Student Teaching

Student teaching is designed to meet all Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements which include a minimum of 600 hours of clinical practice. DLE student teaching hours exceed the CTC minimum requirement. Teacher candidates may begin required coursework for the credential program, but student teaching begins only after successfully passing all CSET exams. 

About Student Teaching

Every teacher candidate is assigned both a Guide Teacher at their assigned school for student teaching and a University Supervisor who coaches, mentors, and assesses the teacher candidate's progress over time in meeting the CTC required Teacher Performance Expectations.

The student teaching experience follows a progression over time from initially observing, assisting, and then taking on increasing responsibility for instruction with all subject matter across the day.

Starting Student Teaching

  • Face-to-Face Program Students: Begin their student teaching within the first two weeks of SDSU’s academic school year. Engage in student teaching Monday – Thursday.
  • Online Program Students: First semester field experience while in their classified placements with observations at a dual language school. Begin their student teaching during second semester. Engage in student teaching throughout the week during second semester for those who have a classified position.

School Placement

Student teaching placements are arranged and assigned by the Multiple Subject Bilingual Program Coordinators.

  • Every effort is made to secure a student teaching placement within the geographical vicinity of the teacher candidate’s home residence in order to minimize driving time and expenditures.
  • Online teacher candidates could have a placement at their school of employment or nearby.
  • Multiple Subject Teacher Candidates usually stay at one school for the entire academic school year.
    • Face-to-Face: Grade level assignments are changed at the beginning of each semester to ensure for student teaching experience in both a primary grade (K-2) and an upper grade (3-5).
    • Online: Student teacher assignments are in the same classroom for one semester.