Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Student Teaching (Face-to-Face)

THEA 4980-01

Course: THEA 4980-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: TA
CRN: 30678

Course Description

 A 12-week supervised teaching experience in an accredited school where candidates assume increasing responsibility for planning, instruction, and assessment. Emphasizes application of pedagogical knowledge, classroom management, and professional collaboration. Completion meets the supervised teaching requirement for state licensure.
Prerequisites: Completion of all required professional education coursework and program-specific eligibility requirements. 
Taught As Needed [Pass/Fail] Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

None

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Student Teaching course, teacher candidates will be able to:

  1. Design and Implement Inclusive, Standards-Based Theatre Lessons
    Create and execute lesson plans that integrate age-appropriate theatre techniques and align with state standards and differentiated to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
  2. Foster a Supportive, Creative Learning Environment
    Establish a classroom culture that encourages risk-taking, collaboration, and self-expression, using effective classroom management strategies that support artistic growth and safety in the creative process.
  3. Apply Reflective Practice and Pedagogical Adaptation
    Continuously reflect on teaching practices by analyzing student performance, feedback, and outcomes to inform, improve, and adapt instruction and student learning. 
  4. Integrate Theatre Across Disciplines (Arts Integration)
    Demonstrate an ability to connect theatrical content and methods with other subjects or art forms (e.g., music, visual arts, media) to enrich learning and deepen student understanding and experience.
  5. Exhibit Professional Theatre Pedagogical Competence
    Demonstrate proficiency in foundational theatre disciplines—acting, directing, design, and production—and apply this knowledge effectively within school settings.
  6. Collaborate with Educational and Community Stakeholders
    Work effectively with cooperating teachers, university supervisors, families, and community partners, contributing thoughtfully to the broader educational community and aligning theatre instruction with shared goals.

Course Requirements

Work for the course, in addition to completing the state required teaching in the school, include:
  • Preparation for three observations (submitting lesson plans for each).
  • Being observed teaching in the classroom and conducting rehearsal three times.
  • Post observation meeting after each observation.
  • Participating in weekly chats and check-in with instructor.
  • Post-mortem 
  • Submission of teacher portfolio

Course Outline

  • The daily course work is determined in collaboration with the mentor teacher to meet the state requirement for licensure. 

  • The weekly chats & check-in date and time is determined based on student teaching schedule. The final chat & check-in is a post-mortem reflection on the entire student teaching experience.

  • Submission of link for teacher portfolio is due on the final day of classes for the semester.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All preparatory materials for observations must be submitted 24 hrs before observation and verbal conference about observation must occur within 48 hours after completion of observation. Submission of work after these deadlines will not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been approved by instructor. 

Attendance Policy

Attendance is required and determined as part of state licensure. If any part of the school day is missed, arrangements must be make with the cooperating teacher, follow school/district policies, and be made-up to meet licensure requirements. 

Course Fees

There are no additional fees for this course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.