The Role of Mentor and Cooperating Teachers
Mentoring and cooperating teachers play a vital role in the success of FIU student teachers and teacher residents. They serve as professional role models, providing instructional guidance, developmental feedback, and consistent encouragement throughout the internship experience. Their partnership with FIU is critical to preparing future educators for success in the classroom.
Eligibility Requirements
To serve as a mentor or cooperating teacher with FIU, educators must meet the following criteria:
- Completion of approved Clinical Educator Training.
- A valid Florida professional educator certificate in the subject area aligned with the intern’s field of study.
- A minimum of three (3) years of teaching experience in PreK–12 settings.
- An Effective or Highly Effective rating on the most recent performance evaluation.
- For those supervising interns in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Exceptional Student Education (ESE), or English Education, a Reading Endorsement or Reading Certification is also required.
Certificate of Participation: Tuition Waiver
In recognition of their mentorship, eligible mentor and cooperating teachers receive a Certificate of Participation issued by the State University System of Florida. This certificate:
- Covers up to 6 credit hours of tuition waiver at any Florida state university.
- Is valid for 36 months from the date of issuance.
- Is non-transferable and may only be used by the certificate holder.
To request your certificate at FIU:
- Download and complete the Certificate of Participation Request Form.
- Email the completed form to: clinicalexperiences@fiu.edu.
Please allow 6–8 weeks for processing. To ensure timely use, we recommend submitting your request well in advance of the semester in which you plan to enroll. Refer to the FIU Academic Calendar for semester start dates.
For questions, contact the Office of Clinical Experiences:
Email: clinicalexperiences@fiu.edu
Phone: (305) 348-2082