Student Teaching

Student teaching is the application of your knowledge acquired during your Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program.  While it may look different for some students, your time as the official student teacher (the time you take over delivering content) always lasts 10 weeks and occurs during the last term of your program. It is a requirement for licensure. 

At NLU, each MAT Program culminates with a Practicum and a Student Teaching experience. For MAT Secondary Education (MAT SEC), these are linked placements, meaning both will be done at the same site.

Practicum is SEC581A-F and Student Teaching is SEC590A-F. Confused about the difference?  Consult the Handbook here. 

A Step-by-Step Guide for Applying for Student Teaching

Step 2:

Apply for student teaching in the SONIA Portal

Note: You will not have access to SONIA before you have a profile created. Winter student teachers can expect access in December, while Spring student teachers can expect access in January. Look for an email from your Academic Advisor.

For a step-by-step guide on how to log into SONIA, please watch the tutorial below-

For a step by step tutorial on navigating and uploading to SONIA please use the tutorial below-

⚠ Mind your deadline! ⚠ 

If you’re not sure which terms you’re doing PII/Student Teaching, please refer to the degree plan your advisor created for you. You can always view it digitally in the NLU Portal: My Services > Students > Degree Evaluation. 

A completed student teaching application is a requirement for ALL students, regardless if you are currently employed by the school site where you will student teach.

Practicum/Student Teaching Term + Application Deadline

• Students taking SEC502 in Fall 2024 or Winter 2025 - January 30, 2026

• Students taking SEC502 in Spring 2025 - April 24, 2026

You Will Upload:

*PAID applicants will have extra documentation listed

1. Educator's resume (have it checked for free by Career Bridge- link here)

2. UCIA Background check through Accurate Biometrics
   *Ensure you bring the UCIA form and have the results sent to your home address!

3. Tuberculosis (TB) Test - can be performed through primary care provider or select walk-in clinics

4. DCFS Mandated Reporter Training- certificate of completion

5. Unofficial transcripts, uploaded as PDFs (NLU and all external degrees earned)

Step 3:

Await your placement! You can expect your placement to be shared/confirmed the term prior to your Practicum I term. Have questions? You can reach out to your Field Experience Manager, Stephanie Harper, at sharper3@nl.edu or 312-261-3730. 

As you head into your student teaching, remember how far you've come. This is your time to find your flow; take a deep breath and trust your teacher instinct. You. Got. This.

Planning Ahead:

Student teaching is an unpaid experience, unless you qualify for the Year-Long Internship or Paid Student Teaching, see details at the top of this page. The Patricia Cassin-Graft Scholarship is one resource designed to assist students during their student teaching term. You can find information, including instructions on applying, here. Note - applications should be submitted no more than one term prior to Student Teaching.