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Chicago Public Schools Student Teaching Program Application

Chicago Public Schools: Your career starts here. Your impact on your students never ends.

Personal Identifying Information

Attention Applicants!

Once you submit your application, you can't revisit your application to make revisions or edits. If you're not ready to complete the entire application at this time, it is recommended that you only review it to become familiar with the requirements, or you can print a copy of the application to read over at your leisure to provide yourself time to prepare your materials.

Again, once you submit your application, you can't revisit your application to make revisions or edits.
*Fall means your student teaching start & end dates fall between August-December.
*Spring means your student teaching start & end dates fall between January-June.

Education Academic Status

When do you expect to graduate?:

Background Eligibility Requirements

Please list the following information for your University Field Placement Contact Person:
*Please be as accurate as possible when reporting your GPA, as transcripts may be requested at the discretion of the CPS Human Resources Department.

Special Requests

If you're accepted into the CPS Student Teaching Program:

Languages

Please indicate your proficiency in any language other than English:

References

Please provide two professional references. All of the references that you list should have first-hand knowledge of your academic performance levels and qualifications. By providing these references, you give the Chicago Public Schools permission to contact these individuals at their discretion.

(Reference #1)

(Reference #2)

Upload Documents

The Chicago Public Schools is seeking top-quality committed individuals to join the Student Teaching Program.  The application components below help us to better assess your commitment to student teaching in CPS, critical thinking and communication skills and your overall novice level knowledge of teaching and learning.  Please read the instructions below carefully.  We look forward to reviewing your resume, application questions and lesson plan.  All materials are required to be submitted in a Microsoft Word document.

Candidates must submit a resume that outlines the candidate's educational profile, work history, volunteer experiences, observations, clinical experiences and teaching experiences (if applicable). The resume must be in a clear, organized, logical structure and include an original and insightful objective. The resume should highlight activities, leadership roles and skills related to the field of education. The resume should be created prior to applying online and saved in Word (.doc) or Adobe (.pdf), so it may be uploaded when completing the online application. Resumes should not exceed two pages in length.

Candidates must respond to three of the following questions.  All candidates must respond to the first question, then choose one question each from question sets 2 and 3.  Please number your questions and identify the letter of the question to which you are responding (e.g. 2B) from each set.  Please complete your responses in full paragraphs, using appropriate grammar and writing and limit your responses to 1500 words in total (500 per question).
  1. Required of All Applicants

    Identify two previous experiences or two strategies that you will use in order to ensure high academic achievement for your CPS students.  Explain how you will accomplish this.

  2. Question Set 2 (Choose One of the Following)


    A.  How will student teaching in an urban Chicago Public School specifically prepare you for your long-term career as a teacher?

    -OR-

    3. B.  What are your three goals for your student teaching experience?  How will student teaching in the Chicago Public Schools help you achieve those goals?

  3. Question Set 3 (Choose One of the Following)

    A.  What is your personal definition of “urban education”?  What qualities or abilities are most important for urban educators to possess in order to be successful?

    -OR-

    4. B.  Describe a time when you worked with others to overcome a significant obstacle or address a challenge.  What did you learn from that experience that will make you a more effective teacher in an urban classroom?

    -OR-

    C.  Describe what you perceive to be the typical challenges a teacher faces in an urban classroom setting.  How will you address these challenges?

Submit an original lesson plan for a specific grade-level and subject of your choice (planned lesson should not exceed 55 minutes of instructional time). Your lesson should demonstrate your ability to design an effective lesson that will ensure all students meet your intended learning outcome. You're not required to use a CPS lesson plan template for this exercise. Please feel free to use the lesson plan templates that you've used in your university courses. Be sure to:

  • Organize your lesson around a clear goal or learning objective.

  • Incorporate age-appropriate materials and strategies that will enable students of different learning styles to master the identified goal or objective.

  • Include activities or content that will be meaningful, relevant and engaging to students in an urban environment.

  • Outline the procedures you will use throughout the lesson to ensure students are on-task and learning appropriately.

    • Agreement Statements


    Agreement Statements (Required)

    Please read carefully and check the box at the end of the statements, indicating that you fully understand the statements and agree to them.

    I understand that this application is a pre-screening tool for the CPS Student Teaching Program to identify high quality pre-service teachers that are committed to urban education to pre-approve applicants to student teach in CPS.

    I understand, if the CPS Department of Human Resources pre-approves me to student teach, that doesn’t guarantee me a school assignment because my university still has to identify me an actual school assignment.

    I understand that the CPS application process doesn’t exempt me from having to complete all of my universities mandated application requirements too.

    I understand that I need to notify my university field placement office when I receive my official pre-approval letter from CPS.

    I understand that CPS will contact me via email to notify me of my application status.

    I understand that by submitting this application I am applying for admission into the CPS Student Teaching Program for the semester indicated, to complete my student teaching university requirements.

    I understand if my student teaching has to be unexpectedly postponed, my pre-approval is valid for a full academic year, after which, I must reapply.

    I understand that submitting this application does not guarantee me acceptance into the CPS Student Teaching Program.

    I understand that, after careful review of my application materials, I will be notified within 1-3 weeks of my application status.

    I understand that a pre-approval offer isn't final until I have successfully met all of my university mandated requirements for student teaching.

    I understand that Chicago Public Schools Student Teaching Program reserves the right to deny any ineligible applicant a student teaching placement.

    I understand if I am denied a pre-approval, I will have to contact my respective university placement office for alternate student teaching placement assistance in another school district or I can reapply to the CPS for the upcoming semester.

    I understand that any application materials submitted to the CPS Student Teaching Program will not be returned to me, but become the property of the CPS Student Teaching Program.

    Please Print a Copy of the Agreement Statements for Your Personal Records.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENT TEACHING PROGRAM