Experience It.

Frequently Asked Questions for Student Teachers

Can I do my student teaching in Canada?

Yes, you can complete your student teaching placement in one of 63 Ontario school boards.

What is the length of student teaching?

Student teaching is full-time for approximately 14 weeks (7 weeks at the primary level and 7 weeks at the junior level) with one week in between placements. For those 14 weeks, you can stay in Ontario and will not need to visit the Amherst campus unless you choose to do so.

Where can I complete my student teacher experiences?

Placements can be done in one of 63 Ontario school boards or in the Buffalo/Niagara area in New York State.

When can I complete my student teaching?

Student teaching is offered during the fall and spring semesters only.

What are the pre-requisites to student teaching?

Specific education courses are required for each major, along with a minimum GPA. Undergraduates are expected to have a minimum GPA of 2.5; Graduate students 3.0. More about prerequesites »

How often can I expect my college supervisor to visit me at school?

Normally, college supervisors make one informal visitation for each student teaching placement and two formal observations.

What is the Exit Meeting?

The Exit Meeting is for all student teachers and is held at the end of the spring and fall student teaching semesters. The purpose is to submit all the required documentation from both student teaching experiences and to participate in the professional development session.

What should I bring to the Exit Meeting?

All documents listed on the Student Teacher Exit Checklist, along with a copy of the student teaching placement survey verification email.

Can I work during student teaching?

Student teaching is a full-time job with full-time responsibilities. It is not recommended that students continue to work in their regular occupation at the same time.

Is fingerprinting required and where can I get it done?

All student teachers are required to be fingerprinted for certification. Fingerprinting can be done at the Amherst Campus (by appointment) or at a police station. Fingerprint cards can be obtained at the Office of Student Teaching/Certification. Some Canadian school boards require student teachers to be fingerprinted and have a police check before they can begin student teaching. See the prerequsiites page for more information on police checks, and the fingerprinting page for more information.

How do I apply for New York State teacher certification?

See Guidelines for Applying to New York State for a Teaching Certificate at and click on Guidelines for New York State Certification.

How do I apply for teacher certification in the Province of Ontario?

See Guidelines for Applying to the Ontario College of Teachers for a Teaching Certificate at and click on Guidelines for Ontario College of Teachers Application.

Does the Office of Student Teaching/Certification (OSTC) have a Student Teaching Handbook?

Yes. The Student Teaching Handbook in its entirety is available on the OSTC website at www.medaille.edu/studentteaching.

The Handbook includes information such as important student teaching dates, exit meeting dates, student teaching requirements, sample lesson plan/unit formats, student teaching evaluation forms, and additional information regarding the area of student teaching.

What are the pre-requisites needed in order to be eligible to participate in student teaching?

For graduate education programs: successful completion of all course pre-requisites and a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.

For undergraduate education programs: successful completion of all course pre-requisites and a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.

Please check the Office of Student Teaching/Certification website for course pre-requisites for your specific program at www.medaille.edu/studentteaching.

You should also contact your academic advisor and/or program director to confirm that you have fulfilled program pre-requisites and confirm the semester that you will be expected to participate in the student teaching experience.

What is the purpose of the mandatory Student Teaching Placement Information Meeting?

The Student Teaching Placement Information Meeting is held to provide potential student teachers with: (1) an overview of the student teaching pre-requisites; (2) where to find copies of the student teaching placement form and profile sheet template and deadline dates for submission; (3) a reminder that a police record check screening is required prior to participation in student teaching (Canadian student teachers); (4) a copy of the student teaching start/end dates and interim week; (5) expectations of the Student Teacher Exit Meeting; and (6) an opportunity to discuss student teaching placement procedures and responsibilities during student teaching.

When are the mandatory Student Teaching Placement Information Meetings held?

For students who are expecting to participate in the student teaching experience during the fall or spring semester, there is a mandatory Student Teaching Placement Information Meeting scheduled for you to attend the (fall or spring) semester prior to the semester you expect to begin student teaching. Dates and locations of these meetings are available on the OSTC website and signs are posted at both the Amherst and Buffalo campuses. The meetings are normally scheduled within the first two weeks of each semester.

What are the deadline dates to submit the Student Teaching Placement Preference Form and Profile Sheet to the Office of Student Teaching/Certification (OSTC)?

September 15 is the date to submit the Student Teaching Placement Preference Form and Profile Sheet to the OSTC for a spring semester placement.

February 15 is the date to submit the Student Teaching Placement Preference Form and Profile Sheet to the OSTC for those wishing to participate in the fall semester.

Is a Police Record Check required if I will be student teaching in Ontario?

Yes. All Canadian education students are required to complete a satisfactory Police Record Check Screening prior to participation in student teaching or other voluntary experiences with children. It is further expected by the OSTC that you will have the process completed in a timely manner so that documents are ready for the first day of your assignment in student teaching. Students may visit the Ontario Education Services Corporation website at www.oesc-cseo.org to obtain current forms for the Police Record Check.

Select boards also require that a student process screening via the OESC (Ontario Education Services Corporation), www.oesc-cseo.org (416-205-9545). Currently, Niagara Catholic, District School Board of Niagara, Peel Public, and the Halton Public Boards require the OESC screening. All Province of Ontario student teachers are expected to determine what is required by the board(s) where they will be student teaching.

Is fingerprinting required and where can I get it done?

All student teachers are required to be fingerprinted for certification. Student teachers are also required to complete the application for fingerprinting on the New York State Teach website at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/. Fingerprinting can be done at the Amherst Campus (by appointment) through the Office of Student Teaching/Certification, at the Buffalo Campus (by appointment) with La’Wain Reed, or at a police station. Fingerprint cards can be obtained at the Office of Student Teaching/Certification.

When does Student Teaching occur?

Student teaching occurs during the fall semester (September-December) or spring semester (January-May). Please check the Office of Student Teaching website at www.medaille.edu/studentteaching for specific start/end dates of student teaching.

How long is the student teaching experience?

The student teaching experience is typically two (2) full-time seven-week placements, with a one week interim week between the first and second placements.

  1. Fall semester student teaching usually begins in early September and concludes by mid-December.

  1. Spring semester student teaching normally begins in mid-January and concludes in early May.

NOTE: During the spring semester of student teaching, a spring break occurs that fluctuates within school boards/districts the week it occurs. Student teachers are expected to follow the schedule of the school to which they are assigned.

Can I work during student teaching?

Student teaching is a full-time job with full-time responsibilities. It is not recommended that students continue to work while student teaching

Can I do my student teaching in Canada?

Yes. You can complete your student teaching placements in one of 63 Ontario school boards, or in Western New York, or seven weeks in each.

Why is there an interim week between the first and second student teaching placement?

The interim week is planned so that the student teacher can choose to participate in professional development activities. A sampling of activities might include updating ones resume and professional teaching portfolio, attending a teacher workshop, initiating a placement file with the Career Planning and Placement Office, meeting with your second associate teacher, and meeting with your assigned college supervisor.

When will I be contacted about my confirmed student teaching placements?

The Office of Student Teaching/Certification (OSTC) forwards “email updates” throughout each semester to students who are expected to student teach.

The OSTC formally notifies students of confirmed placements for the spring semester beginning December 1st. Students who participate in fall semester student teaching are notified by June 15th, with additional notifications beginning August 15th.

How are the College Supervisors assigned?

College Supervisors are full-time or part-time faculty members of Medaille College. (Many are also retired teachers or administrators.) College Supervisors are assigned generally by location. That means that they live in the vicinity in which you will teach and thus are assigned as such.

Normally, you are assigned one College Supervisor for your student teaching experiences. However, there are circumstances that occur whereby you may have a different College Supervisor for each of your placements.

How do I meet my College Supervisor?

When you receive your confirmed student teaching placements, the name and contact information of the supervisor will be included. You may introduce yourself with a phone call or send an email. Typically, the College Supervisor schedules a meeting to orient student teachers prior to the beginning of the student teaching experiences, but no later than the first week of student teaching.

How many times does a College Supervisor observe student teaching?

The College Supervisor will schedule a minimum of two formal observations per placement.

How am I evaluated during my student teaching experience?

The forms that will be used for the evaluation of your student teaching performance are on the Office of Student Teaching/Certification website at www.medaille.edu/studentteaching and include:

  1. The Midway Evaluation completed by each Associate Teacher.
  2. The (final) Performance Summary Evaluation by each Associate Teacher and for each student teacher by the College Supervisor.
  3. Lesson Observation Forms are completed each time your College Supervisor schedules an observation.
  4. Lesson Plan Rubrics are completed for each lesson plan submitted for the Lesson Observations.

May I request copies of my student teaching evaluations?

No. You are required to submit original student teaching evaluations to Medaille College during your Student Teaching Exit Meeting. You are expected to photocopy any of the student teaching materials you personally wish to keep prior to that meeting. [The Office of Student Teaching/Certification (OSTC) is not permitted to make copies for students.]

How do I obtain letters of recommendation for my student teaching experiences?

A student teacher who wishes to have a letter of recommendation will need to request the recommendation from the associate teachers and/or college supervisors. Generally, teachers and supervisors are willing to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.