* UOTeach Mid-High

Join our Cadre of Middle & High School Subject Area Cooperating Teachers

Cooperating teachers provide critical training opportunities for new teachers to engage, learn, practice, and develop instructional and community building skills. We value the generosity, advocacy, and professional expertise of Cooperating Professionals (CP) as part of our instructional team.

UOTeach Middle and High School

The COE places 60+ Mid-High graduate student teachers in subject areas including, language arts, math, sciences, social studies, and world languages. In most cases, candidates in the UOTeach program, are placed with the same educator from September through the June, allowing them to develop a student-teacher relationship before taking on increasing levels of responsibility in your classroom.

This yearlong placement helps candidates’ partner with their mentor in creating welcoming and collaborative learning communities, experience the breadth and intersectionality of instruction, and develop an understanding of the arch of the school year. Candidates spend the first half of the year as active observers, gain confidence and familiarity before gradually increasing their hours in your classroom and taking on the responsibilities of student teacher.

Here is the general outline of UOTeach placements:

STEPSOn-site hrsPurposeSupporting University Supervisor (US)Licensure task support stipend
Start of Year Active Observation (Aug/September)12-15 hours a week, 4-weeksCandidate starts when teachers go on contract. Mentor models classroom instruction and provides active observation, shadowing, assisting tasks that help candidate become familiar with the classroom, school, and students.-
Active Observation (Fall Sept 26-Dec 8)10 hours a week, 11 weekCandidate focuses on learning systems and building professional relationships in the classroom. Activities include observation, assisting in materials preparation, group support and practice tasks. Candidate may broaden their familiarity with the building by observing and helping in other classrooms, as needed or appropriate.-
Supervised Student Teaching (Winter, Jan 8-Mar 22)20 hours a week (4 hrs/5 days), 11 weeksCandidate to be working closely with mentor in co-planning, instruction, and assessment. TSPC requires that they serve as lead/co-teaching in at least one class period for 6 of the 10 weeks.UO assigns a US to guide candidate and mentor through licensure observation and evaluation tasks.Yes
Supervised Student Teaching (Spring, April 1-Jun 14)40 hours a week, 11 weeksUnder the direction of their mentor, candidate gradually transitions to full-time lead/co-teacher, planning, organizing, delivering, and assessing instruction.UO assigns a US to guide candidate and mentor through licensure observation and evaluation tasks.Yes
  • Supervision: Candidates are assigned a University supervisor to assist in managing the student teaching experience and ensuring University and licensure program requirements are completed.
  • Stipend: The UO provides a stipend to cooperating professionals, through their district, in terms where licensure evaluation and assessment tasks are required  (pre-tax stipend 2024/25: *$172, **$325). Check with your HR Office to determine how and when these benefits are dispersed. Stipends are subject to regular tax deductions.

Benefits of Serving as a Mentor:

  • Having an active and engaged University student helper in your classroom the first half of the year, who then gradually transitions to more instructional co-teaching support for planning, organization, delivery, and assessment responsibilities.
  • Support of a subject area university coach to guide the teacher candidate through the experience and licensure tasks.
  • Connections to UO faculty & resources, PDU’s, a stipend, and access to reduced UO tuition vouchers.
  • District support / recognition for training and recruiting new locally connected teachers to the district’s teacher pipeline.

TSPC Cooperating Teacher Minimum Approval Criteria / Qualifications (OAR 584-400-0145)

  1. Hold a qualified TSPC license.
  2. Meet the experience requirements (≥3 years).
  3. Meet related endorsement requirements.
  4. Be part of the UO COE instructional team, including the Clinical Placement Coordinator and University Supervisor to support successful development of a student teacher. This includes a pre-placement online training session.

JOIN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM:
To become a New or Returning cooperating professional, sign up through your district process.
(local district sign up form links: Bethel | Eugene | Springfield)

Pre-Service Practicum Overview

The UO works with field placement affiliated partners for approved cooperating professional placement opportunities. The clinical professor assigns students to placements based on several factors including faculty recommendation, the student’s interest and prior experiences, availability of sites, and transportation limitations.

A. Candidate Clearance: As a prerequisite to entering the field, the UO requires that in addition to satisfactorily meeting all program requirements, UOTeach candidates must complete the following:

  • Oregon TSPC E-Licensure clearance
  • Oregon DHS mandatory reporting of child abuse
  • Civil Rights and Professional Ethics training (includes FERPA & HIPPA)

B. Cooperating Teacher Orientation Training

As a mentor, you have a community of support to help in preparing a new teacher for the field. We partner with your district to provide you with orientation and support resources. Prior to each term, the UOTeach Clinical Coordinator will invite you to a synchronous online orientation meeting to connect you with our team and introduce you to evaluation and assessment tools, tips, and tasks.
Other Oregon Training Resources

C. Cooperating Teacher / Site Mentor Roles & Responsibilities:

1. On-Boarding:

  • Orient assigned candidate to school and learning community policies, procedures, and safety plans.
  • Help candidate obtain district network access
  • Provide a dedicated space for candidate (e.g. desk, chair).
  • Introduce candidate to admin, class, and colleagues.
  • Explain your planning and teaching schedule, expectations, and practice.
  • Ensure a licensed teacher is present whenever the candidate is in the presence of k12 students.
  • Demonstrate how to arrange an environment for learning, plan and provide effective instruction and student supports, provide relationship to general education, collaborate, and provide suggestions for how to deal with challenging student behaviors.

2. Observation Term:

  • Provide a welcoming environment for candidate to shadow and engage with class.
  • Demonstrate, coach, and provide practice and developmental opportunities.
  • Assign supportive instructional responsibilities under your supervision (1:1 and group work).
  • Model professional disposition in alignment with state, university, and district codes of conduct, sensitive to their role in providing care, custody, and control of minors and other vulnerable populations.
  • Mentor candidate’s interests, experience, and knowledge as a professional educator.
  • Provide proactive guidance and coaching to normalize teacher anxieties and learning opportunities.
  • Encourage and include candidate in on-site and external professional development opportunities.

3. Clinical Student Teaching Term:

  • Meet with assigned university supervisor to understand co-teaching requirements and provide candidate with wraparound communications and support.
  • Create a co-teaching plan, weekly check-in and informal feedback schedule.
  • Encourage candidate proactively take initiative and independence in co-teacher planning, organizing, delivering, and assessing instruction.
  • Model positive educational professional, engaged teacher, student advocate, and community builder for all students.
  • Encourage and enrich candidates preparation for working with diverse populations and provide a range of intervention model experiences.
  • Encourage self-reflection activities, regularly debrief, and complete middle and end of term progress evaluations with their supervisor.
  • Help shape candidate’s skills and develop strength-based instructional practices; school assessments; family involvement; design and implementation of intervention; evaluation of intervention; interdisciplinary collaboration; and hands on applications.
  • Find ways to learn from candidate as they work to apply their ideas, learning tools, and educational research to the practice of teaching.

  Licensure Observation & Evaluation Responsibilities

  • Work with university supervisor to provide regular consultation, guidance, and support.
  • Observe and complete all required licensure observations and evaluations, providing feedback on meeting candidate requirements.
  • Communicate with the supervisor immediately if there are any concerns.
  • In the event that you are unable to continue in your role as cooperating teacher, let us and your building admin know, so that we can work to find a suitable replacement.

Field Placement Instructional Team

updated: 12/11/24