Use this form to request to observe in a public elementary, middle level, K-12, and secondary (non-Charleston-Mattoon High School) classrooms for Fall 2024. An observation request form is required for every school in which you want to observe. If you are observing at the same school, you can make three requests per form. If you are making multiple observation requests, make sure you include the observation date, time frame being observed, and the name of the cooperating teacher.
Prior to making a request, know whether EIU has a clinical agreement with the school district you wish to observe. You can acquire this information from the building principal or the College of Education Dean's Office. If EIU has a clinical agreement with the district, the observation request form is to be submitted at least 7 days prior to the date of observation.
If EIU does not have a clinical agreement with the district, a clinical agreement must be obtained before the observation request can be approved. This means the observation request form needs to be submitted at least 14 days prior to the date of observation. EIU's current clinical agreements can be found at
EIU MOU Agreements - Google Sheets.
A clinical agreement is required to observe in a public school setting. Please note: While MOUs will be done for Departmental Methods students, MOUs will not be done for observation requests (SED 2000, ELE 2050, and department observation courses) unless there is no feasible and available observation site.
If the form is incomplete or submitted with less than the required notification period, the request will be denied. Faculty may also deny the request if the observation is not in the age range and licensure area you are seeking. Observations are scheduled on a space-availability basis.
Once you have submitted the form, you need to affirm with your instructor whether the request is approved. Conducting an observation in a school without approval or falsifying placement information may result in disciplinary action.
Prior to conducting your initial observation, you need to pick up a copy of your Criminal Background Check in the Dean's Office (Buzzard 1420) and make sure you have a photo ID. You may not observe without having the Criminal Background Check completed.
