Student Teaching FAQ’s

If you do not have a LiveText Account, please email Mr. Corey Drake at drakec1@tcnj.edu.

 Click the link for step by step instruction on how to post your documents to LiveText. Take your time and follow the directions exactly as written. Documents should be loaded as pdf under one blank portfolio. If pdf documents are not properly named and shared they cannot be viewed by the placement officer. Documents, not receipts need to be posted (i.e criminal history form, TB results, Sub Certs, District Applications, Health/Physical Form, Child Abuse, vaccination, documents of any kind).

Click here to view the LiveText Instructional Video 

Click here to view the entire Livetext Guides and Video Library

Remember, that the office may not be able to see the documents that you see. Common errors include:

1. Forgetting to name your blank portfolio. If you didn’t name your blank portfolio, then I am unable to see the documents that you put into the system. If you look in the top left hand corner you will see a word in red. If that red block does not have your name, TCNJ ID, document submission), Then your document is not visible to the STEP Office. To correct the error, click on Document Properties (middle of page to the right), and name your document per the instructions, and click on save. When you see your name, TCNJ ID and Document Submission in the top left corner in red, then you did this correctly. This is the number one error.
2. Students forgetting to share the document with editor access to STEPLIVETEXT. Once it’s shared, it will indicate that you successfully shared this information with the office.
3. Files were placed in File Manager, instead of LiveText Docs and are not viewable by the office.

Other Issues Students need to Correct: 

• Do not create multiple portfolio’s. You only need ONE portofolio. Condense all documents into one portfolio.
• Make sure your first and last name, and the name of the document are on each document. Do not ignore this request.
• Documents are to be loaded as pdf documents only. If any of your documents have and extension other than a pdf (pneg, png, docx, jpeg, gif, heic) you will be asked to redo them.
• Insert files as attachments only. Do not put any file in as an image.

All students enrolled in teacher education programs at the College apply for Clinical II/Internship II via online forms found on the STEP Office website. The student teacher coordinator for each program reviews and approves the student teaching applications. The STEP Office will arrange placements for students. Students are not permitted to contact principals or teachers to arrange their own placements. Each district has specific guidelines and procedures for placing student teachers. When students do not follow these procedures, it risks damaging TCNJ’s relationships with partner districts.

 

 If you were not able to make the orientation session for your department, try to attend another session. Orientation session dates will be listed on our homepage. You can attend any session, but special instructions by major are provided in specific sessions. See your STEP Program Coordinators for those details. If you still aren’t able to attend a session or none is being offered, click here for the Orientation to Student Teaching Video. If you want to skip to certain parts of the orientation, I make a note here (Overview starts 1.00, STEP Application starts at 31.00, Livetext Instructions start at 39.40, and Certification Office -prints and sub cert start at 47.47)

There are two student teaching applications that students must complete:

1. The STEP Online Application: (refer to FAQ#8 for issues submitting application) This is the database from which the placement letter is generated. Students will be able to apply for a placement for multiple semesters, and Global Student Teaching in the STEP system. Note: Students will be able to make changes in their profile, however, they will not be able to make any changes to the semester or residency location during student teaching once the application is submitted. There is no need to apply multiple times, if you make a mistake, email step@tcnj.edu with the details and we will make the corrections for you.
2. The Qualtrics Application: This application was created to collect more accurate information from students, and give students an opportunity to provide information before placement. There will be separate links for each semester of student teaching.  Please be sure to carefully complete the application for the correct semester. When completing the application, try to complete in one sitting. The system will not allow you to make changes after a week. Do NOT wait to have all your documents in Livetext to complete the application. You can answer yes or no to those questions, and add them at a later date. It is important that you finish the application as soon as possible.
3. The link to the Qualtrics application will be updated every semester. Please do not complete more than one application. If you make a mistake or something changes, i.e. location, you should email us atstep@tcnj.edu with the changes and we will make the corrections for you. Check to make sure you are applying for student teaching in the correct semester.

• Link to the Fall 2023 Qualtrics Application
• Fall 2023-Student-Teaching-Checklist-2
• Student Teaching Orientation pptx

Applications are always being accepted. However, applications that are received after priority deadlines can result in a late placement. Students beginning placements later than the start of the school semester, may also have to extend their time in the district.

You should submit your online application and documentation (Resume, Transcript, TB results, Fingerprinting and Criminal Background Check, sub cert) in LiveText at the same time that you complete the Qualtrics Form.

If you still have questions after reviewing the PowerPoint, handout and these FAQs, you can send an email to the STEP Office

  The current STEP database is antiquated and asks for information you may not have or even know yet. Students who did not have practicums in MST/MTT or know their placements for CPI, should not worry. You will need to provide answers for every placement location, even if you didn’t complete that particular placement. You will not be able to submit your application if you do not. You will need to select the district, school and the grade level to move forward.

Do not worry if the information is incorrect. We use the STEP database to generate your placement request letter, assign your field supervisors, and notify your faculty of the district, school and teacher you will be placed with. We cannot use this particular information from the system for your placement, because it will not be totally accurate.

Applying in the STEP database will not trigger the placement officer to find you a placement. It only allows us to generate your letter. However, applying for student teaching in the Qualtrics Application will let us know that you are in need of a placement in a particular semester. You will be able to provide more accurate information in the Qualtrics Survey (Forms for Students or in FAQ#7). When attempting to place you, we work from the information listed in this application and your resume. Use your official TCNJ email address on your resume and not your personal email for this process.

NO! Only complete one application. When students apply multiple times, they may be placed in multiple districts causing confusion for themselves and the placement officer. Due to life circumstances, we recognize that a student’s residency during student teaching may change from what they put on their application. If you move, please email the STEP office with this information as soon as you can. We depend on the kindness of teachers and district to host you. It is not ideal to remove a student from placement after they have been placed. This can jeopardize our relationship with the district and future placements by removing you after a placement has been made.

 If you have a special circumstance that need to be taken under consideration, please let us know on your application, or as soon as feasibly possible. Some students have health concerns, financial hardship, clubs/organizations responsibilities or transportation needs that must be considered before a placement. Students should make a note on the application that is submitted to their STEP Program Coordinators or email the STEP Office with any special circumstances BEFORE the placement process begins. We have a greater opportunity to make this accommodation work when notified in advance. If you have a specific hardship, speak to the STEP Office. If we cannot negotiate mutually acceptable placement location, then you will be asked to schedule an appointment with your program coordinator and complete a Hardship Waiver. If approved, we will place you within the confines of that approval.

 If your GPA is between 2.750 and 2.999, you can participate in student teaching. You will need to get permission from your academic department and sign a GPA Waiver Form stating that you understand that you cannot and will not be recommended for teacher certification by TCNJ until you raise your GPA to the state minimum of 3.00. Students with GPA under 2.750 will not be allowed to student teach. However, some districts will not accept students with a GPA below a 3.0 as student teachers. We will find you a placement, but it may take longer.

 You have to complete a criminal background check form with the State of New Jersey to get the Universal Fingerprinting Form. It will be emailed to you after completing your criminal background application. You can go to the Clearances Required page of our website and follow the directions under Criminal Background and Fingerprinting. You can also see step by step instructions on the TCNJ Certification Office webpage under Clearances.

 You will be placed within 35 miles of TCNJ. All students must be accessible to the field supervisors who travel to their site to evaluate them.  All students must be accessible to the field supervisors who must travel to their site to evaluate them. If you need to live at home, you are encouraged to meet with your STEP Program Coordinators to see if they can provide a supervisor near your home.  If they are able to accommodate your request, you will need to submit the hardship waiver forms (available here)  If your program coordinator is not able to find a supervisor close to your home, you will have to be placed in a district that may be closer to TCNJ and further from your home.

 There are many people here to help answer your questions. Please use this guide to help decide which office to contact regarding your question.

1. If this is a question about your substitute certificate, fingerprinting or criminal background, visit their website or contact the Certification Office for clarity at certification@tcnj.edu

2. Questions about the student teaching process, requirements, or questions on student teaching timeline or placement for Clinical Practice II (full time student teaching) questions, view this website, the handbook, or send an email to STEP@tcnj.edu  .

3. If your question concerns stipend payments to cooperating teachers, contact the main office at 609-771-2408, STEP@tcnj.edu or Ms. Carla Woodward at Varlese@tcnj.edu.

4. Questions on the academic component of your practicum experiences and practices should be directed to your STEP Program Coordinators

Please note: due to FERPA’s confidentiality regulations, college administrators are not allowed to speak with parents about student matters if the student is over 18 years of age.

 After student teacher placement requests are sent to school districts, we have to wait for a response. Some districts are able to place students quicker than others. At the end of every school year, teachers and principals may be moved to different schools. In those cases, we have to wait for approvals until the principals and teachers know where they will be placed the following year. This means that some approvals will not come until August. TCNJ starts in August, but a large majority of schools start in September. Be patient with the process, and do your part to get and post all your clearance documents.

Additionally, most boards of education only meet once a month. Therefore, once a school accepts your placement, it may take several more weeks for board approval. Some districts will not put you up for approval with out all documentation. If you miss the deadline, you are likely to have to wait a month for that approval.

To follow the districts where the placement officer is sending you, go into the STEP database and under my applications you will see where you are pending.  It will read pending until you are placed. If we are unable to send you to the first district, we will make a note and continue to forward a request to other districts. We have a 100% placement rate.

 Our goal is to provide students with a variety of placements so that they can experience various grade levels and schools and learn from a number of in-service teachers. We believe that teachers trained in working with students of diverse backgrounds including, race, gender, ability, socioeconomic status, are better equipped to teach in our increasingly diverse society. Students in TCNJ Teacher Education programs will complete one of their clinical placements (CP1 or CP2) in an urban district and one in a suburban/rural district.

 It depends on the district. Some districts require you to submit negative TB results no older than one year, while others may require them to be no older than 3 or 6 months. However, we prefer to err on the safe side and ask students to get their TB test for CP2 placement in April or May for a Fall placement and September or October for a Spring placement. The Health Center at TCNJ holds a TB clinic every semester for a minimal cost.

 Detailed information on how to get a Substitute Certificate (sub cert) can be found on the Certification Office Webpage.

As you check for your placement status in the STEP Database there are a few terms that you want understand. If the district status shows pending, then your application is in process of being sent to a particular district, or has actually been sent. If the status reads rejected, it means the district was not able to find a placement for you. To help you follow where request letters were sent on your behalf, we keep this information viewable until a placement is found.