Residency Year

About Residency

Residency is the time when teacher candidates have the opportunity to display and strengthen their commitment to the personal and professional qualities included in the Conceptual Framework of Clemmer College of Education and Human Development. Teacher candidates are guests in the school systems where they are working; however, they have much to offer and can contribute greatly to the learning community.

Residency is a highly regulated professional year and failure to follow guidelines could jeopardize documentation required for a teacher candidate’s application for a teaching license. The Residency experience is guided by principles and strategies prescribed by current research and theory in pre-service teacher education. This important experience is supervised by qualified university faculty members and mentor teachers, referred to as mentors. 

It is critical to view the Residency experience as a professional growth process. It is one more step on the life-long journey of becoming a professional educator. Like all learners, teachers will enter this experience at various developmental stages, but all teacher candidates will have completed content specific curriculum and methods courses related to their endorsement area. Additionally, some will have had experience working with children in a school setting, while others’ experience will have been limited to the required Pre-Residency field hours.

Candidates are assigned two mentors in accredited PreK-12 schools. Mentors are master teachers and important components of this culminating education experience. They provide models of effective practice, caring professionalism, and critical thinking. They also provide resources, and support and evaluate the teacher candidate.

Residency Overview

The Residency Program at ETSU is for all licensure programs and incorporates the following elements:

• High standards for candidate performance
• Project-based learning integrated throughout program of study
• Restructured curriculum emphasizing practical aspects of becoming a teacher, including using classroom assessment data and TVAAS data to make instructional decisions
• Increased integration of technology
• Year-long residency in the classrooms of experienced, instructive mentor teachers
• Ongoing formative assessments that monitor candidates’ progress
• A summative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) that is modeled after the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
• The edTPA is a high-stakes performance assessment in which prospective teachers demonstrate their knowledge of subject matter, teaching methods, and child growth and development

These 3 Tabs show the Residency Overview Broken Down

• Residency Timeline

  The Residency Timeline provides a visual of requirements and deadlines beginning with the residency application process and continuing through graduation to applying for licensure.
  

• Guidelines for Residency Placements

  Licensure Guidelines Residency II Semester

  Each clinical practice shall provide candidates direct teaching experience with a variety of student populations, including students with diverse learning needs and from diverse backgrounds in at least two (2) settings.

  Early Childhood- PreK-3

  • Candidates seeking and Early Childhood license will teach in both a PreK/Kindergarten setting and in a grade 1-3 classroom.

  Elementary K-5 and ESL Dual License

  • Candidates seeking K-5 and ESL dual license will teach in two K-5 classrooms while obtaining experience working with ESL mentor teachers and students during their Residency II placements.

  Secondary Education 6-12

  • Candidates, with few exceptions, seeking 6-12 licensure will teach in both a 7th-8th grade classroom and a 9th-12th grade classroom. Students majoring in disciplines such as foreign language, which is often not taught in the middle grades, are not required to have experiences at that level.

  Special Education Interventionist and Comprehensive K-12 Dual License

  • Candidates seeking Special Education Interventionist and Comprehensive K-12 dual licensure will teach in both a comprehensive and interventionist setting in both an elementary and secondary placement.

  K-12 Areas: Art, Music, and Physical Education

  • Candidates must complete Residency II in both an elementary and a secondary placement.

  Important Information

  • Candidates in a student teaching clinical practice shall complete at least fifteen (15) weeks of full-time student teaching during one (1) semester in the grade span and content area of preparation. **If candidates are unable to complete a minimum of 15-weeks in their Residency II placement due to the school calendar, an alternative assignment will be required. 

   

  • Candidates completing a student teaching clinical practice shall not serve as a teacher of record.

   

  • No other courses may be taken by candidates during the student teaching clinical practice. In exceptional cases, candidates may seek the approval from the Associate Dean of Education to take one (1) additional course during Residency II provided the course does not interfere with the candidate’s full participation in the clinical practice and there is no other opportunity for the candidate to take the course before completion of the educator preparation program. Contact the Office of Educator Preparation for the Request for Course Approval Form.

   

  • The Office of Educator Preparation will determine a date for candidates to switch from the first placement to the second placement. Second placements are not official until candidates receive a confirmation email from the Placement Coordinator. Any change in placements must be approved by the Office of Educator Preparation.
• Responsibilities of Residency Candidate

  Syllabi:

  • Read and become familiar with the Residency Seminar syllabus.

  Introduce Yourself:

  Once you receive confirmation of your residency placement, you should contact your mentor teacher by email to set up a time for you to become acquainted with your assigned school, mentor teacher, and principal. It is likely that you will have questions, and the best assurances may be gained by a visit to the school. On your first visit, make sure you stop by the office and introduce yourself to the principal and office staff. During this visit, you will learn about courses you will be teaching, the textbooks you will use, and perhaps the content you will be expected to cover. If possible, you may wish to borrow copies of the texts, teacher’s manuals, and course outlines. In addition, you will want to ask for copies of the school’s teacher and student handbook. These handbooks will describe school policies, daily schedules, records, reports, and the school calendar. Finally, be sure to let your supervisor know when you have contacted your mentor teacher.

  Key Roles:

  Pre-Residency: 

  • Check emails from faculty, mentors, departments, Office of Educator Preparation, other students, etc. daily and respond to emails in a timely manner.
  • Arrange a set schedule with mentors for the duration of pre-residency to complete 50 field hours (this does not include KAT/CAT/RITE candidates). Sign in/out of the school and log field hours weekly in Watermark.
  • ·Notify mentor teachers and university supervisors BEFORE missing dates that have been scheduled and stay the entire time.
  • Help teachers prepare for the first day of school.
  • Attend district and school wide in-service opportunities and faculty meetings if possible.
  • Attend the first full day of school. If the first day is a half-day then plan to attend the first and second day of school.
  • Actively observe teacher’s interaction with students. (Beginning of the year activities to build relationships with students.) 
  • Actively observe teacher’s strategies for planning lessons, activities for instruction and classroom management.
  • Participate in grade level collaborative sessions if possible.
  • Become familiar with content you will be responsible for. (Ex. State standards, classroom curriculum, resources, etc.).
    Complete EDA self-assessment in Watermark  

  Residency I:

  • Check emails from faculty, mentors, departments, Office of Educator Preparation, other students, etc. daily and respond to emails in a timely manner.
  • Follow ETSU’s calendar during the Residency I semester.
  • Arrange a set schedule with mentor teachers to complete 135 field hours throughout the entire semester. Sign in/out of the school and log field hours weekly inWatermark. Try to find time to complete hours during instructional and planning times.
  • Notify mentor teachers and university supervisors BEFORE missing dates that have been scheduled and stay the entire time.
  • Submit lesson plans at least 2 days prior to teaching the lesson.
  • Apply skills and knowledge connected with coursework through co-teaching both whole and small groups, classroom management, and other instructional strategies. (Candidates should be participating in some form of co-teaching each time they are in the classroom). Complete lesson plans and observations for mentor teachers and university supervisors. 
  • Actively participate in the classroom with mentor teachers and students. (Do NOT work on other assignments, check emails, be on your phone, or study for exams.).
  • Begin edTPA Task 1. (Some programs will also complete edTPA Task 2)
  • Collaborate with mentor teachers about a conceptual topic to teach in January or early February for edTPA. 

  Residency II: 

  • Check emails from faculty, mentors, departments, Office of Educator Preparation, other students, etc. daily and respond to emails in a timely manner.
  • Follow the school district calendar.
  • Report to school when teachers report to work in January and work all day, every day until the last day of classes at ETSU.
    • All absences must be made up at the end of the semester.
  • Daily arrival and departure times should be consistent with your mentor teacher. Sign in/out of the school and log field hours weekly in Watermark.
  • Notify mentor teachers and university supervisors BEFORE the intended absence or late arrival. Notification needs to happen before the school day starts.
  • Attend all events that are required of mentor teachers (Ex. Faculty meetings, before and after school duties, grade level programs, PTSA, etc.)
  • Complete lesson plans and observations from mentor teachers and university supervisors. 
  • Actively participate in the classroom mentor teachers and students. Candidates should be doing some form of co-teaching every day. (This is not a time to work on other assignments (including edTPA), check emails, be on your phone, or study for exams.).
  • Candidates are not allowed to substitute teach unless they complete district substitute training and the Candidate to Substitute Contract. *See Substitute Guidelines in the Residency Handbook or online.
  • Complete Task 2 and/or Task 3 of edTPA.
  • Attend edTPA writing and bootcamp if provided by your program of study.
  • Complete EDA Self-Assessment.
  • ·Complete End of Program Survey

  Additional Responsibilities:

  In addition to the requirements of the Residency Seminar, candidates are responsible for maintaining records including:

  • 
    Candidate checklist
  • Attendance: Sign in electronically at the front office upon arrival and departure oAttendance should be logged daily in Watermark
  • Candidate activities should be logged in Watermark
  • ETSU Supervisor Observations Log
  • All lesson plans observed by either mentor or supervisor
  • Teacher Performance Assessment submission (edTPA)
  • All mentor evaluations
  • All supervisor evaluations
  • Any additional ideas, handouts, test samples, pictures, parent letters, etc.
  • 
    The required checklists, logs, and forms can be found at the end of the residency section of the handbook and online.

   

  • Assessment

    Just as the residency candidate assesses student performance based on achievement of goals, the residency candidate will be assessed.

    
    Formative:  Mentor and Supervisor Lesson Plan Evaluations
    Supervisor TEAM Observations
    Informal Teaching Evaluation
    Summative: Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)
    Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA)
    Assessment of Program: Candidate Evaluation of Program (Watermark) Field Supervisor Evaluation Mentor Teacher Survey

    The Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA)

    The residency candidate’s disposition will be measured throughout their educator preparation program. Students complete a self-assessment at the beginning and end of their residency year, and are assessed by their supervisor and mentor teacher at the end of Residency I, and at the end of Residency II. This assessment can be found at the end of the residency section and online. The Tennessee

    Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM)

    The residency candidate will be observed and receive thorough feedback using the TEAM evaluation model, a teacher evaluation tool used throughout districts in Tennessee. Students will be evaluated by the university supervisor during the first part of the semester in Residency I and mid-semester before the second placement in Residency II. These assessment tools can be found at the end of the residency section and online.

    The edTPA

    In order for a Teacher Candidate to demonstrate proficiency and readiness to teach, he/she should strive for a score of 45 with at least an average of 3 on each of the 3 tasks. Although the college encourages the proficient score (45), it is the state qualifying score which needs to be met in order to be eligible for a Tennessee Teaching License. Students are required to upload on the date specified by Clemmer College of Education and Human Development. Any deviation from this date requires documentation of extenuating circumstances. The request must come in writing at least a week prior to the specified upload date and must be approved by the students’ Seminar Leader, Department Chair, Associate Dean of Educator Preparation, and the edTPA Coordinator. Further, failure to upload on the specified dates may result in the loss of a letter grade, disqualification from participation in the Pinning Ceremony, and the receiving of awards associated with edTPA performance.

    Candidates who have a disability that could impact their completion of the edTPA must share this information with their Seminar Leader by the second week of classes. Candidates should be mindful that to become licensed, they need to reach Tennessee’s current qualifying score. If a candidate does not meet Tennessee’s Qualifying Score, then a Retake Committee will be convened to determine the best route for remediation, retake, and resubmission. The Retake Committee will be comprised of the individual candidate’s Supervisor, Seminar Leader, Program Coordinator or Department Chair, the Director of Field Experiences and Residency, and the edTPA Coordinator. The Retake Committee will recommend a course of action: graduation without licensure, an Incomplete with a delayed graduation, or a complete repeat of the Residency II experience. This recommendation will be made after a close review of the score report, guidelines from SCALE, available resources, and the individual needs of the student.

    
    Students wishing to appeal a Retake Decision must do so in writing within 5 school days of the date of the recommendation. Students should appeal in writing to the Office of the Dean.

    
    Although Clemmer College of Education and Human Development pays the fee to Pearson for candidates’ initial edTPA, candidates should be aware that they will bear the financial burden of any future edTPA submissions to Pearson.

  • Attendance

    During Pre-residency, the candidate will complete field hours and seminar. Candidates will arrange a schedule with their mentor to complete their 50-hour field component. Candidates are encouraged to attend district and school based in-service sessions and can count this time toward their required field hours. Candidates should plan to attend the first day of school.

    
    During Residency I, the candidate will complete field hours as well as classroom courses at ETSU; therefore, candidates will follow ETSU’s calendar during Residency I. Candidates will arrange a schedule with their mentor teacher to complete their 135-hour field component.

    During Residency II, the candidate is required to observe the same daily schedule as that set by the Board of Education for that school. Candidates follow public schools’ vacation days, not ETSU’s, (with the exception of seminar).

    A careful record of attendance, time of arrival, and time of departure should be kept in Watermark, as well as, candidates are required to sign in/out at the front office of their assigned school. During Residency II, all absences must be made up.
    Absences/Tardiness
    If a residency candidate must be absent or tardy, he/she is expected to notify the school, mentor, supervisor and seminar leader before classes begin. Failure to do so is a serious breach of professional responsibility.

  • Activities

    During Pre-residency and Residency I, students are encouraged to attend school functions, meetings, etc. and can count these events toward their field hour component.

    
    During Residency II, the candidate is required to attend all school functions, such as PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) meetings, staff meetings, homeroom activities, clubs, bus duties, and in-service meetings. The mentor teacher has the legal responsibility for students.

    All residency candidates are highly encouraged to attend education job opportunities held at ETSU. Information will be supplied before each career fair. This is counted as an excused absence during Residency.

   

• Tennessee Mandatory Reporting

  All members of the University community are responsible for compliance with Tennessee laws on mandatory reporting of child abuse and child sexual abuse. Go to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services website  to find out more information on how to identify and report child abuse and child sexual abuse.

  University students placed in school districts should proactively ask the field experience and residency site for the school’s procedures for mandatory reporting and adhere to those reporting structures when possible. 

  View full Mandatory Reporting protocol here.