- Can a teacher candidate be left alone in the classroom during his or her clinical practice?
The short answer is no.
Circumstances may require a cooperating teacher to leave the room for an unexpected event or to quickly respond to needs of an administrator or fellow teacher. If these absences are brief and happen only occasionally, then it is acceptable. Keep in mind that a cooperating teacher plays a crucial role in the clinical intern’s development; therefore, he or she needs to be present and available to the clinical intern.
- If the teacher candidate has a substitute certificate, can he or she serve as a substitute in my classroom or my school?
- No.