Current Cooperating Teachers

Thank you for hosting a North Central student in your classroom! Below you will find a number of resources to assist you in making your pre-service teacher's experience a valuable one. If you have any further questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact us.

Connie Gayle
Career Placement Coordinator
(612) 343-4735 or (612) 343-4737
Fax: (612) 343-4141
E-mail

Evaluation Forms

It is essential that all evaluation forms be filled out and returned to the student or the education department in a timely matter. The student's grade is dependent on the receipt of these forms.

Guidelines for Cooperating Teachers

Student Teaching

The student teaching program at North Central University is based upon the principle that theory is most effectively learned when it is linked with practice; therefore, the methods courses are accompanied by clinical experiences in the respective methods areas. Student teaching, which is the culmination of a gradual induction into teaching, is full time (full day, every day) for a total of fourteen or fifteen weeks.  For most education majors, this is broken down into two seven-and-a-half-week sessions at various grade levels.  Elementary majors seeking a middle school endorsement will complete a ten week session at the elementary level and a four week session in grades seven or eight.

In addition to keeping the same schedule as that of the cooperating teacher, the student is expected to participate, if permitted, in all professional activities in which the cooperating teacher engages. It is hoped that the intense, practical nature of student teaching will give the student a realistic pictures of the teaching profession. All of the student's field, clinical, and student teaching experiences are broad, varied, and practical, designed to give the pre-service teacher a variety of experiences with diverse populations, instructional approaches, and curriculum organization.

For specific guidleines regarding the student teaching experience, please see our Student Teaching Handbook.

Clinical I

Each clinical experience consists of six days spent in a classroom setting with an experienced cooperating teacher. Clinical I occurs in the fall of a student's junior year and is the first time that a student has been given the responsibility to teach a lesson in the school setting. The clinical students are expected to participate in all areas of classroom responsibility. The cooperating teacher, along with the university supervisor, helps to guide, assist, and evaluate the pre-student teacher. The cooperating teacher can expect to mentor the student, who is at the novice level.

For specific guidelines on hosting a Clinical I student in your classroom, please click on the appropriate link below.

Clinical II

Clinical II occurs in the spring of a student's junior year and is the second time that a student has been given the responsibility to teach a lesson in the school setting. For music and secondary education majors, the experience consists of six days spent in a classroom setting with an experienced cooperating teacher. The clinical students are expected to participate in all areas of classroom responsibility. The cooperating teacher, along with the university supervisor, helps to guide, assist, and evaluate the pre-student teacher.

For Elementary majors, Clinical II is an experience dedicated to the application of reading instructions.  Throughout the semester, students spend Tuesday and Thursday mornings in a primary and an intermediate classroom. The teacher candidate will utilize 1 to 1, small group and whole group instruction strategies as directed by the cooperating teacher.

For specific guidelines on hosting a Clinical II student in your classroom, please click on the appropriate link below.

Clinical III

Each clinical experience consists of six days spent in a classroom setting with an experienced cooperating teacher. Clinical III occurs in the fall of a student's senior year and is the last clinical experience before full-time student teaching. The clinical students are expected to participate in all areas of classroom responsibility. The cooperating teacher, along with the university supervisor, helps to guide, assist, and evaluate the pre-student teacher.

For specific guidelines on hosting a Clinical III student in your classroom, please click on the appropriate link below.