Training for Host Educators

Practicums are course-embedded field experiences where students spend classroom hours learning alongside a current K-12 educator. Practicums are not the same as student teaching or internships, and cannot be fulfilled by prior experience. These placements typically range between 5-30 hours during their course. Some practicums may extend beyond 30 hours.

Practicums are completed by candidates enrolled in both licensure and non-licensure programs.

Roles in practicums: In addition to the licensure credential qualifications, the School of Education aims to place our candidates with qualified host educators who demonstrate effectiveness as measured by student achievement and have the capacity to mentor in a meaningful way that will promote the longevity of our candidates in the field of education.

• Host Teacher/Administrator: The educator in whose classroom/school a candidate completes the practicum requirement.
• University Supervisor: The professor/instructor overseeing the candidate’s practicum/course.

Training

• CORE ELMS (Experiential Learning Management System): Evaluation system used for assessment and time logs.
  • Account Set-Up: The Field Offices will set up your mentor account in CORE ELMS. You will receive an email directly from CORE with a username/password. Be sure to double-check spam/deleted folders in case this email was caught in your school email filters.
  • Liberty University – ELMS Tutorial for Practicum and Internship Hours (video)
  • Resetting your CORE username/password (pdf)
• Pre-SCRIP Scorer Training (video)
• Pre-CPAST Scorer Training: This training will be located in your CORE placement portal.

Student teaching is the final course that candidates will complete in a program that leads to initial teaching licensure. Student teachers will be placed in a public or accredited private school and be assigned a Cooperating Teacher or On-site Mentor. Student teachers will complete their student teaching hours under the supervision of this veteran school mentor. Student teachers are required to attend their placement all-day, every day for the entire 16-week semester. During this semester, student teacher must complete a minimum of 150 direct teaching hours.

Student teaching is completed only by candidates enrolled in licensure programs.

Roles in student teaching: In addition to the licensure credential qualifications, the School of Education aims to place our candidates with qualified educators who demonstrate effectiveness as measured by student achievement and have the capacity to mentor in a meaningful way that will promote the longevity of our candidates in the field of education.

• Cooperating Teacher (CT): The teacher in whose classroom a candidate completes the student teaching requirement. The Cooperating Teacher is required to have a current initial teaching license in the student teacher’s endorsement area and must have at least three years’ teaching experience.
• On-site Mentor (OSM): The educator serving as the mentor for a candidate completing the student teaching requirement in their full-time, contractual teaching position, as approved by the School of Education’s Field Office. The OSM is required to have a current license and must have at least three years’ teaching experience.
• University Supervisor: The professor/instructor overseeing and observing the candidate’s student teaching experience/course.
  • Candidates completing placement outside the Central Virginia area are virtually supervised by the University Supervisor with the in-class observations and evaluations being completed by the On-site Supervisor or OSM.
• On-site Supervisor (OSS): The educator serving alongside the University Supervisor to monitor and observe the student teacher for placements outside of the Central Virginia area. The OSS is required to have a master’s degree in education or a related field, a current license, and must have at least three years’ teaching experience.

Training Resources

• Student Teaching Handbook (pdf)
• Training Videos
  • Cooperating Teachers (video) in the following LOCAL areas: Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Danville, Lynchburg, Nelson, Pittsylvania, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Salem
  • Cooperating Teachers (video) in EXTERNAL areas (those not designated as LOCAL in the above list)
  • On-site Mentors (video)
  • On-site Supervisors (video)
• Evaluation/Assessment Instrument Training
  •  CPAST Scorer Training: This training will be located in your LiveText – FEM placement portal.
  • edTPA Training (video)
  • SCRIP Scorer Training (video)
• CORE ELMS (Experiential Learning Management System): Evaluation system used for assessment and time logs.
  • Account Set-Up: The Field Offices will set up your mentor account in CORE ELMS. You will receive an email directly from CORE with a username/password. Be sure to double-check spam/deleted folders in case this email was caught in your school email filters.
  • Liberty University – ELMS Tutorial for Practicum and Internship Hours (video)
  • Resetting your CORE username/password (pdf)
• Pre-SCRIP Scorer Training (video)
• Pre-CPAST Scorer Training: This training will be located in your CORE placement portal.
• Stipends
  • If you are serving as a Cooperating Teacher or On-site Mentor for a licensure candidate, then you are eligible to receive a stipend for your mentorship (if allowable by your school employer).
    • If the CT or OSM must require stipend payment to their school system, then please notify us at stipends@liberty.edu.
    • If the CT or OSM chooses not to request the stipend, a refund is not provided to the student.
    • Stipends are paid after the student teaching placement and all related responsibilities (i.e., time logs, evaluations, etc.) are completed.
  • To claim your individual stipend, complete the following two steps:
    • Step 1: Complete your online service provider registration in Liberty’s buyLU system. This is our secure portal to receive your tax information.
    • Step 2: Complete a stipend request form. The appropriate form will be emailed to you within the first few weeks of the semester. The form should be completed electronically, saved, and returned via email to stipends@liberty.edu. Stipends are sent at the end of the semester.

Internships are the capstone courses of advanced licensure programs where candidates work alongside a professional in their chosen endorsement area for a significant amount of time (hour requirements can vary by program) in order to gain the practical skills needed for their license and career advancement.

Internship is completed only by candidates enrolled in licensure programs.

Roles in internships: In addition to the licensure credential qualifications, the School of Education aims to place our candidates with qualified educators who demonstrate effectiveness as measured by student achievement and have the capacity to mentor in a meaningful way that will promote the longevity of our candidates in the field of education.

• On-Site Mentor (OSM): The educator in whose classroom/school a candidate completes the internship requirement. The On-Site Mentor is required to have a master’s degree, a current license in the intern’s endorsement area, and must have at least three years’ experience.
• University Supervisor: The professor/instructor overseeing the candidate’s internship experience/course.

Training Resources

• Handbooks
  • Program Specialist Handbook (pdf)
  • School Administration Handbook (pdf)
• Training Videos
  • Program Specialist On-Site Mentor (video)
  • School Administration On-Site Mentor (video)
  • School Counseling On-Site Mentor (video)
• Evaluation/Assessment Instrument Training
  •  SCRIP Scorer Training (video)
• CORE ELMS (Experiential Learning Management System): Evaluation system used for assessment and time logs.
  • Account Set-Up: The Field Offices will set up your mentor account in CORE ELMS. You will receive an email directly from CORE with a username/password. Be sure to double-check spam/deleted folders in case this email was caught in your school email filters.
  • Liberty University – ELMS Tutorial for Practicum and Internship Hours (video)
  • Resetting your CORE username/password (pdf)
• Pre-SCRIP Scorer Training (video)
• Pre-CPAST Scorer Training: This training will be located in your CORE placement portal.
• Stipends
  • If you are serving as an On-site Mentor for a licensure candidate, then you are eligible to receive a stipend for your mentorship (if allowable by your school employer).
    • If the OSM must require stipend payment to their school system, then please notify us at stipends@liberty.edu.
    • If the OSM chooses not to request the stipend, a refund is not provided to the student.
    • Stipends are paid after the internship placement and all related responsibilities (i.e., time logs, evaluations, etc.) are completed.
  • To claim your individual stipend, complete the following two steps:
    • Step 1: Complete your online service provider registration in Liberty’s buyLU system. This is our secure portal to receive your tax information.
    • Step 2: Complete the appropriate stipend request form that was emailed to you. The form should be completed electronically, saved, and returned via email to stipends@liberty.edu.