Important Note to Future Student Teachers Abroad:

Read The Student Teaching Handbook before your first day of student teaching. If you're going to New Zealand, your first day of student teaching in Texas may occur before the first day (or week) of the college semester, yet you need to be teaching at least one period by your second week, and your supervisor will want the preliminary assignments (e.g., your resume, autobiography, your cooperating teacher's schedule, etc.) very soon. In spring 2005, those of us going to New Zealand started teaching January 5, but the first day of the university semester was January 18.

Also, you need to have your units completed the second to last week before you depart for NZ, so your time is going to fly, and you have a lot to produce in a very short amount of time.

Believe me, you will be a lot less stressed out if you've done some preparation before your first week of student teaching in Texas.