The Year-Long Residency
Teaching becomes tangible during your final year, called the year-long residency, when coursework focuses on teaching methodology and classroom management. The first semester includes 250 hours and the final semester includes 14 weeks of full-time student teaching.
Bluefield State’s placement coordinator works with students, either at one of the local partner schools or through a nearby school to schedule their placements.
To apply to the year-long residency, you will need to complete the following:
- Complete a minimum of 96 program hours with an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher. This includes 100, 200 and 300-level Professional Education courses, as well as specialization courses.
- Submit a year-long residency application to the director of Teacher Education early in the year prior to the one in which you’ll be doing your student teaching. You can obtain an application here .
- Meet with your advisor to review your status and plan for your placement before you register for the professional semester.
Student Teaching Portfolio
During the year-long residency, students will compile a portfolio. Your professors will guide you in compiling the portfolio, and the list of components is available in the handbook.