Field-Based Experience

Internship vs. Clinical Teaching

In addition to completing the required coursework and passing the TExES examinations, each teacher candidate must complete either one semester of clinical teaching or two semesters of an internship. Below is a comparison of the two options:

Field-Based Experience

This component provides the ACE participant on-the-job training as the "teacher of record" in a school district.  Field-based experience must be at least one school year long as stipulated in the Texas Administrative Code, §228.30c3 and be in your area of certification.

Once a student is employed as the teacher in his/her certification area, the ACE Program must be notified immediately.  The ACE certification officer will generate a Statement of Eligibility for Internship to the hiring school district.  When the forms is completed and received by the certification officer, you will be given instructions to apply for your probationary teaching certificate and background check through the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).

You will also be assigned a field-supervisor who will visit you weekly in your classroom to discuss needs or concerns you may be having with your new teaching assignment. The field-supervisor is there as a support person and does not evaluate you in an administrative role.

The ACE Program must be notified as soon as the intern is hired by a district to receive credit toward an internship.

Clinical Teaching

Students may opt to enroll in an unpaid 12-week clinical teaching field-based experience rather than completing a one-year paid internship. Clinical teaching experiences must be coordinated with the ACE office; students must NOT seek to arrange clinical teaching experiences on their own. ACE students will apply for clinical teaching by filling out an application prior to the beginning of each semester.  Applications must be submitted two weeks prior to the first class day of each semester. The application provides the student an opportunity to specify three choices of placement in priority order. Every effort is made to place clinical teachers in schools that best meet their needs. Students are required to attend an orientation and monthly pre-service training. Clinical teachers will be supported by an assigned mentor teacher.

For more information, contact the ACE Program staff at (409) 882-3043. You may also e-mail your questions to Joanie.Gaspard@lsco.edu.