Policies for Reference
Substitute Teaching During Student Teaching Policy
In accordance with OAR 584-400-0140(6)(f), Pacific University Teacher Candidates may be allowed to substitute for their Cooperating Teacher up to one day per week during their full-time Student Teaching if:
- they have a license that permits them to substitute teach (e.g., a Restricted Substitute License or a District Substitute Teaching License)
- the district or school (e.g. private school, laboratory school, independent school, etc.) is willing to sponsor the candidate on this license and pay them as a substitute teacher, and
- the district or school agrees that it is appropriate for the Teacher Candidate to act as a substitute teacher within the context of their district or school.
This means the candidate can substitute for their Cooperating Teacher if they are absent, or the Cooperating Teacher may be pulled to substitute elsewhere. It is important for the candidate to remain in their Student Teaching classroom for continuity of their learning experience and for them to benefit from the mentoring opportunity under the guidance of their Cooperating Teacher for the majority of the week.
In cases where the Cooperating Teacher experiences illness or a family emergency, the Teacher Candidate may substitute for a maximum of two days per week for their Cooperating Teacher. This is an exception to the policy and is not intended to be used regularly. When this occurs, the Teacher Candidate should communicate with the University Supervisor and Placement Coordinator.
In the case where a teacher candidate is approached by the district to work as a long term substitute, they may request an exception to policy provided that they have successfully met the following requirements:
- All student teaching requirements (observations, evaluations, content knowledge assessments, edTPA, work sample) and
- Have obtained letters of support from their University Supervisor and their Cooperating Teacher.
- Are sponsored by their district and provide Pacific University with a copy of their district mentorship plan.
Exceptions to this policy require written approval by the School of Learning and Teaching leadership. Student teachers may formally request an exception to this policy via this form.
This policy is relevant to full-time Student Teaching only. Candidates who hold a Substitute License may choose to substitute during the program outside of full-time Student Teaching based on their own availability and interest.
Candidates are still required to attend all scheduled Pacific class sessions and clinical placements if applicable. No substitute jobs should be accepted that will make the candidate absent or late for Pacific class sessions. If candidates choose to substitute, they still must successfully complete all program requirements as detailed in the Program Handbook, including all coursework outlined in course syllabi.
All substitute teaching opportunities should be based on the interest, availability, and/or need of the candidate. No candidates are required to substitute for their Student Teaching placement school districts.
Virtual Observation/Evaluation Policy:
Observations and evaluations may be conducted in-person or virtually according to OAR 584-400-0140 (6).
Lesson Plan Policy:
For formal lesson observations, lesson plans must be shared with the observer (Cooperating Teacher and/or University Supervisor) at least 24 hours prior the lesson. Lesson plans for formal observations should not be simply copied from a program planning guide. While lesson plans do not need to be the full edTPA template for day-to-day planning or for observations, they must include the following elements at a minimum:
- State-adopted student academic content standards that are the target of student learning
- Learning objectives associated with the content standards
- Formal and informal assessments used to monitor student learning, including type(s) of assessment and what is being assessed
- Instructional strategies and learning tasks (including what you and the students will be doing) that support diverse student needs
- Instructional resources and materials used to engage students in learning
The candidates are learning to utilize a variety of lesson plan templates to find ones that best suit their style, but there are sample templates that may be used here. Cooperating Teachers and University Supervisors, please upload Observation Reports to Google Forms (using the unique links provided by slt@pacificu.edu) within 72 hours after a formal observation.
Pre- & Post-Observation Conference Policy:
A formal observation must include:
- a pre-observation meeting to discuss the candidate’s plan for the observed lesson,
- observation of the candidate’s lesson, and
- a post-observation meeting to provide feedback to the candidate relevant to the observed lesson.
Resources for University Supervisors
Mileage
- Mileage Reimbursement Request Form
- Instructions for Mileage Reimbursement Request Form
- Questions about mileage reimbursement? Shana Reece, Head of Operations & Finance (shana.reece@pacificu.edu)
Sample Initial Meeting Agenda
Letterhead for Letters of Reference