Faculty of Education Policy on Practicum Placements:
Practicum placements are in Lower Mainland school districts. The availability of placements in some areas may be limited and students must be prepared to accept placement for the 2- and 10-week practica anywhere within 125 km of the UBC campus. Teacher candidates make their own arrangements for, and bear the cost of, personal transportation and accommodation during practica.
For questions on the Elementary & Middle Years practicum, please contact Greta Bartsch, Program Manager, Elementary & Middle Years Practicum.
For questions on the Secondary practicum, please contact Jody Billingsley, Program Manager, Secondary Practicum.
Note on the Secondary IB option: teacher candidates who intend on applying for the IB option must be prepared to travel anywhere in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley, as IB schools and placements are limited.
For practicum placement and special circumstances forms, along with other information related to BEd practicum placement, please click on your program option’s tab in the section below:
Elementary & Middle Years Practicum Placements:
There are two parts to getting a practicum placement for elementary & middle years teacher candidates.
Part 1:
A survey will be emailed to elementary & middle years teacher candidates in May 2025, asking TCs to submit their cohorts in order of preference.
Part 2:
After receiving a cohort assignment based off the survey results, teacher candidates will then be asked to submit the practicum placement form. Form will be emailed and linked on this page in June 2025.
Secondary Practicum Placement Form
The form will open on May 15, 2025. To facilitate the practicum placement process, we kindly request Secondary teacher candidates submit the form at their earliest convenience.
Applying to the Secondary Options
The application forms for the IB and EDID option, and Digital Pedagogies & AI pilot, will be available here in mid-June. Visit the Core French Option page to submit an expression of interest. Learn more about these option here.
Application Forms (Open From June 3-16, 2025):
Secondary French Immersion Program Option
Because of the small number of French immersion classrooms, the practicum for a French Immersion secondary student teacher may consist of work in French as well as in English. An immersion student with only French as a teaching area may teach in classrooms of immersion French, immersion Humanities and Core French (FSL).
Special Circumstances
Forms will be available here from May 15 to September 30, 2025. Forms should be returned NO LATER than the end of the last week of classes in September.
Elementary & Middle Years
Special circumstances which would affect practicum placements will be considered. Students are asked to make an appointment to see Greta Bartsch, the Practicum Program Manager (Elementary & Middle Years) in regards to special circumstances affecting practica. Relevant documentation should be provided (e.g., medical condition).
While every effort will be made to accommodate special circumstances, specific placements can never be guaranteed. All incoming students must be ready to accept placement at any location.
The Teacher Education Office will do its best to arrange school placements with teacher candidate’s special circumstances in mind, but please be aware that not all special circumstances can be accommodated.
Secondary
Special circumstances which would affect practicum placements will be considered. Students are asked to make an appointment to see Jody Billingsley, the Practicum Program Manager (Secondary), in regards to special circumstances affecting practica. Relevant documentation should be provided (e.g., medical condition).
While every effort will be made to accommodate special circumstances, specific placements can never be guaranteed. All incoming students must be ready to accept placement at any location.
The Teacher Education Office will do its best to arrange school placements with teacher candidate’s special circumstances in mind, but please be aware that not all special circumstances can be accommodated.
The following are not considered special circumstances:
- Employment (it is suggested that students give their full attention to the school practicum)
- No automobile (car pools and public transport are alternatives and are often less stressful)
- General preference for placement in a certain district. Placements are limited and cannot be guaranteed in any given district.