Announcements:

  • Graduates: 

    • Congratulations!
    • The licensing presentation from the final seminar was posted on Canvas. Download it now before you lose access!
    • Remember to be patient, apply for your license at the end of May.   
  • Fall 26 Student Teachers

    • Your deadline to apply to student teaching is June 15th. If you have not yet received the link, please contact our office.
    • Working on the other paperwork over the summer will ensure a smooth transition and placement process in the fall. Consider working ahead of the deadlines!
  • Fall 26 Practicum Students

    • Are you Student Teaching Spring 2027? You have missed the mandatory info sessions. Please contact the field placement office immediately (fplo@montana.edu) for more information.
    • Did you receive an email requesting a new background check? The Field Placement office is open all summer. Your background check MUST be completed before you go into schools. You can also get a background check while not in Bozeman. Please click on the Background Check link to the right for more information.
  • University Recommendation

  • Future Teachers: Is your student teaching semester approaching? Click on the Student Teaching link to the right for a timeline and checklist. 
  • Fingerprinting Services are now available at the FPLO Office! Click here for the fingerprinting schedule.
  • Have you started an application on Teach Montana? 
    Follow this link for Frequently Asked Questions!

About Us

We are proud of our field-based teacher preparation program and believe that through these experiences our graduates make a more successful transition from student to teacher.  The field experiences are integrated throughout the teacher preparation program so there are ample opportunities to use theories and methods taught on campus  in a K-12 classroom setting.

The Co-Teaching model for field experiences is a model that has been embraced by our teacher education program because of the benefits it gives to the teacher candidate, the cooperating teacher, and ultimately the children in the K-12 classrooms.  The field experiences for practicum students are based locally.  For student teaching, teacher candidates may stay within Montana, go out-of-state, or take advantage of our International Placement program (Fall Semester only!).  We encourage a 14 week placement for student teaching, which provides the most benefits for our students.

Whether you are a practicum student in your methods courses or a teacher candidate ready to student teach, you will be given a cooperating teacher with a minimum of three years of teaching experience, as well as a field supervisor to assist you. 

We wish you success as you enter a more challenging phase of your teacher education program and look forward to working with you until you become a licensed teacher.

 

All the best,

Rhonda Coombs

Director of Field Placement and Licensure