Teacher Education Field Experience

At St. Thomas Aquinas College, field experiences emanate from course requirements in the form of specific assignments that are designed by professors to coincide with the course content and outcomes. Assignments are sequential in difficulty. In 200 level courses, field assignments primarily involve relating observations to course content. As candidates move into the 300 level methodology courses, assignments involve active participation in classroom activities. By 400 level courses, candidates are expected plan and implement instructional activities and engage in reflection that demonstrates the ability to learn from professional practice.

Candidates complete a Field Experiences Placement Application using the designated computer in the Marie Enda Kennedy Education Resource Center (ERC) and the Director of Clinical Experiences assists them in arranging field placements. The student population in all field-based placements and the student teaching placement must match the specified field and level of the certification for which the candidate is preparing to work:

Childhood Education - placements with students in grades 1-6
Childhood and Special Education Grades 1-6 - placements with students with disabilities who can access the regular education curriculum
Adolescence Education Grades 7-12 - placements with students receiving instruction in the candidate's major (i.e., English, math, science, social science, or Spanish).
Art Education - placements in art classrooms with students in grades K -1 2.

Classroom teachers work with candidates during their field-based experiences prior to student teaching and serve as mentors and models of professional practice. They are certified teachers whose credential matches the credential for which the candidate is preparing. During the second semester of junior year, field classroom teachers evaluate candidates' performance by completing a candidate evaluation form. It is the candidate's responsibility to give the evaluation form to the field classroom teacher and return the completed form in a sealed, signed envelope to the Teacher Education Office. Candidates may obtain a copy of the Candidate Evaluation: Field Experience form and a return envelope in the Marie Enda Kennedy Educational Resource Center. Evaluations are discussed with candidates when they meet with Director of Clinical Experiences for an interview when they apply for admission to student teaching.

Field experiences are recorded on the "Log of Field Experience Visits" by candidates, verified by the field classroom teacher, and submitted to the teacher education office. Log forms may be obtained in the Marie Enda Kennedy Education Resource Center (ERC).

For candidates seeking Childhood Education Grades 1-6, Adolescence Education Grades 7-12 certification or Visual Arts Education K-12 certification, field experiences are generally spread across three semesters of course work and occupy a minimum of thirty-four hours per semester. Candidates in these programs must complete 100 hours of field experiences prior to student teaching.

For candidates seeking certification in both Childhood Education Grades 1-6 and Special Education Grades 1-6, field experiences are generally spread across four semesters and occupy a minimum of thirty-eight hours per semester. Candidates in this program must complete 150 hours of field experiences prior to student teaching.

Over the course of the candidate's studies, the student populations in the field-based placements must be representative of students from diverse backgrounds (e.g., cultural, socioeconomic, linguistic, urban, suburban). Therefore, candidates are required to complete at least one semester of field experiences in a school serving students from diverse backgrounds. Candidates should select schools from the list of approved placements available in the Marie Enda Kennedy Education Resource Center.

Professional development is defined by the faculty of the Division of Teacher Education as professionally related opportunities that are exclusive of field experiences. These opportunities include interviews with teachers, attendance at school board meetings, professional seminars and workshops, community and parent outreach and active involvement in professional organizations. Candidates are responsible for making arrangements for professional development experiences.

Candidates are expected to attend a minimum of five such experiences over the three to four semesters of professional course work. Candidates should participate in a variety of opportunities. Time spent in professional development opportunities is documented by the candidate and submitted to the teacher education office. (See Chapter X of this manual.)