What Are the Expectations for Clinical Residency Placements

Reach Teachers College Bachelor’s in Global Education program concludes with the Clinical Year. One major component of this final year is a Clinical Residency Placement, which is designed to provide comprehensive, hands-on teaching experiences that prepare residents for successful classroom practice. The residency program consists of two stages: Clinical Residency I and Clinical Residency II, each focusing on building teaching skills, professional reflection, and collaboration with mentors.

Clinical Residency Placements: A Collaborative Guide

Year-long Clinical Residency Overview

Timeframe: total of 30 weeks (15 weeks per semester)

During Clinical Residency I, the resident completes a weekly clinical log to document the required 18 hours of clinical experiences per week, ensuring all program and state requirements are met. Additionally, the resident will complete a weekly coaching journal, to reflect on instructional practices and to receive feedback from the clinical supervisor or mentor to support professional growth. While the resident may observe and collaborate with other certified teachers, their assigned mentor will be the primary contact and will be responsible for reviewing and signing off on the Resident’s weekly logs and journals.

During Clinical Residency I, the Resident is expected to complete 50% (9 hours) of their Residency experiences engaged in teaching activities. The following table provides some key activities in which the Clinical Resident may engage to complete the required 18 hours each week:

Clinical Residency 1:  Sample Activities & Times

During Clinical Residency II, the Resident meets the same expectations from Clinical Residency I, with there being an increase to the time of required clinical experiences to 24 hours per week. Additionally, during Clinical Residency II, the Resident is expected to complete 75% (18 hours) of their Residency experiences engaged in teaching activities.The following table provides some key activities in which the Clinical Resident may engage to complete the required 24 hours each week:

Clinical Residency 2: Sample Activities & Times

Clinical Residency II: Suggested Activities & Times

Louisiana Semester 1 and Semester 2 - Louisiana specifies that all residents seeking a licensure in elementary education must spend 80% of both semester 1 and semester 2 onsite engaged in residency activities, such as teaching, lesson planning, and classroom observation, as outlined in  Bulletin 996. Residents assume before- and after-school responsibilities of the Mentor Teacher (provided they are not already engaged in their own responsibilities) while continuing to attend courses and seminars conducted by Reach university. Candidates should also participate in school opening and closing activities and professional development with the Mentor Teacher. Residency activities begin at the start of the host school school year, not at the start of the Reach University semester. This means that a teacher candidate will be engaged in residency activities prior to the start of residency coursework.  Beginning in Spring of 2026, for Louisiana CR1, candidates are expected to participate in at least 24 hours per week, or 4 full days, engaging in clinical activities; and for Louisiana CR2, 28 hours per week engaging in clinical activities.

Principal, Mentor and Resident Communication & Support

At Reach Teachers College, we are reflective practitioners. As a result, we reflect upon our work and diligently strive to refine our practices. Based on feedback from the Louisiana State Department of Education (LDOE) and in our preparation for two reviews conducted by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), we recognize the importance of enhancing communication and support provided to Clinical Site Principals and Clinical Site Mentors. The information below details expectations for the Mentor, Clinical Site Principal, and the Clinical Resident.