Residency Program

The Teacher Development Center PAID Residency Program encompasses two sequential semesters designed to deepen and enrich the in-the-field experience for students. This meticulously designed Residency Program creates a year-long (two semester) practicum experience for students. The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) requires educator preparation programs to provide evidence of ongoing and relevant field-based experiences for their pre-service students – students who have not yet received their teacher certification – in a variety of educational settings with diverse student populations.

The PAID Residency Program is a valuable learning opportunity, and is most effective when closely related to course content with which they are associated. Pre-service students receive guidance regarding their work as residents as well as engaging in rich discussions designed to deepen their experiential learning in the classroom.

Application for PAID Residency

Students are required to attend one of several residency sign-up meetings the semester before they plan to enroll in their Residency I courses ED 3342: Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers or ED 4361: Classroom Management for Secondary Teachers. In the fall semester, these meetings occur prior to Sept. 30, and in the spring semester, prior to Feb. 28. All requests for residency placements will be made by the Teacher Development Center, no exceptions.

Residency Sequence

The TDC launched a yearlong residency program in 2017-2018 after a three-semester pilot. The impetus propelling the program re-designed emerged from examination of exemplary education preparation programs, and feedback from TDC professors, students and teachers in partner school districts. The redesign resulted in a yearlong residency practicum required of TDC candidates seeking teacher certification. Paired with experience, highly effective classroom teachers, residents work authentically employing a co-teach model. In residency semester I (Classroom Management), residents work three (3) consecutive days/week as classroom instructional aides before beginning to plan and teach with the assistance of the cooperating teacher. Residency semester II (Clinical Teaching) finds residents working five (5) days/week utilizing a co-teach model. During the last five (5) weeks, of residency semester II residents engage in “Total Teach” where residents function as if they are a classroom faculty of record. Residents are supervised, guided, and coached by their cooperating teachers. University Field Supervisors regularly interact with residents and their cooperating teachers. All education degree and certification plans include a required residency year for all TDC candidates.

Residents begin their residency semester I work when they return to school with their cooperating teachers in August in preparation for the ensuing academic year. Fully participating in the preparation activities, residents will attend and fully participate in faculty meetings, academic team/grade level/departmental meetings, district professional development and Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings. Working with their cooperating teachers, residents will prepare the classroom as well as learn about designing classroom policies, procedures and processes that students will follow.

Eligibility for PAID Residency:

As a capstone requirement for all certification plans and education degrees, each Teacher Development Center (TDC) candidate will complete a yearlong residency. Candidates must be students in good standing with UT Dallas and be admitted to the TDC educator preparation program.

• A paid Residency is not guaranteed. The school/district must interview potential Residents and they make the final selection. Funding per schools/districts also differ and may not be available.
• Adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators as articulated by the Texas Legislature and Texas Education Agency.
• Adhere to the TDC Fitness to Teach policy and clear discipline checks through the Dean of Students office.
• Be officially admitted to the UT Dallas Teacher Certification Program. Transfer students must have completed a minimum of 9 semester hours of professional development coursework at UT Dallas in order to register for ED 3342 or ED 4361.
• Enroll in ED 3342 or ED 4361 as the last course to be completed in the sequence of professional education coursework for certification, and in the semester prior to clinical teaching.
• Pass all required TExES exams for the certification sought.
• Pass all required professional development courses with a 2.75 minimum GPA.
• Complete all required course work in the teaching field in the certification sought with a minimum of 2.75 GPA
• Request a district and campus for residency placement where no family member(s) works or attends school.
• Clear the district criminal background check. Some districts will require students to be fingerprinted as well as apply for substitute teacher employment.

Pre-service students in the teacher certification begin their yearlong residency program when they are enrolled in one of the two professional education classes below.

PAID Residency Semester I

ED 3342: Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers

Pre-service students seeking an EC-6 Generalist/Core Subjects teacher certification complete 3 full days of required  field based experience (FBE) in local, public elementary schools. Students work in classrooms of selected exemplary teachers as instructional classroom aides focusing on planning, instruction, assessment and classroom management, as well as, complete a series of assignments directly related to their coursework. These assignments are designed to help students understand and explore the elements of planning, instructional design, assessment, management and implementation, in which professional educators engage daily. Students may only enroll in ED 3342: Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers the semester prior to their clinical teaching (ED 4693: Clinical Teaching, Elementary).

ED 4361: Classroom Management for Secondary Teachers

Pre-service students seeking a teaching certificate at the secondary level (4-8 or 6-12, 7-12) in a specific content area complete 3 full days of required  field based experience (FBE) in a local, public middle or high school campus. Students work with selected exemplary teachers in their specific content area: mathematics/computer science, natural sciences, English, or history/social studies. They work as instructional classroom aides focusing on planning, instruction, assessment and classroom management, as well as, completing a series of assignments related to specific coursework in Classroom Management. These assignments are designed to help students understand and explore the elements of planning, instructional design, assessment, management and implementation in which professional educators engage daily. Students may only enroll in ED 4361: Classroom Management for Secondary Teachers the semester prior to their clinical teaching (ED 4694: Clinical Teaching, Secondary).

PAID Residency Semester II

ED 4693: Clinical Teaching for Elementary Teachers

Students seeking a EC-6 Generalist/Core Subjects teacher certification in a specific content area finds residents working five (5) days a week utilizing a co-teach model. During the last five (5) weeks, of residency semester II residents engage in “Total Teach” where residents function as if they are a classroom faculty of record. Residents are supervised, guided, and coached by their cooperating teachers. University Field Supervisors regularly interact with residents and their cooperating teachers. These assignments are designed to help students understand and explore the elements of planning, instructional design, assessment, management and implementation in which professional educators engage daily.

ED 4694: Clinical Teaching for Secondary Teachers

Students seeking a secondary level teacher certification in a specific content area finds residents working five (5) days a week utilizing a co-teach model. During the last five (5) weeks, of residency semester II residents engage in “Total Teach” where residents function as if they are a classroom faculty of record. Residents are supervised, guided, and coached by their cooperating teachers. University Field Supervisors regularly interact with residents and their cooperating teachers. These assignments are designed to help students understand and explore the elements of planning, instructional design, assessment, management and implementation in which professional educators engage daily.