge Google Form. Badge requests will only be taken through this form. Badges are to be kept for the duration of Education Block courses.

Photo must be of passport-quality, color photograph of you alone, taken within the last six months. The photo should include your head from bottom of the chin to top of head (including hair). Photo must be clear, front view, full face, taken in normal street attire without a hat, dark glasses, or other accessories. Photo must have a solid single color background (easily accomplished by taking a photo in front of a solid color wall). Please upload the photo file in .jpg format.

Completed badges will be distributed in Education Block field experience courses. In the case of a replacement badge, students will be emailed when the badge is ready for pick-up.  

If you have questions, please contact the Department of Education at [email protected].

UMD Field Experience Contact

Field Placement Officer
Stephanie Gillman
218-726-6143
[email protected]