Student Teaching Student teaching is the culminating pre-service experience at WestConn. Elementary student teachers complete 15 weeks in one K-6 placement during either fall or spring semester. Health Education and Secondary student teachers complete 15 weeks in one 7-12 placement (Fall Semester - Health Education; Spring semester - Secondary). Music Education candidates fulfill two (2) placements for a total of 15 weeks at both the elementary and secondary levels during a fall or spring semester. Student teachers are required by the University to follow the calendars of the cooperating public schools, thus ensuring full attendance and participation in the life of the school. Sudent teachers bond with their Cooperating Teachers and are exposed to the organizational, leadership and managerial styles and philosophies of the particular schools and their communities. During student teaching candidates assume the responsibility of teacher and classroom leader as they apply and extend what they have learned during their Professional Program coursework under the guidance of their Cooperating Teacher. They are evaluated using the newly-developed populations and ability to differentiate instruction to help all students succeed. All candidates take Assessment of Teaching Strategies (ED 340) in conjunction with student teaching. In this course, they are required to write a position paper for their Professional Educatior Portfolio (PEP) entitled, "Becoming a Culturally Skilled Educator." In creating their BEST portfolio and in its peer assessment, candidates have experience in students of differing levels of ability in their classes. All students have monthly professional development meetings. Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisors work with the candidates as a triad of support throughout the clinical experience semester. The "Triad" meets at "Opening" and "Closing" Triad sessions at the beginning and end of each semester. Both sessions are conducted by the Coordinator of Student Teachers, who organizes various activities for the Triad, provides BEST Program updates, and invites University administrators on a rotating basis. The main purpose of the "Opening Triad" is to provide a venue for University Supervisors to meet with their assigned student teachers and their Cooperating Teachers, in order to discuss the schedule for classroom visitations and share information about the roles of each of the members of the Triad. The "Closing Triad" focuses on an assessment of the Triad's functioning during the course of the semester: "What worked well? What did not? What suggestions needed to be made for improvement of the Triads in the forthcoming semesters?" University Supervisors and Cooperating Teachers at the "Closing Triad" also share their perspectives and offer suggestions to the candidates about the "Professional Educator Portfolio" (PEP) that each candidate creates in ED 340 in preparation for his/her potential interviews for employment as "Beginning Teachers."