Joe Lubig, Ed.D
Teacher Education Field Experiences Director
179C Whitman Hall
Phone: 906.227.1881
E-mail: jlubig@nmu.edu
Tracy VanAbel
Secretary
179 Whitman Hall
Phone: 906.227.2160
E-mail: tvanabel@nmu.edu
Introduction
Teacher Education Conceptual Frameworks
Questions about Teacher Education Field Experiences
Courses Requiring Field Experience
Phase I Field Experiences
ED 201/301: Introduction to Education/Dimensions of American Education
ED 230/231: Teaching and Learning in the Elementary Classroom/Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom
ED 360: Orientation to Special Education
ED 401: Curriculum and Methods for Teaching the Mentally Impaired
ED 402: Teaching Life Skills to Impaired Individuals
Phase II Field Experiences
Introduction
Elementary Program
ED 306: Children's Literature
ED 311/316: Language Arts Methods & Materials/Elementary Reading Instruction I
ED 312: Science Methods & Materials for Elementary Teachers
ED 318: Elementary Reading Instruction II
ED 361: Special Education and the General Classroom Teacher
MA 353: Elementary Mathematics Methods
Secondary Program
ED 319/349: Teaching of Reading for Secondary Teachers/Teaching for Diversity, Equity and Social Justice in the Secondary School Community
ED 350: Specialized Secondary Methods
Special Education Program
ED 403: Pre-Vocational Training for Students with Disabilities
ED 406: Supervised Apprenticeship in Teaching Students with Cognitive Impairments in K-12 Settings
ED 408: Instruction and Educational Structuring for Students with Emotional Impairments
ED 409: Supervised Apprenticeship with Students with Emotional Impairments
Philosophy of Teaching Program
Goals of the Student Teaching Program
Application for Student Teaching
Student Teaching Policies
Evaluation Procedures
The Report Process
Responsibilities of the Supervising Teacher
Responsibilities of the Student Teacher
Responsibilities of the Principal
Responsibilities of the School Coordinator
Responsibilities of the University Supervisor
Responsibilities of the Director
Suggestions for Student Teacher Orientation
Requirements for Certification
Appendix A: Field Experience Student Agreement (Word Document)
Appendix B: Map of Local Field Experience Sites
Appendix C: Student Teaching Statement of Understanding (Word Document)
Appendix D: Student Teaching Evaluation Form: First Progress Report
Appendix E: Student Teaching Evaluation Form: Mid-Term Evaluation
Appendix F: Student Teaching Evaluation Form: Final Evaluation
Appendix G: University Supervisor's Report
Appendix H: Criteria for a Assessment of Pedagogy
Appendix I: Student Teacher: Guide to a Successful Student Teaching (PDF Format)
Northern Michigan University is a regional university that serves the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It has maintained a positive working relationship with schools in the area since it’s founding in 1899 as Northern State Normal School. It continues to work closely with schools to advance the goals of the profession and to promote the effective preparation of quality educators.
Field experiences at Northern Michigan University have undergone many changes in the past few year. Field experiences in the undergraduate professional education curriculum at Northern Michigan University prepare students to work effectively as professionals in schools as elementary, secondary and special education teachers. Prospective teachers move from observation of students and classroom activities to full assumption of the role of the teacher. These formal field experiences begin in the first education course and progress through student teaching giving students opportunities to observe, plan and practice in a variety of settings appropriate to the professional roles for which they are being prepared.
This handbook will briefly outline the skills students are expected to demonstrate related to field experiences. The skills are incremental and hierarchical to involve the student in the process of mastering all of the duties of a teacher. Through observation, planning and practice in the pre-methods, methods and student teaching phases, students apply educational principles in more demanding roles.
The roles and responsibilities of the Director of Field Experiences, school coordinator, principal, college-based supervisor, field-based supervisor and the education student are clearly delineated in this handbook along with the philosophy, goals and policies of the field experience program, evaluation procedures and criteria, sequence of responsibilities and suggestions for orientation to help students have successful experiences.
A conceptual framework for teacher education should begin with a definition of education. After all, assumptions about education (sometimes explicit, but more often implicit) pervade all teacher education programs. Israel Scheffler offered the following definition that informs our teacher education program:
[Education is] the formation of habits of judgment and the development of character, the elevation of standards, the facilitation of understanding, the development of taste and discrimination, the stimulation of curiosity and wondering, the fostering of style and a sense of beauty, the growth of a thirst for new ideas and vision of the yet unknown.
In keeping with Scheffler’s definition, NMU teacher educators accept a unique responsibility, for we understand that effective teaching constitutes both the desired outcome and the desired means for achieving that outcome. The dynamics of effective teaching occur in our program in the following concomitant ways:
Teacher candidates form habits of judgment, develop character, taste and discrimination, elevate standards, facilitate understanding, stimulate curiosity and wondering, foster style and a sense of beauty and thirst for new ideas and a vision of the yet unknown.
In addition to a definition of education, three questions shape the development of our conceptual framework: (1) What is the nature of teaching, both as we practice it and as we wish our candidates to? (2) What are the models of learning we wish to develop in our candidates and practice within our faculty? (3) What is the knowledge base we wish to incorporate in our instructional program?
Teaching is essentially axiological: it is grounded in ethical and aesthetic values. Teaching ethically means addressing the full range of human diversity as it affects the learning of individual students and the class. It also means that our candidates and we have the right and responsibility to construct meaning within the diverse and common visions of the good. Teaching aesthetically requires imagination, passion and a strong grounding in the techniques and foundations of the genre. To define teaching aesthetically, we move beyond a language of competence to articulate a vision of the ideal. By articulating such a vision, we challenge many of the reified assumptions in the discourse of contemporary education, and thereby move our teaching and that of our candidates ever closer to enacting transformative educational practices.
Our vision includes valuing collaboration, acknowledging that theory derives from practice and viewing the professor as one learner among many. The instructional strategies we model go beyond the didactic to include community building, candidate-directed group work and discussions, opportunities for feedback, coaching and individual criticism. Extensive opportunities for field experience in all phases of the program ensure relevant contexts for our practice and enable teacher candidates to learn from teachers and students in K-12 settings. As learners ourselves, we are responsible for continual improvement of our courses, inviting candidate evaluation through discussion and critique so that candidates contribute to course design and revision. As a school, we are committed to a process of ongoing reexamination to improve all aspects of our program.
The knowledge base that supports candidate performance in a variety of settings derives from candidate experiences in authentic educational settings, the best available research on what constitutes good teaching practices and that which is consonant with the Michigan entry-level standards for teacher candidates and continuing certification standards for teachers, the Michigan subject matter content standards and the Michigan teaching and learning standards.
DerivativesDerivative #1: Habits of Judgment and Development of Character
A derivative that explores habits of judgment and development of character highlights two qualities of Scheffler’s definition. What follows from taking these qualities seriously? For us as teacher educators, what most clearly follows is that the teachers we prepare must themselves be capable of making judgments (and be in the habit of actually doing so) and must be of good character.
Given that schools are reflective of the society in which they exist and given that schools also help shape the future of our society, taking the development of character and judgment seriously also means that we develop in our candidates a commitment to social justice and the role schools have to play in its attainment.
Moreover, taking this derivative seriously commits us as a faculty to developing both habits of mind and habits of the heart that will lead to a practice steeped in reflection and judgment and based in the ethics that define good character. The following actions serve to help our candidates and our program achieve these aims:
Derivative #2: Teaching as Artistry
A derivative that explores teaching as artistry centers on two related sets of propositions implicit in the definition of education as given in the conceptual framework: (1) teaching is an ethical activity, and (2) teaching is a rational activity.
As an ethical activity, teaching requires, among other things, that teachers value their students. Valuing, as in appreciation, however, carries a connotation of the aesthetic. Thus to act in a fully ethical manner, teachers must also act aesthetically. That is, they must exhibit artistry in the practice of their craft and must develop, as suggested in Scheffler’s definition, a sense of taste and discrimination in appraising the practice of others. Eliot Eisner supports this notion when he argues that becoming a connoisseur of excellent teaching is essential to becoming an excellent teacher. Because artistry and connoisseurship are best developed in the context of the studio, ethical teacher education must be field-based where candidates may observe master teachers and have increasing opportunities to practice their own teaching.
Because teaching is also a rational activity, reasons must be given for judging a particular teaching performance as art. These reasons can be adduced by examining behaviors in the visual and performing arts and drawing parallels for teaching. The following list is suggestive only and in no way exhausts possible behaviors:
Finally, because one does not value one’s students in the aggregate, it is essential for ethical and aesthetic teaching that class sizes be maintained that allow for individual attention and interaction.
Derivative #3: Subject Matter Content as Medium
A derivative that explores subject matter content as medium arises from Scheffler’s definition of education and our claim that teaching is an art, grounded in ethical and aesthetic qualities. Therefore, mastery of subject matter content, which receives so much attention in educational reform initiatives, is not the primary aim of education; rather, subject matter content is the medium through which teachers and students form habits of judgment, develop character and so on. By reconceptualizing the subject matter content metaphor from object to medium, we seek to expand the possibilities of ways in which teachers and students engage one another in the daily practice of educating themselves.
The artfulness of teaching is a fusing of pedagogy and content. Teachers make pedagogical judgments about what content to address and how to design classroom experiences that will assist students in engaging this content as a means to expand and deepen their own learning. The task of the teacher is to design learning experiences that will enable students to develop their own capacity for understanding (i.e., form habits of judgment, etc.).
Students are not objects, either. Subject matter content is the medium through which teaching/learning relationships among teachers and students develop. As Patricia Hinchey and others point out, content is a matter of human interpretation and not something existing independently in the world just waiting for us to find. Instead, content becomes a dynamic medium through which human beings examine data (facts, artifacts and so on) and assign meaning to it. Knowledge arises from the sense that humans make through engaging the medium of content.
The following characteristics (suggestive and not comprehensive) describe learning environments in which subject matter content is the medium for education:
Derivative #4: Race, Culture and Social Justice
A derivative that explores race, culture and social justice attempts to call into question the social and political agenda in this country that has long included (and in some ways continues to be) the myth of cultural assimilation and the practice of racial hegemony. A by-product of such a view has helped to create and sustain perceptual differentiations of some U. S. citizens in ways that have led to stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination.
Drawing on our view of education, as embodied in Scheffler’s definition and the three fundamental questions, we must include a commitment to providing experiences that foster a critical understanding of the central role of racial and cultural differences (both historically and contemporarily) in this country.
This derivative focuses on an explicit paradigm of teaching that reflects an inclusive view of diversity and of social justice. Given the social and political implications related to this part of the conceptual framework, the following perspectives constitute basic pursuits in teaching with a stance toward diversity:
Derivative #5: Technology
In exploring a derivate that addresses technology, we do not intend to imply that technology in and of itself is as fundamental to our conceptual framework as our other derivatives. Technology is a means to informing, and not necessarily to understanding or to knowing. Therefore, technology must speak to the present and future social realities and possibilities that impact the quality of life, learning and growth (education) we expound, model and seek to empower. How can technologies be employed to move our practice and that of our candidates ever closer to the ideal? How can technology be employed in the formation of habits of judgment, facilitation of understanding, development of taste and discrimination, stimulation of curiosity and the thirst for new ideas and vision of the yet unknown? How can the critical exploration of the use and misuse, culturally diverse and unequal use and access and costs and consequences of technology be addressed within our work with candidates and the future use of technology in their classrooms with their students?
Technology as a knowledge base medium of instruction and communication and medium of research and professional development offers possibilities to educators at all levels. Yet, it must find an appropriate integration in our work, as a means to an end and not an end in itself. Technological knowledge must serve to promote and ensure collaborative and ethical work, must engage users in critical and creative thinking and problem solving that supports candidate construction of meaning, must be weighted in light of student diversity and cultural differences and most essentially social justice and equity of access and opportunity (the digital divide).
The increasing presence and power of technology to change all realms of our society mandates that educators strive to develop and maintain technological literacy in order to integrate various forms of technology within their instructional practice and as a means of modeling and engaging students in critical and ethical analysis of emerging forms of global communication, interaction and research. Both skills and habits of critical literacy need to be integrated into educational experiences that prepare teachers for creative adaptation to change and as agents of transformation within schools. The following actions serve to move these goals along:
Northern’s field experiences are designed so that all parties involved benefit from the experience. Not only should the teacher education student learn from the experience, but the classroom teacher and students should benefit from NMU students being in their classroom.
Q. What are field experiences?
The field experiences described in this handbook refer to school-based clinical experiences including classroom observations, tutoring, assisting teachers, small and large group instruction and developing and practicing the duties of a teacher.
Q. Why do we have field experiences?
Field experiences have a large influence on preservice teacher education students and are highly valued by them because of their ability to give firsthand experience in the profession. When properly integrated with their preservice education course work, field experiences provide a balanced blend of theory and practice.
Q. What are the policies, procedures and responsibilities related to field experiences?
The policies to prepare students to work effectively in classroom settings deal with selection of sites, types of experiences, supervision, feedback, sequence of experiences, skill development and amount of experiences. The field experience for each course has specific requirements. The general policies are reflected in the Field Experience Student Agreement (see Appendix) that is signed by every student having a school field experience. The professional roles and responsibilities of all parties have been clearly delineated and are explained throughout this guide.
The failure of students to properly abide by the policies and fulfill their roles and responsibilities in these settings jeopardizes their educational careers and future placements. At the very minimum, students are to behave in an ethical, professional and courteous manner in accord with NMU’s Teacher Education Conceptual Framework. Students should follow the directions and procedures given by the course instructor, school administrator and classroom teacher. They should follow school rules, report to the classroom teacher at the time agreed upon and inform supervisors if they will be tardy or absent.
Q. Where are students placed for their field experiences?
Field experiences are designed to give students an opportunity to interact in a variety of settings. As students progress through the program they are placed in different settings, subject areas and grade levels appropriate for their particular program. Four basic criteria are considered when making placements: 1) the relevance of placement to the student’s coursework and program 2) the quality of the school, classroom and teacher 3) the willingness of the school and teacher to participate in the program and 4) the ability of all parties to fulfill the obligations associated with the placement.
Students are generally placed in area schools according to program needs and availability. Because of the heavy demand on the teachers in these schools, it is important that students cooperatively work with these teachers.
Students will be informed during their first few weeks of classes where they will be doing their field experiences and when they are to report for these experiences. With the approval of the instructor, students may have an opportunity to do their field experience outside the designated sites. All placements are made with approval of the Director of Field Experiences.
Q. Will I have field experiences with culturally diverse and exceptional students?
NMU students have opportunities to work with exceptional children in their classrooms since most of the field experiences occur in schools practicing inclusive education. Most of the field experiences occur in local schools where there is limited cultural and racial diversity. To compensate for this limitation, the School of Education offers several opportunities for teacher education students to work with culturally and racially diverse students to better develop a multicultural perspective and also offers a multicultural education course. The School of Education also regularly sponsors field trips to more urban and culturally diverse schools .Students may apply to student teach overseas and in schools with 20% or more minority population anywhere in the United States.
The professors who teach the courses requiring field experiences have much experience with culturally diverse and exceptional populations. They expect their students to demonstrate a multicultural perspective and an appreciation of individual differences and exceptionalities as described in the Teacher Education Conceptual Frameworks.
Q. What is the role of the Director of Field Experiences?
A full-time Director of Field Experiences oversees all teacher education field experiences. The Director identifies, obtains and monitors quality field placement sites, oversees all reports and forms, maintains good relations with schools, provides the leadership necessary for a quality program, oversees all applications and placements, monitors student progress, orients all parties and evaluates and improves the program. This arrangement allows for systematic development of the program, insures quality and consistency and provides a coordinated system of working with and developing placement sites. If you have any questions or concerns about any of the field experiences, you may contact the Director of Field Experiences in the School of Education.
Q. How are students evaluated in these field experiences?
Northern’s assessments of teaching competence are based upon the duties of the teacher: knowledge base, instructional competence, assessment competence and professionalism, and incorporate all the State Board Approved Criteria for Assessment of Pedagogy (see Appendix). Field experiences help determine the student’s ability to carry out the duties of a teacher and offer many sources of data for evaluation. Supervising teachers determine if these competencies are adequately demonstrated by the students and make comments to explain or support their assessments. Supervising teachers help the students identify their strengths and weaknesses and encourage self-evaluation through techniques such as feedback, reflection, journaling, scripting, conferencing and videotaping.
The evaluations are designed to give a comprehensive assessment of the student’s competence in applying professional knowledge in classroom practice. The competencies that NMU has decided upon as needed by preservice teachers to be recommended for certification as teachers are described in Evaluation Procedures in the Student Teaching section of this handbook.
Minimal competencies expected at each step in the teacher education program are explained in each course, including those derived from NMU’s Teacher Education Conceptual Frameworks and the Michigan Criteria for the Assessment of Pedagogy.
Q. How are field experiences sequenced?
Field experiences allow students to develop the knowledge, attitude and skills that enable them to assume full responsibility for classroom instruction. Education students move from role orientation to role conceptualization to role learning and commitment to role assumption and to role evaluation. The experiences in the first phase emphasize role orientation and conceptualization. The second phase experiences emphasize role learning and commitment. The culminating experience, or student teaching, emphasizes role assumption and evaluation. Field experiences are a bridge between theory and practice with the sequence moving from theory to increasing practice.
NMU field experiences are to prepare students to apply pedagogical theory in making instructional decisions, to analyze educational needs and to use appropriate materials. Through situational analysis, reflection and evaluation, teacher education students become teachers.
Q. How are field experiences supervised?
The evaluation of the preservice teachers competencies in field settings is the primary responsibility of the supervising teachers. As all field experiences are integral parts of a course, the professor will monitor the student’s field experience and provide the supervision and feedback needed. The Director of Field Experiences becomes involved in professional supervision and feedback with students who are not meeting program expectations.
Supervision, feedback and debriefing of the student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes occur through formal and informal assessments, such as direct observation, video tapes, audio tapes, journals, papers, discussion, conferences, evaluation forms and reports.
During the first phase, students are involved in role orientation and conceptualization through, interviews, structured observation and participation in K-12 classrooms. Supervisors monitor and evaluate students’ knowledge of the profession, teaching, students, schools and self. The evaluation by the classroom teacher and the university instructor is based upon the students’ demonstrated competency, their attitudes related to the profession, diversity and human relations.
In the second phase of field experiences, students are involved in planning based upon their knowledge of students, schools, classrooms and their current course content. After feedback and approval from their instructor, they try out their plans in a classroom setting and then evaluate based upon the results of the lesson. The role of the supervisors at this level includes the development and evaluation of communication skills, lesson planning, selection and creation of materials, classroom management, management of learning, knowledge of student assessment and professional ethics. As most methods courses are currently taught in K-12 schools, supervision and feedback by the course instructor and classroom teacher is timely and frequent.
The student teaching phase of the program provides the most intensive supervision, feedback and experience. During this 16-week full-time experience, the students are required to assume full responsibilities of the classroom teacher. The student teaching evaluation covers all of the duties of a teacher and the student receives regular feedback on their professional development from both the university and classroom supervisor. The seminar that is required for all student teachers is another means for supervision, feedback and debriefing.
Q. What courses require a field experience?
All field experiences are part of an education course. This allows the professor to integrate the principles and theories covered in the course with the student’s field experience and provide a vehicle to determine the student’s ability to apply that knowledge in better diagnosing and solving real problems. Below is a list of the courses currently requiring a field practicum. The NMU field experience program is divided into Phase I (choosing to become a teacher), Phase 2 (learning to become a teacher) and Phase 3 (becoming a teacher) to develop a knowledge of the institution, knowledge of the student, knowledge of instruction and knowledge of practice. This longitudinal process of combining theory and practice to prepare professionals allows for more growth in making instructional decisions, reflecting on practice and developing competence in the duties of a teacher. These field experiences help students understand and deal effectively with students, classrooms, teaching and educational institutions.
Phase I
Level 1 Role Orientation
Level 2 Role Conceptualization
Phase II
Level 3 Role Learning and Commitment
Phase III
Level 4 Role Assumption
The Phase I stage of the teacher education curricula includes ED 201/301 and ED 230/231. This stage is characterized by the student’s choosing to become a teacher based on observation and reflection opportunities in K-12 settings and a learning community in university courses.
Phase I field experiences introduce role orientation and conceptualization. In role orientation (ED 201/301), the student learns what becoming a teacher requires and is introduced to the profession of teaching. Field experiences at this stage involve visits to schools and classrooms to observe the nature of schooling and teaching to get a general knowledge of the role of the schools, classrooms and teachers.
Field experiences designed to develop role conceptualization (Ed 230/231) include observing and working with children in classrooms to understand them better and opportunities to work with schools and teachers to develop an understanding of their functioning and duties. These objectives are accomplished through 30 hours of study of children, classrooms and teachers and assisting teachers with activities related to teaching.
ED 201/301 Introduction to Education/Dimensions of American Education
In ED 201/301 students have a field experience requirement of spending one-half day in a K-12 classroom. This brief exposure is to help education students to better know if teaching is for them. They are required to interview the teacher they observe concerning their roles and responsibilities and their feelings about teaching. No evaluation of their professional competencies is expected in this field experience beyond the student’s self-evaluation.
ED 230/231 Teaching and Learning in the Elementary Classroom/Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom
The class generally meets in an area middle school and the students spend 30 hours in a classroom. Students may be required to complete some of these hours by visiting a Native or urban school. The purpose of these field experiences are to provide a significant measure of contact with students in a school setting in order to better understand the course content. As the first significant field experience in the education program, this assignment also provides students with a beginning opportunity to understand the dynamics of teaching and learning. Each student is expected to establish a working relationship with classroom teachers during this field experience. Professional demeanor is both learned and practiced in this field experience.
ED 360 Orientation to Special Education
Students are assigned to a 20 hour field experience to study etiology and characteristics of exceptional children as well as the education provisions that exist for their care, treatment, training, education and habitation.
ED 401 Curriculum and Methods for Teaching the Mentally Impaired
Lesson construction and methodology for teaching the moderately and mildly mentally impaired of elementary age: includes the use of commercially and teacher-made materials. The teacher’s multiple professional roles are stressed.
ED 402 Teaching Life Skills to Impaired Individuals
Survey of national, state and community resources in independent living, recreation and socialization opportunities for impaired individuals. In addition, students examine materials and curriculum for educating the impaired in social skills, free time activities and human sexuality. A field experience of 5-7 hours is required.
Role learning and commitment result from experiences that allow the students to practice various aspects related to teaching, such as lesson planning, teaching small groups or micro-teaching. Phase II of teacher education is characterized by learning to become a teacher by allowing opportunities to practice in a learning community.
Some elementary methods classes are offered in blocks to allow students to combine and better integrate field experiences and the content of these courses. The first block of courses consists of ED 306/310/311/316/361 and 483. The second block is ED 307/312/318 and MA 353. Each block consists of at least two courses taught in an elementary school with significant classroom experiences in that school.
ED 306 Children’s Literature
Students gain experience with young children by reading a children’s book to students for one session.
ED 311/316 Language Arts Methods & Materials/Elementary Reading Instruction I
These jointly scheduled courses have their class and field experience in an area elementary school to bring theory and practice together through real experiences teaching language arts. The teachers in these schools have been oriented to the expectations of our program and are cooperating to achieve our objectives. Students prepare and teach lessons in the field placements under the supervision of the classroom teacher and the university professor. Students spend from 25 to 30 hours in the classroom.
ED 312 Science Methods and Materials for Elementary Teachers
All students will have 14 hours of field experience. Ten hours will be in a elementary school classroom and four hours in related science teaching activities, and students with majors or minors in the sciences must complete an additional ten hours in a middle school science classroom. Students plan and teach cooperatively and will participate in teaching and presenting their own lessons. Students meet in an area elementary school for one class meeting and the Seaborg Science classroom for the other class meeting.
ED 318 Elementary Reading Instruction II
This course and its field experience are normally held in an area elementary school. Students work in an elementary classroom individually tutoring one to three children. Literacy assessment guides these tutoring sessions and the lesson plans they develop. The professor and the classroom teacher monitor these teaching activities. Students spend at least ten hours with their students.
ED 361 Special Education and the General Classroom Teacher
Students are required to complete a field experience that will take place over several days for a total of three hours. Students currently enrolled in a methods class where observation is required will be permitted to complete the requirement for ED 361 in the same placement. Students not enrolled in a methods class will be provided a classroom assignment to complete the observation.
In this experience, each student will visit a regular education classroom where students with special needs are placed or a special education classroom. Students will be required to research the modification or strategies they observe and write about the experience.
MA 353 Elementary Mathematics Methods
This class normally meets in an area elementary school. The practicum in this course requires a minimum of ten sessions developing expertise and familiarity with mathematics teaching in K-8 classrooms.
ED 319/349 Teaching of Reading for Secondary Teachers/Teaching for Diversity, Equity and Social Justice in the Secondary School Community
Students meet in and use the classrooms and the learning centers in the area secondary schools as sites to work with students in groups and individually. They spend 20 hours assisting learning and tutoring under the supervision of a teacher.
**350 Specialized Secondary Methods
Students get experience in teaching their major and/or minor with an area teacher in a classroom for 15 hours and are required to teach a lesson that is to be observed and evaluated by the classroom teacher and the university professor. Each specialty methods course will have different requirements for its particular area that will be covered in the course.
Special Education Program Methods
ED 403 Pre-Vocational Training for Students with Disabilities
A study of pre-vocational curriculum within the special education class including the development of pre-vocational/vocational objectives, vocation assessment and potential vocational options. Emphasis is placed on practical applications and programs as well as theoretical concepts. A field experience of 5-7 hours is required.
ED 406 Supervised Apprenticeship in Teaching Students with Cognitive Impairments in K-12 Settings
A four week full-day career related supervised experience. Students are assigned in school-based programs for students with mild or moderate impairments. Provides an opportunity to refine goals and police skills; to translate abstract classroom theory to life application. It is a testing of personal stamina and dedication to working with impaired students.
ED 408 Instruction and Educational Structuring for Students with Emotional Impairments
This is a senior level course for those preparing to teach students with emotional/behavioral impairments. Students will obtain knowledge of teaching strategies, service units and educational assessment unique to the needs of this population. Various roles and strategies used by teachers will be studied as well as prescriptive parent planning.
ED 409 Supervised Apprenticeship with Students with Emotional Impairments
A four week, full day career related, supervised experience. Students are assigned to facilities serving children with emotional impairments. This experience offers the opportunity to observe, to tutor, to assess and to instruct individuals or groups. This is an opportunity for the student to refine goals and to translate theory to life application. This experience will allow students to observe a variety of methods used in classroom instruction for students with emotional impairments.
The final stage before certification, student teaching, emphasizes the processes of becoming a teacher and its purpose is the full assumption of the teacher’s role in a learning community. Here the students assume and carry out effectively all the duties and responsibilities of a teacher for which the earlier field experiences have prepared them. Supervising teachers determine if these competencies are displayed by the education students in field settings to an adequate degree to certify them. The supervising teacher evaluates whether the student teacher demonstrates adequate knowledge of the content they are teaching and satisfactory general knowledge to effectively function and teach. They assess the student teacher’s communication, management, planning, presentation and assessment skills. The duties of professionalism—ethics, attitude, development, service, knowledge and execution of duties, knowledge of the school and its context and human relations—will also be evaluated.
Student teaching is the most important experience in teacher education.
The Student Teaching Program at Northern Michigan University provides an opportunity to develop and evaluate the students’ competence in an actual school setting. Student teaching is intended to bridge theory and practice. The relationship among university supervisor, supervising teacher and student teacher influences the quality of the student teaching experience. The student teachers need competent and concerned supervisors to help them assume the full range of duties of a teacher. The supervising teacher is a vital influence in a student teacher’s professional growth and development.
The major goal of the Student Teaching Program is to provide student teachers a challenging, relevant and rewarding experience, that will allow them to acquire professional competence. This includes the ability to:
Students who are nearing completion of all requirements should plan to attend a student teaching application meeting. They should attend this meeting two semesters in advance of their student teaching on the third Tuesday of October for those planning to student teach the next fall and the third Tuesday of February for those planning to student teach the next winter, from 12:00 to 12:50. Students are required to complete and turn in the Student Teaching Data Card at this meeting or as soon thereafter as possible. They may submit their application for student teaching any time from that date until the second Friday of the next semester.
Materials for the application process will be distributed and reviewed at that orientation meeting (students unable to attend that meeting may pick up materials from the Field Experiences Office, 103 Magers Hall, in the School of Education). All required forms must be turned in to the Field Experiences Office no later than the second Friday of the semester before student teaching. Incomplete and/or inadequately prepared applications will not be accepted.
Students must meet all prerequisites for student teaching, as stated in the Teacher Selection and Retention Standards that apply to them. Copies of these standards are available outside room 105 in Magers Hall. Students who submit the application materials on time will receive priority in placements. Late applications will be processed and assignments made only to the extent that time and openings allow.
Eligibility for Student Teaching
To be eligible for a student teaching placement, a student must meet the following criteria:
Assignments
The Director of Field Experiences is responsible for all student teaching assignments. Although the prospective student teacher may express a preference, the final decision as to geographical area, school system and teacher is made by the Director of Field Experiences in cooperation with area schools.
Elementary, special and secondary education students at Northern Michigan University who have completed all of the prerequisites are assigned to cooperating schools for a full university semester. Various patterns of assignments are possible. Special education students normally do the first eight weeks in their base certification area and the second eight weeks in a special education setting. Other students normally do a full-term assignment, but may apply for a split assignment. In the full term assignment, the student teacher is assigned to one supervising teacher for the entire term. In the split assignment, the student teacher is generally assigned eight weeks of the term with one teacher and the following eight weeks with another. They may split among different teachers for part of the day throughout the semester.
The advantages of a full term assignment are that a student teacher gets to develop a long term and in-depth experience with a teacher and a group of students. The advantages of a split assignment are that the student teacher gets to have a broader experience with different teachers, grade levels, subjects and/or settings. Having a breadth of experience may be useful in determining what your abilities and interests are.
Students in secondary education programs of K-12 programs will first be interviewed by the university supervisor for their major. That supervisor will make recommendations for placement to the Field Experience Office. Secondary education students are assigned in the area of their majors in the middle and/or high school level and, if practical, in the area of their minors. Physical education, art and music majors obtain a K-12 endorsement in their major on a secondary certificate. These students may be assigned to an elementary, middle and/or secondary school.
Additional endorsements to existing teaching certificates may be sought by some post-degree students and require a minimum of eight weeks of student teaching.
Students are assigned to selected schools in the Upper Peninsula and Northeastern Wisconsin. Placements are made in centers that are currently open. Students are not allowed to student teach at a school they attended or with which they or a close relative have been affiliated.
Paid internships of $4,500 or more in selected Wisconsin schools are available. Interns assume no more than 50% of a workload for a full time teacher in the district while they are responsible for their own class. Interested students should contact the Director or http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/tel/ for more information.
There are limited opportunities for students to complete their student teaching assignments overseas or in culturally diverse schools. Interested students should inquire at the Field Experience Office and the International Affairs Office. Requests for assignments in areas other than the designated student teaching centers should be made in writing to the Director of Field Experiences. Financial considerations are not adequate justification for a student to complete an assignment outside the designated areas.
A student may be allowed to student teach through another university under the following considerations:
A student with a student teaching assignment outside the designated centers will be required to pay additional costs for supervision.
Only teachers whom the school has recommended and who meet Northern’s criteria will be considered for supervising student teachers. Teachers must first voluntarily decide if they are willing to work with student teachers. They should interview the prospective student teachers and have them spend some time in their classroom before student teaching to help insure a successful student teaching experience.
Liability Insurance
Northern Michigan University’s legal liability insurance includes coverage for our students when performing services under the direction of the University when engaged in approved academic programs. This includes legal liability coverage for student teachers and their actions while placed in a student teaching situation. This coverage does not include activities outside of student teaching.
Employment
Students are to free themselves of campus and work responsibilities during the week while student teaching to allow for a full-time commitment to teaching. Student teachers may work Friday evening (6:00 p.m.) to Sunday evening (6:00 p.m.). However, student teachers may be asked to terminate work should the activities interfere with their performance in school. Students may be involved in activities that are commonly done by teachers such as coaching and tutoring.
Additional Coursework
Students are encouraged to enroll in ED 222 Classroom Management or ED 223 Multicultural Education during student teaching. These classes are scheduled the morning of seminars and are valuable resources to the student teacher. Other than these two classes, additional coursework is discouraged, but students meeting several criteria may request an exception to this policy.
The Calendar
During student teaching all students are expected to begin with and adhere to the school calendar in the school district to which they are assigned. Vacations are scheduled according to the school district calendar. The final date of student teaching is generally the Wednesday before the end of Northern’s semester.
Attendance
Student teachers are expected to be in attendance every day for a full day. Daily arrival and departure times will follow the daily schedule of the supervising teacher. Only two absences, whether for illness or personal reasons, are allowed. All other absences must be made up. Absences for personal business are discouraged. Students are expected to have affairs in order before student teaching begins. Student teachers are allowed two additional days for absences for teaching job interviews, if needed, and approved by the supervising teacher.
Seminar Attendance
Student teachers are required to attend all seminars which are generally held 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on four Fridays during the student teaching semester. Seminars will include topics such as human relations, classroom management and organization, effective planning and teaching, placement, employment and certification, as well as other topics that address the needs and concerns of student teachers. Seminar dates are listed on the calendar of when reports are due and in the schedule of classes. Students enrolled in ED 222 Classroom Management or ED 223 Multicultural Education will generally have classes from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on those same Fridays. Student teachers are excused from their classroom duties to attend these classes.
Problems
Students who enroll in student teaching make a commitment to the goals, responsibilities and expectations outlined in this Guide. The following procedure should be used when a student teacher has difficulty fulfilling these responsibilities:
Moral Turpitude
Moral turpitude as a ground for academic dismissal from the Professional Teacher Education Program means any intentional act prohibited by statute that has the effect of contributing to the delinquency of a minor; which constitutes child abuse or which otherwise involves a minor; which constitutes or involves a form of sexual conduct described or defined by statute; which involves trafficking in drugs or controlled substances; which involves pornographic materials; which involves wrongful entry, larceny, embezzlement or receiving stolen property; which involves perjury, bribery, graft, forgery, counterfeiting or smuggling; or which involves fraud, deceit or intentional dishonesty for purposes of personal gain.
Use of Student Teachers as Substitutes
NMU allows student teachers to substitute teach as part of their student teaching experience according to the following criteria/guidelines:
The Teacher Education Advisory Council (TEAC) sponsors programs for supervisors of student teachers that require their absence from the classroom. Student teachers may be left in charge of their classroom without a substitute teacher on these days. Other cases should be cleared with the Director of Field Experiences.
NOTE: Michigan requires fingerprint clearance for employment as a substitute teacher and certified teacher. Fingerprinting is available at NMU through Public Safety. It takes approximately three months for Federal and State clearance. Students wishing to have clearance should begin the process accordingly. Most schools have their requirements that must be met before a student teacher is eligible to substitute teach. It is the student’s responsibility to meet all requirements.
The evaluation of the student teacher is the primary responsibility of the supervising teacher. Supervising teachers are encouraged to help the student teachers evaluate themselves through such techniques as conferencing and videotaping. Supervising teachers electronically submit three evaluation reports as described in this section and can be found at the following Northern Michigan University School of Education website: http://www.nmu.edu/education/student-teaching.htm (See Appendix). If reports cannot be electronically submitted, student teachers may hand carry the reports to the seminar. Submission dates are specified on the student teaching calendar sent to supervising teachers. It is the responsibility of the supervising teacher and university supervisor to ensure that the student teacher receives timely and continuous feedback on his or her performance. The student recommended for certification must possess the skills and maturity to be a successful teacher.
Student teacher evaluation forms provide the supervisor with opportunities to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a student teacher. These reports profile the student’s competency in subject matter, instruction, assessment and professionalism. Letter grades are not used for evaluating a student teacher's performance as they inhibit the development of a counselor-learner relationship between the supervising teacher and a student teacher.
Student teachers will receive one of the following grades:
S ( satisfactory with certification)
P ( pass grade for credit but no certification)
U ( unsatisfactory, no credit or certification)
Supervising teachers are to check the appropriate level on the final evaluation.
The Michigan Department of Education requires all teacher preparation institutions to use the state approved criteria for assessment of entry-level pedagogical skills for each student teacher.
NOTE: A Final Evaluation rating of a P will result in an S grade; a rating of an I will result in a P grade and a rating of a B will result in a U grade.
The evaluation criteria below include the numbers and letters of the standards and proficiencies in parentheses from the Criteria for an Assessment of Pedagogy based on the State Board of Education Entry Level Standards for Michigan Teachers. See Appendix.
The student teaching evaluation forms are based upon the duties of a teacher: knowledge base, instructional competence, assessment competence and professionalism. Supervising teachers must determine whether these competencies are demonstrated by the student teacher to an adequate degree and then support their assessments. The duties listed on the evaluation of student teacher forms are described below and should be referred to in assessing the student teacher’s level of proficiency.
The supervising teachers will check Proficient, Improving, Basic or No Comment/Not Observed for each of the following bulleted categories:
Knowledge Base
All preservice teachers must demonstrate a satisfactory level of competence in their subject matter and general knowledge through required courses and standardized tests before they are allowed to student teach. University students who do not meet minimal standards set by the University on general and specific content area tests and in performance in college courses are not admitted into teacher education or are not allowed to continue. The supervising teacher should evaluate whether the student can apply this knowledge effectively in a teaching situation and can meet the following criteria.
*See the Appendix to find these Standards and Proficiencies from the Criteria for Assessment of Pedagogy.
Instructional Competence
Preservice teachers must not only have adequate knowledge, they must also be able to teach. The university evaluates these skills through testing, coursework and field experiences. Students unable to demonstrate adequate communication skills, as measured through standardized tests and required coursework, are not permitted to progress through the teacher education program. Through pre-student teaching field experiences, students' management skills are only superficially explored. Student teaching is the primary source of data for these skills. Lesson/unit planning and presentation, including the use of materials and technology, are taught and initially evaluated in the methods classes at the university.
Preservice teachers are taught about assessment but have little practical knowledge before student teaching. Assessing, grading and reporting are essential elements in teaching introduced in education classes and concurrent field experiences. Accurate self-evaluation of teaching and curricula are encouraged throughout the program.
Professionalism
The preservice education program tries to select students who have the attributes needed in a professional educator and to develop these attributes through the experiences required of these students and the expectations held for them.
Understands and respects varying points of view and the influence of one’s own on others (1g).
All reports are to be submitted electronically and may be obtained from the following website http://www.nmu.edu/education/student-teaching.htm All students are expected to successfully teach one full day before the first progress report, one week before the mid-term report and two additional weeks before the final report. Failure to meet these requirements indicates a weakness in the student teacher’s progress.
The First Progress Report
The First Progress Report is due the fourth Friday of student teaching according to the Student Teaching Calendar. This report is an assessment of the student teacher's baseline performance and conveys important information about the student's competencies to the university supervisor and the Director of Field Experiences. The supervising teachers should indicate any initial concerns they may have on this form. The students teacher should have taught one full day before sending in this report.
The Mid-Term and Final Evaluation
The Mid-Term Evaluation is submitted halfway through the semester and the Final Evaluation is due the last Friday of student teaching. Students may obtain hard copies of these evaluation forms with the Director’s signature from our office for their credential files. The supervising teacher is to make additional comments to extend or substantiate the profile. Opportunities to email copies of these reports to yourself, your student teacher and the university or classroom supervisor are given at the end of the form. For student teachers doing a split assignment, the second supervising teacher should be given a copy of the Mid-Term Evaluation.
The University Supervisor’s Report
The University Supervisor's Report uses the same categories as the evaluation forms used by the supervising teacher in the first progress report. The university supervisor should make at least one visitation each calendar month of student teaching. The university supervisor completes a report and shares his/her observations with the student teacher and supervising teacher following each observation. University supervisors are encouraged to help student teachers evaluate themselves through such techniques as conferencing, surveying and videotaping. The university supervisor should consult with the supervising teacher concerning the student teacher's progress during each visit and, if needed, between visits. The University Supervisor also completes a final evaluation of the student teacher.
The following list of responsibilities for the student teacher will help ensure a rewarding student teaching experience:
The following list of responsibilities will assist the principal in helping the student teacher become a member of the school community:
The following list of responsibilities will assist the school coordinator to locate placements in the school building for student teachers and help the program to run smoothly:
The following list of responsibilities will guide the university supervisor in assisting the professional relationship between the student teacher and the school community:
The following list of responsibilities will assist the director to uphold a high quality program that fosters the growth and professional development of all individuals concerned:
Plan an orientation to discuss student teaching roles and responsibilities for prospective student teachers.
Each supervising teacher must decide how quickly the student teacher should begin teaching. The supervising teacher may want to consult with the university supervisor in determining how quickly the student teacher should assume his or her duties. Factors such as the knowledge, ability and maturity of the student teacher and the temperament of the class will affect this decision.
The student teacher's adjustment to the classroom and assumption of the teaching load will depend upon the individual student, the situation and the supervising teacher. The following list identifies activities, which can assist in the adjustment to the classroom and the assumption of the teaching load.
Orientation to Total School System
Orientation to Building
Classroom-Related Experiences
Co-curricular Experiences
Proposed Sequencing for Student Teaching
All student teachers will have had classroom experiences as part of their teacher education preparation before they student teach and should be able to take over responsibilities quickly and effectively. Student teachers should gradually assume all duties of the teacher. It is recommended that the students have an opportunity to gradually give up their duties as they end their student teaching. It is important that the student teacher be left alone in the classroom. The supervising teacher can use this time for professional development and service. Below are some suggestions for sequencing the student teaching experience.
Semester before student teaching
First day of student teaching
First week of student teaching
Weeks 2-6
Weeks 6-8
Weeks 8-12
Weeks 12-16
Strategy List
The following strategies will assist the supervising teacher and the student teacher in addressing three typically challenging areas:
Providing for Initial Success
Giving Feedback: Evaluating Student Teaching Performance
Directing the Development of Classroom Management Skills
Beginning of Class Activities
Daily Objectives
Directions
Expectations
Discussion/Presentation
Pacing
Sequencing
Motivation
Classroom Management of Media and Materials
Media in the Classroom
Student Behaviors
Teacher’s Response to Student Behaviors (Discipline)
Non-Verbal Communication
Grading Policy
Ending of Class Activities (Closure)