Frequently Asked Questions
-
What should my admission status be before I start my internship?
If you are in early childhood education (online) or elementary education, you must have all your course requirements met before starting your internship. Deadlines and admission information are posted on the Elementary website and other College of Education websites. Please connect with your faculty and program coordinator as well. You will be withdrawn from your internship if you are not admitted with one of these classifications. If you are in the secondary education graduate certificate program, you must provide the following items before a placement will be secured: Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Statement of Status of Eligibility (SOSE) Pass the following Florida Teacher Certification Exams, General Knowledge Exam (can be waived with acceptable scores on the GRE) and Subject Area Exam (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) Fingerprints for either Alachua County Public Schools or the district you are requesting placement in If you are in an affiliated program (agricultural, art or music education), you must meet pre-professional sequence requirements in your department and have passed all of your FTCE’s.Do I have to attend an internship orientation?
If you are an elementary student, you must attend a formal orientation session held by the EduGator Central Office. Staff members verify attendance at the orientation when accepting applications. If you are in a secondary education certificate program (English, math, science or social studies) there is an orientation video available. If you are in an affiliated program (art, music, or agricultural education), you will receive information through your department.Where do I find the internship application?
You will access the internship application via your LiveText account at: https://c1.livetext.com/misk5/login/. For further instructions please see the Application Procedures for School Internships. Please note: The EduGator Central Office WILL NOT accept late applications. We also DO NOT not have applications in the EduGator Central Office.If I withdraw this semester, do I have to complete a new application for completing the internship in a future semester?
Yes, it will be necessary for you to complete a new application in LiveText for the semester you plan to intern. You will also need to notify us that you plan on interning so that we can make the internship application available to you. -
What is the placement process?
Once all internship applications are submitted for the semester for which you have applied, that information is shared with your Program Coordinator. At the same time, we are also asking for volunteer teachers to supervise interns. After all volunteer information has been submitted by the schools, we match students with teachers. We consider special requests first and then work on placing students as closely as possible to their grade requests. In all programs, the field experience coordinator usually reviews the list of teacher volunteers and makes recommendations on placements to the departmental program coordinator, who in turn makes placement request decisions. We then send requests out to the schools. When the requests are confirmed by the principals, we then begin sending notification emails to students, mentor teachers and university supervisors via LiveText. Once a placement is confirmed in this manner you should plan to make contact with your mentor teacher after that point.If I know a teacher in a certain school or district, and he/she wants to work with me, may I do my internship there?
All students should submit this information in the appropriate section of their internship application as a special request. We will work with the school or district directly to see if this request can be granted. All special requests will be considered, but are not guaranteed.I know people within a certain school or district. Is it appropriate for me to call them to make placement arrangements?
Under NO circumstances should you call schools or district offices to arrange a placement yourself. The EduGator Central Office will take all requests and communicate those to the schools and/or district offices.Whom do I call to find out if I have been placed yet? When should I call?
You may contact the EduGator Central Office, and speak with the internship coordinator at 352-273-4379 or StudentPlacements@coe.ufl.edu . Most placements are not finalized until the latter part of the semester, early December for spring placements and late April or even summer term for fall placements.Everyone has received a placement email from LiveText except me; why haven’t I been placed yet?
We notify students of their internship placements on a rolling basis. As soon as we have a confirmation from the school or district with an assigned teacher, we send you an email via LiveText. We do not wait for a particular time to send out all emails at once, but rather send out notifications as quickly as we receive them. Some schools, particularly those with many requests, may take longer than others. Some of your classmates, therefore, may receive their email before you.What are the chances that I will get my request for grade, school and teacher?
While it is impossible to say what the chances are, we do try quite hard to honor special requests and place students at the grade level they would like for their internship. However, since many factors are at work in arranging placements, it is not possible for everyone to receive their specific request for grade, school, or teacher.If a teacher has requested me as an intern and I supplied a special request to be placed with this specific teacher, why wouldn’t I be placed with him/her?
Sometimes the reasons requests are not honored have nothing to do with the intentions of the intern or the teacher. On many occasions, schools are undergoing curriculum changes or staff restructuring, in which case the principal may request that the school have no interns a certain semester. Schools are generally very eager to have interns. -
What is the internship day/week like?
Internships vary, of course, across subjects and grade levels, but, in most schools, you will be spending time teaching, planning, and reflecting on your experiences. The morning will begin early with preparation for the day and perhaps consultation with your mentor teacher. You’ll follow the school’s daily schedule and end the day according to the needs of the students and school personnel. In other words, your day will not end with the dismissal bell. You often will be asked to stay for conferencing and/or to make preparations for the next day. These are considered to be part of the total internship experience.What is the internship day/week like?
Internships vary, of course, across subjects and grade levels, but, in most schools, you will be spending time teaching, planning, and reflecting on your experiences. The morning will begin early with preparation for the day and perhaps consultation with your mentor teacher. You’ll follow the school’s daily schedule and end the day according to the needs of the students and school personnel. In other words, your day will not end with the dismissal bell. You often will be asked to stay for conferencing and/or to make preparations for the next day. These are considered to be part of the total internship experience.How long is the overall internship? How long is an internship day?
Most internships are a minimum of 10-12 weeks; some may have slightly longer placements than others and some are yearlong placements. You will receive a schedule specific to your program at the time you receive your notification email. An internship day is not just the time the students are present. It is, in fact, whatever time is necessary for you to be at the school as determined by the mentor teacher, school administrators, and the needs of the students.Can I work and complete my internship at the same time?
Most students will find it very difficult to work and complete a successful internship simultaneously. Internships require more time than actual hours spent in a classroom, especially in planning, developing lessons, and consulting with your mentor teacher. Additionally, teaching (especially for beginners) is a very high-energy job. You’ll find yourself extremely tired at the end of each day.Can I find out if there are other interns placed at my school so we can carpool?
Because transportation is an issue for some students, we will work with you and your Program Coordinator to identify others that are placed at the same school.Will I be the only intern at my school?
We try our best to place at least two interns at every school. This is helpful for students wishing to carpool as well as university supervisors who must travel to schools for observations and meetings.Whom do I contact if I will miss a day of my internship?
First and foremost, contact the school and your mentor teacher BEFORE the school day begins. If you have assumed primary responsibility for teaching in this classroom, you must also make arrangements to deliver lesson plans to your mentor teacher. You should also contact your university supervisor. It is extremely important that you let these parties know that you will miss a day of your internship. Each day missed must be made up.Whom do I contact if I need to withdraw from my internship?
Contact your departmental program coordinator and your university supervisor as soon as possible. You should also call the EduGator Central Office at, 352-273-4379.
Career Information
A career in education allows you to help enrich your community by being a positive role model, imparting knowledge about learning and human development, and collaborating with others to solve critical educational and human problems in diverse environments. As you shape the next generation by providing them the tools and knowledge to make positive societal contribution s, you will also be able to build your leadership and interpersonal skills throughout your career. An education degree opens a world full of careers for you. K-12 teaching, research, student affairs, advising, curriculum development, and international education are only a few options on a long list of opportunities. Below are helpful resources as you prepare for your future career in education.