Mentor Teachers

Join a community of educators invested in life-long learning.

The Bachelor of Education program focuses on theory-practice connections, offers extensive practical experience, and fosters professional learning throughout ones’ career. An essential part of our program is our extensive practical experience, offering prospective teachers hands-on experience in the classroom. Our mentor teachers play a very important role in this experience and we are appreciative of all the knowledge and time they share with our candidates.

Expression of Interest

If you are interested in becoming a mentor teacher, we encourage you to submit an expression of interest. Please ensure you speak to your administrator prior to submitting the form

Complete Form

Field Experience Guide

The guide outlines key details about the field experience program at the Okanagan School of Education. It is intended to serve as a reference for mentors, administrators, faculty advisors, and Bachelor of Education students (year one candidates and year two interns).

View guide

Field Experience Schedule 2022/2023

Intern Mentors

By June 1: Intern mentor partnerships finalized
By June 15: Start-up & contact info sent to intern mentors and administrators
June 15-30: Interns are available to meet with administrators and mentors (if workable at host school)

August 29 – Sept. 2: Internship Preparation Week (details to be finalized)
Interns are available for all scheduled meetings (online or face-to-face) with field advisors as well as any arranged by mentor(s) and/or administrators. Additional Preparation Week tasks might include professional development and/or classroom set-up assistance.

September 6: Interns are full time at host schools

Phase-in:

  • Interns will work as a support teacher in the mentor teacher’s class and in other places in the school. The focus will be on getting to know students and helping to develop the class community.
  • Develop a Teaching Responsibility Summary: Teaching responsibilities and schedule co-constructed by the mentor, field advisor and intern.
  • Interns will begin to document their own learning using an online platform (e.g. Canvas)
  • Initial school visits by field advisors Sept. 12-16

September 16: Intern Teaching Responsibility Summary finalized and submitted to FA/IA

Teach/Co-teach: Intern will gradually assume greater teaching/co-teaching responsibilities as determined by the mentor teacher.

  • Teaching/co-teaching responsibilities include planning, preparing, teaching units, lesson sequences, routines and stand-alone lessons. By mid-October, as directed by the mentor and field advisor, interns normally assume a 70 to 100% teaching load.
  • FA or IA will conduct formal observations. Observations will take place about every two weeks.
  • FA or IA will support mentor teacher and intern throughout the field experience.

October 7: Reflection in Action Document due – interns to submit document to FA or IA and mentor

October 11-28: Curation of Learning meetings with intern, mentor and FA or IA

October 14: Intern Shadow Day: A one-day visit from candidates (1st year BEd student)

November 10-18: Interns to submit Final Reflection in Action Document to FA/IA and mentor

November 24–December 1: Final meetings with intern, mentor and FA/IA

By December 2

Phase-out: Intern will complete all assigned teaching and assessment

Interns and Mentors will receive an exit survey.

Candidate Mentors

By June 30: Candidate mentors identified. Start-up information sent to candidate mentors.

Consultation begins to finalize mentor partnerships

Orientation: Field advisor connects with mentors via classroom visits to learn about class communities and finalize mentor partnerships

Early October: mentor partnerships finalized, candidate information sent to mentors

November: Full-day (Friday) school visits

Candidates will:

  • assume the role of support teacher in the classroom
  • interact with students as directed by the mentor teacher
  • build relationships with students
  • become familiar with participation structures and management techniques used in the classroom
  • complete a Teaching Summary outlining teaching responsibilities during the
    two-week experience in collaboration with the mentor teacher

Two Week Collaborative Experience
December 5 – 16 (no school visit Dec. 3)

  • continue in the role of support teacher in the classroom and in the wider school community
  • continue to interact with students, as directed
  • continue to build relationships with students and staff at the school
  • plan, prepare and teach/co-teach a minimum of three lessons (e.g. planning a community building activity, leading a routine or developing a mini-lesson, etc.) as directed by the mentor

Note:
Candidates are required to prepare lesson plans in advance of teaching and share these plans with their mentors for feedback/guidance.

January 11, 18, 25 & February 1: Full-day (Wednesday) school visits

  • continue working in the role of support teacher in the classroom
  • continue to interact with students, as directed
  • continue to build relationships with students and staff at the school
  • complete a Learner Study, as directed by field advisor and mentor(s)
  • complete a teaching summary outlining teaching responsibilities during the
    five-week experience completed in collaboration with the mentor(s)

Note:
Planning and teaching lessons are not expected of candidates during the January school visits. They have demanding schedules and assignment expectations on campus at this time.

Five Week Collaborative Field Experience
February 8 – March 17

  • plan, prepare and teach/co-teach a minimum of two lesson sequences. Each should be approximately two to four weeks in duration
  • facilitate various routines and/or stand-alone lessons as directed by the mentor

Notes:

  • Teaching responsibilities will be determined by the mentor in collaboration with the candidate and, if needed, in consultation with the field advisor. The expectations will be differentiated based on the readiness of the candidate and the opportunities available in each classroom situation.
  • Candidates are required to prepare lesson sequence overviews and daily lesson plans and share these plans with their mentors for feedback/guidance prior to the lesson.
  • Through this experience, candidates will focus on student learning, adaptive professionalism and collaboration through several core anchor experience requirements of the BEd program.

Tuition Credits

Mentor teachers are eligible for 3.0 UBC Okanagan tuition credits if they host a BEd teacher candidate or intern for immersive field experiences.

Community field mentors are eligible for 1.5 UBC Okanagan tuition credits for hosting teacher candidate(s) during the Community Field Experience in May.

These tuition credits will be issued in the spring and can be redeemed for Okanagan School of Education graduate and post-baccalaureate courses and seminars:

Note: These tuition credits are valid for two years and are not transferable.

Tuition Fee Certificates are given to mentor teachers and community field mentors in credit denominations to be used in lieu of tuition payments for courses offered by the Okanagan School of Education, either undergraduate or graduate (if the chosen course is approved for the student’s UBC Okanagan graduate program).

The Certificates are applied toward tuition costs. Other charges may apply that are the responsibility of the student. Check “Financial Summary” via www.students.ubc.ca/ssc to view the details of the charges. One may opt out of some fees – for more information see current UBC Okanagan Calendar under: Fees>Student and Student Society Fees>Student Fees. A non-refundable registration deposit is required prior to registration in credit courses.

NOTE: Revenue Canada regards these certificates as a taxable benefit. A T4A will be issued mid to late February and downloadable via the Student Service Centre. A T2202A (Tuition and Education Amounts Certificate) will be issued mid to late February and downloadable via the Student Service Centre.

  1. Confirm by email with the Okanagan School of Education Office, education.ubco@ubc.ca that you are interested in using the tuition credits offered
  2. When the time comes, register for the course you are interested in taking.
  3. Email our office – education.ubco@ubc.ca to confirm that you are registered and include name, student number, course number and section number.
  4. We will then send you the official Tuition Fee Certificate with your certificate number, name, student number, course and section number on it, signed by the Director of Undergraduate Programs.
  5. Take your certificate in person or e-mail to Student Services sis.ubco@ubc.ca as proof of payment. Make sure to sign the certificate. They will process your certificate for the credits indicated (keep a copy for your records).
  6. Take and enjoy your course! Thanks again for mentoring a BEd student from the Okanagan School ofEducation.

Note: Please keep your Certificate in a safe place, and note the expiry date. The Okanagan School of Education does not reissue certificates if they are lost or stolen. Certificates are non-transferable and have no cash surrender value.