Best schools to student teach in

My sister is starting her student teaching this winter, K-8 and I since I am secondary English, I am having a hard time giving her advice. She wants to build a relationship with a school district, however, she is starting her master's immediately because she really wants to teach special ed. Any suggestions keeping in mind her ultimate goal? Thanks

Re: Best schools to student teach in

Hmm, she should see if she is even able to find her own student teaching placement. Where I went, you had to wait for them to place you. You could put down requests like which county, or within 30mins of your hometown, etc.... but that was it.

Also, I student taught in a really good LI school district and the principal told me and the other student teachers flat out on the first day that there were no positions available. I was also told by my cooperating teacher that even if jobs do become available, there were subs and TAs in the school who were there first and some for many years, just waiting for a position......

I am SOOOOOOOO not trying to be a downer here, I am just telling you what my experience was. I think realistically in this economy, it doesn't matter much where you do your student teaching, in terms of building a relationship for a prospective job. I do wish her luck though!!

Perhaps some of the other posters will have some better advice....... As far as finding a job, she just has to be in the right place at the right time......

Re: Best schools to student teach in

ideally, you would want to be in a SD that is large, so that there might be a position that you could fall into. Since she is going straight into her Masters, maybe she would rather do something close to home or at a school that has a program that she is interested in (ie fountas pinnell - something like that)

I'm in a top rated SD and since we are small, we have leaves, subs and TAs that have been waiting for YEARS! for an opening