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PHASE III / STUDENT TEACHING INFORMATION
STUDENT TEACHING Information:
- K-12 Health Education & Physical Education (ED 429),
- K-12 Music Education (ED 429),
- Integrated Business (ED 429),
- Marketing (ED 429),
- Intervention Specialist (EDS 661), and
- anyone currently certified or licensed adding an additional licensure or endorsement - including TESL (ED 458 or ED 658).
Be aware that Teacher Candidates who are unsuccessful in their first attempt at Student Teaching are offered a second attempt if the WSU student / Teacher Candidate chooses. If after the second attempt the WSU Student / Teacher Candidate continues to be unsuccessful in Student Teaching, the WSU Student / Teacher Candidate will be recommended to pursue graduation without licensure.
At the time you apply on-line for your Student Teaching practicum, you are required to bring in or email to the Office of Professional Field Experiences, in preparation of securing your Student Teaching internship practicum assignment...
- a one-page resume and
- a one-page auto-biographical sketch.
Feel free to email your resume & auto-biographical sketch to the email address link on this web site. Resumes should be professional. Always include an objective statement, one that reflects a career in education. Include both educational information as well as information on previous employers. Also include the school sites you have observed and/or participated in throughout your program here at WSU. Remember to list experiences in descending chronological order (most recent first).
Your auto-biographical sketch should include such things as family background, hobbies, talents or skills which may be an asset in student teaching, extracurricular activities in high school and/or college, travel, reasons for choosing teaching as a profession, experiences with children, etc. Samples of resumes and auto-biographical sketches are available in the Educational Resource Center, first floor of Allyn Hall, on reserve under Dr. Donna Cole.
Both the resume and auto-biographical sketch should be consistent in format, free of errors, informative and concise. This information will be sent directly to the school district. Remember that these will be read by superintendents, principals and co-operating teachers who will notice any mistakes in grammar, spelling, content and punctuation. Please check them over carefully before you turn them in. These are part of your Student Teaching/Phase III application and your assignment cannot be made without them. These are proof-read; if errors are found or recommendations for improvement are noticed, you will be contacted in order to make adjustments. Be sure to bring them to the Office of Professional Field Experiences in conjunction with filling out your Phase III application.
** If we have not received your resume and biographical sketch, we will assume you are not going to complete this Student Teaching practicum assignment.
ADDITIONAL LICENSURE/ ENDORSEMENT:
Teacher Candidates pursuing an additional field of licensure or endorsement to their current teaching credential are required to complete a minimum of 6 weeks lead teaching / student teaching practicum experience to document competency in this new licensure area and/or age population. Please inform the Office of Professional Field Experiences if you have a preference to which portion of the term you would prefer your assignment taking place. If we do not hear from you, we will process this to occur the first half of the quarter.
TESOL students are required to complete 80 hours of in-classroom experience - this specific schedule is arranged between the TESOL Teacher Candidate and their assigned Cooperating Teacher.
FINGERPRINTING INFORMATION:
The Office of Professional Field Experiences requires that all individuals who are participating in field experiences have current background checks - local through BCII (Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation) and FBI, on file prior to attending any field practicum assignment locations. BCII results remain current for only twelve months. It is your responsibility to make sure that your background-check results stay updated. This electronic process is available in the Educational Resource Center, 1st floor of Allyn Hall.
SPLIT PLACEMENT
A split placement is one that is divided between two age groups and/or subject areas, working with two Cooperating Teachers. For example, Health Education & Physical Education students have 2 subject concentration areas and may require student teaching assignment with two teachers that cover each subject. K-12 licensure areas are required to do a split placement in elementary and secondary levels, though a Junior High or Middle School setting can count for both.
STUDENT TEACHING APPROVAL STATUS
Before your placement can be made we must verify that you are eligible for Student Teaching. You are encouraged to meet with a Licensure Advisor (early) so that you are aware of the pre-requisites and other requirements in order to be approved for student teaching. A postcard will be mailed to you from your Licensure Advisor informing you if you are academically approved for placement and what classes you have permission to register for during Student Teaching. If you are not approved for student teaching and are unable to resolve issues prior to the term, we ask that you notify the Office of Professional Field Experiences in writing (send us an email).
The Office of Professional Field Experiences will coordinate your Student Teaching assignments with upon the direction of the Director of the Office of Professional Field Experiences. You do NOT get to choose the location of your placement for Phase III (Student Teaching). Students are NOT to make their own arrangements. The Office of Professional Field Experiences will communicate requests to school sites for confirmation of Student Teaching placements.
Q. What if a teacher has invited me back to their classroom for Student Teaching, or requests that I be permitted to stay?
A. Requests are only taken into consideration if made well in advance and in writing (signed by the building Principal and Cooperating Teacher), along with a specific circumstance request form completed by you - the WSU Teacher Candidate. If the Cooperating Teacher from a previous practicum assignment is interested in you staying or returning to student teach, this same process would apply (letter from the building Principal and Cooperating Teacher, and specific circumstance request form completed by the WSU Teacher Candidate). You cannot go out and solicit such a letter. These requests must be received no later than 5th week of the term immediately preceding the effected term's practicum assignment.
When a school district has verified your placement, your student teaching assignment will be posted on TK20 (you must be registered for this student teaching practicum). Upon receiving your student teaching assignment, you are to contact your assigned Cooperating Teacher immediately. Your placement will not be complete until you have made personal contact.
STUDENT TEACHING REGISTRATION:
Teacher Candidates required to student teach during a full term will be registering for 10-12 practicum credit hours. Those adding a teaching field to their current teaching certificate or licensure are required to student teach for a minimum of 6 weeks and will register for 5-6 practicum credit hours. Student Teaching approval will be determined by your Licensure Advisor (Office of Student Services, 378 Allyn Hall), in which a postcard will be mailed to notify you of this approval including information on specifically what to register for.
Seminar is included with your Student Teaching registration, where you are required to meet with your program representative and discuss different topics of importance. Seminar times usually take place in the afternoons, every other week. Make contact with your program advisor or program representative to discuss details of seminar.
STUDENT TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS: Your practicum site is arranged according to the information provided on your on-line application according to your planned registration for that term. If you have an unresolved issue with the Registrar's office, Bursar's office, Financial Aid, or any other office that is preventing you from registering - please notify our office; we are willing to work with you on this.
Arranged practicum assignment information will be posted on TK20 - though you must be registered in order for this to happen, and your registration uploaded to TK20. It is your responsibility to make contact with your assigned Cooperating Teacher before the start of the term to discuss your Student Teaching schedule. CALL THE SCHOOL IMMEDIATELY! NEVER WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE! Under no circumstances should you "just show up" without calling your assigned teacher first. Our office has no control over when assignments will be confirmed; this depends on when we hear from our districts or school sites. Placements may come in early, but do not expect them until at least the week before the term starts.
Paperwork and forms that pertain to documenting your practicum experience will also be available to you via TK20. Please download any necessary paperwork and forms for yourself, and deliver items accordingly to your assigned Cooperating Teacher.
STUDENT TEACHING ORIENTATION:
The purpose of the Student Teaching Orientation is to provide you with an overview of Student Teaching and to give you an opportunity to meet and talk with your University Supervisor and possibly your Cooperating Teacher. TESOL students are exempt from attending orientation - all other Teacher Candidates are required to attend.
Student attendance at this orientation is mandatory. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL FIELD EXPERIENCES IF YOU MISS OR CANNOT ATTEND THIS ORIENTATION (775-2107).
If by some reason an emergency should arise and you are unable to attend the orientation, a video will be available for you to view BEFORE starting your Student Teaching assignment. Be informed that you must provide written documentation if you find that you are unable to attend the orientation (doctors note, obituary notice, etc.). You will not be covered under WSU's liability insurance unless you have attended orientation or watched the video.
NOTE: WSU insurance covers liability only. Before you start Student Teaching, check and make sure your health insurance will cover any accidents that might occur in the classroom while you are Student Teaching.
DATES / TIME FRAMES
Phase III / Student Teaching, attendance is required all day, every day.
Effective fall term 2008 the Ohio Department of Education is enforcing new requirements that a minimum of 12 weeks of documented Student Teaching must occur. This will have a major impact on Student Teaching during winter and spring terms, attending assignments for 3 weeks in December. Specific details of attendance requirements will be addressed at your orientation. Anticipated timeframe for student teaching are as follows...
- fall 2008: Starts with your assigned district's teachers' first day of school (approximately August 18th, 2008 - possibly sooner), through Friday, November 21, 2008. End date may need to be extended depending on your assigned district's first day of school.
- winter 2009: Starts December 1, 2008 through Friday, March 20, 2009.
- spring 2009: Starts with a pre-student teaching experience December 1 through December 19, 2008, and will resume March 23, 2009 and end with your assigned district's teachers' last day of school (approximately Friday, June 6, 2009). Specific details of attendance requirements will be addressed at your orientation.
ADDITIONAL TEACHING CREDENTIALS (ED 458 / ED 658): Teacher Candidates adding an additional teaching field or endorsement to their existing certification or licensure are required to student teach in this new area for a minimum of 6 weeks. This will be arranged with a school site to occur during the first portion of the requested term, unless an alternate timeframe during the term is requested by you.
ATTENDANCE: You must be available to attend your student teaching practicum all day, every day, during the entire designated timeframe of student teaching, adhering to your teachers' contractual arrival and departure time in the school to which you are assigned.
For holidays and days off you will follow your assigned school's schedule - not WSU's. You are responsible for all duties involved with teaching, including planning, research, assessment, clerical tasks and special duties (e.g. lunch room, bus duty, etc.) that would be expected of your Cooperating Teacher.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Copies of your final Student Teaching assessment will be available to you once it is saved on TK20 via your University Supervisor, along with letters of performance from your Cooperating Teacher and Supervisor.
Career Services (334 Student Union, 775-2556) can assist in securing employment after you have completed your program. Contact them for information.
If something would arise that would keep you from your scheduled observations (ie. illness) you must make the following three calls to notify of your absence.
- Contact your Cooperating Teacher - do this as early as possible.
- Your assigned University Supervisor (contact information is available from our office - feel free to call - or with your assignment information on TK20).
- The Office of Professional Field Experiences (775-2107) - leave a message on our voice mail if calling after hours.
Always call your school/Cooperating Teacher if you must miss any part of your scheduled day or if you will be tardy. Advance notice prior to the day of your placement is, by far, the most appropriate notification of anticipated absence. You must also call the Office of Professional Field Experiences at 775-2107 if you miss a day or change your hours any day.
FINGERPRINTING INFORMATION:
The Office of Professional Field Experiences requires that all individuals who are participating in field experiences have a current background check on file prior to attending any field practicum assignment locations - both local BCII and FBI background checks. BCII results remain current for only twelve months. It is your responsibility to make sure that your background check results stay updated.
- You should complete the fingerprint process 6 weeks prior to your Phase III or Student Teaching internship assignment.
- If you have had a background check for your employment at a childcare facility, etc., this result is acceptable, but be prepared to provide a copy of this result to the Office of Professional Field Experiences. Your background check must be current when you apply for your teaching license after Student Teaching. Because of this, it is very important that you be cognizant of the expiration date of your background check.
- Visit the Educational Resource Center (ERC) located in 112 Allyn Hall, and inquire about their electronic fingerprinting process. The ERC results are assured to reach OPFE AND the Ohio Department of Education. You are encouraged to request a copy for your own records as well.
- The State Department of Teacher Education requires both local BCII and Federal FBI background checks. There is an additional charge for the FBI background check process. Make this request while at the ERC.
PAPERWORK / GRADES: As you complete your student teaching practicum experience, be sure that monthly attendance calendars are saved correctly within the artifact on TK20, AND attached to the appropriate electronic Field Experience Binder (on Tk20). Calendars should be completed by the first week of the month for the previous month's attendance. During student teaching, your Cooperating Teacher will need to document your growth during lead teaching via Practicum Assessments (two of these assessments during student teaching), saved on TK20. A Mid-Term and Final Assessment will also help to verify your grade for student teaching - saved on TK20 by your Supervisor, after discussion of the criteria with you and your Cooperating Teacher.
CONCERN CONFERENCE/EDUCATIONAL PLAN:
A Concern Conference (EDUCATIONAL PLAN) is a meeting scheduled to discuss specific concerns during your program in an effort to develop objectives that will help to facilitate resolution of these issues. During any portion of your program, you (the student) have the right to request that a Concern Conference be held. We suggest that you document your concerns in writing prior to the conference taking place. Also, if there appears to be a concern with adhering to protocol, or an issue with your performance in your assigned field practicum the Office of Professional Field Experiences has the right to call for scheduling of a Concern Conference in an effort to resolve these issues to facilitate successful completion of your program. If students fail to meet or resolve any stated objectives, this can result in not being approved for Student Teaching or Graduation.
REMEMBER ...
- Check your WSU e-mail account often for frequent communication regarding information that may be sent to you by your Program Advisor or the Office of Professional Field Experiences.
- You must register for education practicum courses under the appropriate section for your specific major.
- Download practicum paperwork and information from TK20 for each practicum registration and assignment.
All of us in the College of Education and Human Services wish you well in your Phase III (Student Teaching) experience. Please continue to work with us to make this a meaningful experience for you.
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