Field Experience & Student Teaching

Student Teaching 

Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Field Experience Guiding Principles

• Field experiences are designed and delivered for candidates to make explicit connections with content areas, cognitive development, motivation and learning styles.
• Field experiences allow teacher candidates to observe, practice, and demonstrate coursework competencies, under the supervision of education program faculty and under the mentorship of certified teachers.
• Field experiences must allow teacher candidates to progress from observation to teaching small groups of students under the mentorship of a certified educator at the pre-student teaching level, to the culminating student teaching experience.
• Field experiences are on-going throughout the program, aligned with coursework, and include varied experiences in diverse environments.
• Candidates need time to learn and demonstrate the complex competencies and responsibilities required by teachers.

Rationale and Design at Wilkes University Education Department for Field Experiences

Based on the regulations, guidelines, directives of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Wilkes University Education Department’s field experiences are embedded in the requirements for designated Education courses in order to provide Teacher Education candidates the opportunity to assess their interest in and aptitude for teaching and to begin developing professional competencies throughout their professional studies. Field experiences occur in area preschool and K-12 classrooms and are based on the students' certification area(s). Teacher Education candidates spend designated hours at the assigned placement over the course of the semester.

Field Experiences provide Teacher Education candidates with opportunities:

• first, to assess, explore, and reflect upon their interest in teaching,
• next, to begin to develop professional competencies in conjunction with professional studies, and, finally,
• to practice skills of an emerging educator prior to the student teaching experience.

Field Experience assignments are varied so candidates may experience different:

• Grade levels
• Diverse student populations
• Skill levels
• Classrooms
• Building organizations
• Teaching styles

The Field Experience Program: A Partnership of University, Schools, and Teachers

The Wilkes University Education Department will provide Teacher Education candidates with:

• classroom experiences that initiate and prepare them for the field experience placement,
• meaningful, reflective assignments that relate to the field experience placement,
• fair assessment and monitoring of their progress in the field experience placement.

The Host School is asked to provide a brief orientation for the Teacher Education candidate that includes:

• information about the school calendar and daily schedule,
• the teacher’s class schedule and duties,
• school and classroom policies and procedures (e.g., sign in-sign out, emergency drills, security and technology policies),
• location of school facilities,
• provisions for students with disabilities.

The Mentoring Teacher is asked to assure a quality field experience for the Teacher Education candidate by:

• assuming an active role as the lead professional by sharing knowledge, experience, strategies for success in the classroom,
• providing accurate, timely feedback and assessment of the Teacher Education candidate’s participation and performance

Understandings

• It is understood that the Wilkes University Teacher Education candidate is a pre-professional guest of the host school and shall abide by all the rules and regulations of that school.
• The Teacher Education candidate has obtained the required clearances needed to be in an educational setting. These include: Act 34 (State Police Criminal Record Check Clearance), Act 151 (Child Abuse History Clearance), and Act 114 (F.B.I. Fingerprinting and Check). Some districts may require additional documentation.
• The host school and the mentoring teacher(s) shall provide a supervised, thorough and challenging experience in the field for the Teacher Education candidate.
• The candidate shall be assigned to appropriate tasks and duties that are within the scope and sequence of the level of coursework for the course in which the candidate is enrolled at the University. A list of suggested and approved activities is included in the handbook.
• If there are concerns or a need for additional information, the teacher or school official should contact the Wilkes University Education Department Office of Field Placements.

Expectations

• The Teacher Education candidate must successfully complete the required number of hours and submit the properly documented, signed log of field experience school visits as part of the course work of the designated Education class. All hours must be completed during the semester of the coursework.
• Usually the Teacher Education candidate is expected to spend a minimum of three hours per week at the assigned school. However, there be may be circumstances that allow for an alternate schedule of hours to accommodate the non-traditional Teacher Education candidate in the program.
• The Wilkes University Education Department seeks to prepare Teacher Education candidates to be professionals in the classroom in accordance with the criteria mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the expectations and requirements that have been established by the Wilkes University Education Department. To this end, candidates are held accountable to aspire to high standards, to learn best practices, and to maintain responsible and consistent effort.

Recommended Classroom Activities for Field Experiences

The Teacher Education candidate should be assigned to as many as possible of the listed activities during the course of the field experience placement.

Class and Instructional Materials and Methods

• After being introduced to the class, learn the names of the students and how to pronounce them correctly.
• Become familiar with the Mentoring Teacher’s lesson plans and educational materials.
• Identify the various teaching styles and methods employed by the Mentoring Teacher and the learning differences demonstrated by students

Active and Engaged Observation

• Observe instruction and activity in the class from a variety of locations in the room to become aware of many aspects of student behavior and engagement.
• Observe and assist with supervision of students in the classrooms, in the library, in the halls, in the cafeteria or lunchroom, in the gymnasium or on the playground.
• Become aware of the diverse needs of the classroom and how the Mentoring Teacher addresses them, including special education, ESL (English as a second language), instruction for the gifted, inclusion of students with disabilities and with special needs

Tutoring and Microteaching

• Provide one-on-one or small group tutoring to address students’ academic needs.
• Prepare and present a micro-lesson to small groups or the entire class.

Educational Practices in Assessment

• Review and check workbooks, class exercises, and written homework.
• Score objective assessments of student work.
• Assist in test administration and monitoring.
• Prepare profiles of student progress and record teacher-assigned grades.

Technology and Educational Laboratories

• Secure and operate audio-visual equipment, computers and software, and other technology devices.
• Assist in preparing the laboratory or other educational areas for student instruction and/or activities.
• Assist in supervising students using computers and instructional technology devices.

Classroom Management Skills

• Begin to handle routine classroom management procedures such as attendance, homeroom practices, passes, announcements, end of class or end of day or dismissal.
• Prepare and assemble bulletin boards, learning stations, computer-based activities, exhibits or displays to augment concepts, lessons, or goals.

Professional Conferencing

• Confer with Mentoring Teacher to discuss learning practices, student needs, and other educational issues relevant to the field experience placement.
• Observe educational meetings such as team teaching planning sessions, parent conferences, or reports provided by learning evaluators or specialists.
• Attend an I.E.P. conference. Required for all Special Education Teacher Candidates.