Field Experience Handbook 2020 - 2021 A Guide for Teacher Candidates, USI Instructors, Principals, Mentor Teachers, and Site Coordinators
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Teacher Education Department
Field Experience
Handbook
2020 – 2021
A Guide for Teacher Candidates,
USI Instructors, Principals,
Mentor Teachers, and Site Coordinators
University of Southern Indiana
Department of Teacher Education
8600 University Boulevard
Evansville, IN 47712
(812) 465-7024
www.usi.edu/science/teacher-educationTABLE OF CONTENTS
WELCOME LETTER………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…2
ATTENDANCE.……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Absences.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Arrival and Departure.………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Calendar……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Inclement Weather…………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Time Sheets………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Virtual Field Experiences…………………………………………………………………………………………..4
DOCUMENTS………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
ACCIDENT/INJURIES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
PROFESSIONALIM………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Dress Code……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Cell Phones…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6
Email…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....6
Etiquette………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Gum………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Social Media………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT………………………………………………………………………………………….6
PROFESSIONAL DISPOSITIONS……………………………………………………………………………………………7
END OF TERM PROCEDURES……………………………………………………………………………………………….8
APPENDIX….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....9
TEACHER CANDIDATE SIGNATURE PAGE………………………………………………………………………….40
1Teacher Education Department
Dear Teacher Candidates,
“In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn.”
Phil Collins
Field experiences provide robust opportunities to develop practitioners through expertly mentored
experiences in the field and through pedagogically designed practical experiences. This clinically
based approach gives teacher candidates the opportunity to integrate theory into practice, to develop
and test classroom management and pedagogical skills, to hone their use of evidence in making
professional decisions about practice, and to understand and integrate the standards of their
professional community.
Field experiences are an important time in the development of a teacher candidate. Teacher
candidates must abide by all policies and procedures outlined for faculty and staff and must be
mindful that they are guests in the school. Teacher candidates should consider it a privilege to be a
part of the education of a student.
Field experiences can be rewarding, challenging, and overwhelming – all at the same time. The Field
Experiences are divided into three different phases:
Exploration Phase: In the Exploration Phase teacher candidates observe, work one-on-one with
individual students, and/or explore the diverse ways in which individual students learn.
Analysis Phase: In the Analysis Phase teacher candidates are assigned to a local school where they
will work with designated teachers in a whole group, small group, or one-on-one setting. USI faculty
members are available or on site to oversee and support the teacher candidates while giving formative
guidance.
Synthesis Phase: In the Synthesis Phase teacher candidates are assigned to a 16 week placement in
an elementary, middle, or high school setting. Using the co-teaching model teacher candidates will be
fully immersed in the daily work of teaching. Candidates will participate in planning curriculum,
delivering instruction, managing the classroom, assessing student learning and reflecting on their
daily experiences.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Joyce Rietman Dr. Sarah Wannemuehler
Director of Advanced Clinical Experience Director of Early Field Experience
and Co-Teaching
jrietman@usi.edu scwannemue@usi.edu
812-228-5084 812-228-5047
2ATTENDANCE
Absences
Attendance for field experiences is mandatory. If an emergency prevents a teacher
candidate from being present for his/her field experience, the instructor, site
coordinator/principal, and teacher must be contacted as soon as possible. This
communication should occur prior to the time that a teacher candidate is scheduled to
arrive at the site/school.
How sick is too sick to go to a field experience? Candidates must follow the health
guidelines established for K-12 students and faculty. Candidates must stay away from
school if they are suffering from vomiting, diarrhea, fever over 100 degrees, unexplained
rashes, chicken pox, pink eye, impetigo, scabies, ringworm, or any type of contagious
disease including Covid-19.
Arrival and Departure
Teacher candidates are required to be at the school/site as directed by the instructor
and/or site coordinator. However, they are encouraged to arrive early to ensure that they
are punctual. Teacher candidates are expected to remain at the site for the expected time
period.
Schedule
Field experiences should be distributed throughout the semester. Teacher candidates
should refer to the course syllabus for the frequency and duration of field experiences.
Children of Teacher Candidates
Children of teacher candidates may NOT accompany their parents to a field experience site
or school. This practice is strictly prohibited by the University of Southern Indiana Teacher
Education Department.
Calendar
Teacher candidates will follow the USI calendar for holidays and breaks. Check the
school/district calendar for days that schools/sites are not in session due to district or
school calendars. Classes may meet on the USI campus when schools/sites are closed.
Instructors will provide information for individual course schedules.
Inclement Weather
Days when school is closed due to inclement weather do not count against the teacher
candidate. Teacher candidates must attend make-up days or make-up times that are
scheduled during the semester.
Time Sheets
Teacher candidates in the Exploration Phase must keep an accurate record of days and
hours on the official bright green USI Time Sheet. The original USI Time Sheet is
distributed to teacher candidates at the beginning of the semester and is the one that
3should be submitted. Teacher candidates should make sure that this Time Sheet is
protected from spills, water, food, weather, etc. throughout the semester.
The Time Sheet is signed by the teacher candidate, the site coordinator or the mentor
teacher, and the university instructor. The Time Sheet should be signed by the site
coordinator or the mentor teacher at the conclusion of each session. Initials are not
sufficient. An actual signature is required. The signed Time Sheet will be collected by the
university instructor and filed in the teacher candidate’s official file in the Teacher
Education Department Office.
Virtual Field Experiences
If the field experience associated with a course is completed virtually, the teacher
candidate will be expected to fulfill all the field experience requirements in order to
successfully complete the course. Specific instructions will be provided by the course
instructor and/or the course syllabus.
DOCUMENTS
A list of documents required before a teacher candidate begins a field experience in any
stage (Exploration, Analysis, or Synthesis) is listed in the Appendix section of the Field
Experience Handbook. The list is also posted on the Teacher Education website.
Background Checks/Screening
A second background check will be required prior to student teaching for any teacher
candidate who has had a change in his/her background history since the initial background
check was completed.
*Background Checks completed through Castle Branch® are valid for five years.
*Fingerprinting should be completed for any teacher candidate who will spend more than 7
½ hours in one month at a designated site. (Early Childhood)
ACCIDENT/INJURIES
USI teacher candidates who are involved in an accident or who sustain an injury at a school
or site, should report the incident to the school principal and to a director in the USI Field
Experience Office. In addition, a report should be made to the USI Office of Risk
Management. Reports should be made within 48 hours of the incident.
PROFESSIONALISM
Dress Code
The Teacher Education Department has a dress code for candidates in field experiences.
Candidates are required to follow this dress code whenever they visit a school for field
placements. Candidates who violate the dress code will be removed from the field placement.
Any time USI teacher candidates are in local schools, they should be viewed as “professionals,”
not as “students.”
4Basic hygiene is assumed. Clothes should be clean, pressed, and fit appropriately. Candidates’
hair and nails should be clean, neat, and appropriately groomed. Hair color should be in natural
colors and not include hair colors that are a distraction to the learning. For example: purple,
green, pink, un-natural red, etc. Hair styles should also not be a distraction to the learning. For
example: sculpted hair, mohawks, etc. Facial hair, if worn, should be clean and neatly trimmed.
Jewelry should be subtle (see below), as should cologne or perfume (Keep in mind that many
students have fragrance allergies).
*School administrators have the final say in the appropriateness of the appearance of a
teacher candidate assigned to his/her school.
Candidates in the exploration, analysis, and synthesis phase courses are required to follow the
USI Teacher Education dress code outlined in detail below. Teacher candidates must present a
professional appearance to future employers, colleagues, parents, and P-12 students.
Name tag – USI Photo Name Badge available in Eagle Access office for $5
• Must be worn from collar of shirt or on a visible lanyard
• EVSC Policy- Photo ID is required when signing in at all schools.
• Students should not wear a USI Student ID badge that displays the student identification
number.
Masks/Face Shields
• If protective masks/face shields are recommended by the state or local officials, students
will be expected to wear a mask while at school. Masks/face shields must not contain
any offensive messages, fabrics, or be distracting to the learning environment.
Shirts and Blouses
• No athletic type t-shirts or sweatshirts (with or without hoods)
• Shirts or sweaters must fit appropriately and not be too tight, too short, etc.
Shoes
• Must be clean and appropriate for school environment
• Flip flops or sandals without a back strap not permitted.
• Tennis shoes or athletic shoes are not allowed
Trousers, slacks, longer skirts, or capri pants (No shorts)
• Must be knee-length
• Must not be denim
• Must not be “cargo” pants with multiple pockets on the legs
• Must not be torn, faded, wrinkled, too baggy, or too tight
• Leggings/Jeggings must be worn with a tunic-type top
• No flannel/pajama style pants
• Shorts are not allowed.
In addition to the dress code stated above, these guidelines must be followed:
• No visible tattoos
• No low cut or revealing clothing (midriff and cleavage must not show)
5• No visible piercings other than subtle earrings in the ears – this includes septum nose
rings, eyebrow, lip, tongue, or other piercings that would be a distraction to the
learning process.
Teacher Candidates are expected to dress professionally every day. The standards for a
“business casual” wardrobe are a good reference point. An appropriate professional
wardrobe is conservative, not trendy. Teacher candidates must present a professional
appearance to future employers, colleagues, parents, and students.
*Professional appearance is considered a Professional Disposition.
Cell Phones
Cell phones should be in the off or mute position any time that a teacher candidate is involved in
a field experience. If a teacher candidate anticipates an emergency call during the field
experience, he/she should notify the cooperating teacher/site coordinator at the beginning of the
session. At no time when teacher candidates are in the presence of students should they be
involved in texting or talking on a cell phone. Teacher candidates may be required to have and
use cell phones to record teaching and learning segments for supervisory purposes.
Email
Email should never be considered “private.” Teacher candidates should only use a USI email
account (not yahoo®, hotmail®, gmail®, etc.) when communicating with university instructors,
site coordinators/principals, or teachers. At no time should a teacher candidate use his or her
personal email account. Teacher candidates should check their USI email account daily.
This email account is the main source of communication between USI faculty, staff, the Field
Experience Office and the teacher candidates. Not reading email is not an acceptable excuse for
missing deadlines or failing to be aware of expectations, requirements, and critical information.
A teacher candidate’s field experience may be delayed due to failing to check email messages.
Etiquette
Teacher candidates should address mentor teachers, site coordinators, instructors, and professors
by title and not simply by his or her first or last name. For example, Dr. Sheila Smith should not
be addressed as Sheila or Smith. The appropriate salutation would always be Dr. Smith. This
type of etiquette encompasses both face-to-face, written and/or electronic communication.
Gum
Teacher candidates should at no time be chewing gum on school property.
Social Media
While written and oral communication among peers is often casual and informal, it is
imperative for teacher candidates to be mindful of professional expectations in this regard.
Conventional English must be used in all written and oral correspondences with university
instructors, site coordinators/principals, and teachers. Teacher candidates should not
have any personal conversations with students via email, texting, cell phone, social
networks, or other forms of communication. Most schools have policies regarding the use
of email and cell phones by students and school personnel, and teacher candidates must
adhere strictly to these guidelines. Teacher candidates are also reminded that their public
image must be professional. This public representation of oneself includes social networks
6such as Facebook®, Instagram®, Snapchat®, etc. Teacher candidates should not “friend”
students or the parents of students on their social networking sites. This is a breach of
professional boundaries.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teacher candidates are required to attend two professional development events each
semester. Attendance at professional development events are recorded in Tk20. Flyers of
upcoming events are posted on a bulletin board outside ED 3111 on the third floor of the
Education Center. (See the teacher education website for details.) Advisors will check a teacher
candidate’s professional development attendance during the advising session each semester.
PROFESSIONAL DISPOSITIONS
Professional Dispositions are defined as, “The habits of professional action and moral
commitments that underlie an educator’s performance” (InTASC Model Core Teaching
Standards, p. 6). Throughout the educational experience at the University of Southern Indiana,
the teacher candidate should demonstrate growth in academic work and professional
dispositions. Teacher candidates will be rated on the following scale: Strongly Agree, Agree,
Disagree, Strongly Disagree, or Not Observed.
The dispositions will be assessed by instructors or cooperating teachers in the following courses:
Exploration – Instructor & Self-Evaluation Analysis – Instructor
EDUC 242 (Early Childhood) EDUC 354 (Elementary)
EDUC 292 (Elementary, Special Education, P-12) EDUC 355 (Early Childhood)
EDUC 283 (Secondary, Special Education, P-12) EDUC 384 (Secondary, P-12)
EDUC 421 (Special Education)
Professional Dispositions are defined as “The habits of professional action and moral commitments that underlie an educator’s
performance” (InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, p. 6). Please remember that teacher candidates are rated with respect to
their level of acceptable behavior or their deviation from it. A rating of Not Observed would be chosen for a student who has not
had an opportunity to exhibit that behavior. Therefore, no positive or negative rating can be assigned to that disposition.
Strongly Disagree (SD)
Disagree (D)
Agree (A)
Strongly Agree (SA)
Not Observed (N)
The teacher candidate demonstrates a commitment to the teaching profession and adheres to continuous development as
a professional. The teacher candidate:
1. Demonstrates respect for cultural differences and beliefs (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
2. Demonstrates compassion for those experiencing difficulty (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
3. Demonstrates patience during the learning process (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
4. Maintains appropriate confidentiality (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
5. Demonstrates high expectations for self and others (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
6. Demonstrates effective collaboration skills (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
7. Addresses issues of concern professionally (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
78. Demonstrates flexibility during the learning process (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
9. Maintains professional appearance (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
10. Is prepared for class or appointments (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
11. Is punctual for class or appointments (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
12. Seeks help when needed (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
13. Actively seeks out new information and innovative teaching strategies(SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
14. Demonstrates reflective practice in written or verbal form (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
15. Responds positively to constructive criticism (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
16. Demonstrates compliance with laws/regulations/policies/standards (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
17. Demonstrates academic integrity (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
18. Demonstrates effective and timely communication in written or (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
verbal form
19. Demonstrates appropriate use of technology during meetings (SD) (D) (A) (SA) (N)
and/or class
Explanation of dispositions marked “Strongly Disagree” or “Disagree.”
Individual Completing the Form______________________Course _________ Date__________
(Revised May 2018)
END OF TERM PROCEDURES
The teacher candidate will be required to complete the Teacher Candidate Field Experience
Reflection in EDUC 283, EDUC 292, EDUC 354, EDUC 355, EDUC 382, EDUC 384, EDUC 421,
and EDUC 422. In addition, all Time Sheets need to be completed and submitted to the
university instructor. Students will be assessed by the site coordinator or classroom
teachers at the end of the field experience.
8APPENDIX
(The following specific course information is subject to change.)
9FIELD EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION BY PROGRAM
Early Childhood Education – Exploration Phase
EDUC 242 – Growth and Development: Early Childhood
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
10 one-hour observation visits:
1. Observe children regarding their development and learning
2. Conduct multiple tasks to understand developmental theories
3. Collect artifacts that indicate children’s growth and learning
Assignments: Case Study Portfolio
Course Grade: Case Study Portfolio counts for 30% of the course grade
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Provide knowledge and tools to be used in the field experience
2. Provide in class guidance on Case Study
3. Evaluate Case Study Portfolio
4. USI instructor may visit the teacher candidate during the field experience
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Classroom teacher provides space and opportunities for teacher candidates to complete the field
experience
2. Classroom teacher answers questions regarding the general developmental knowledge of the
children in the class
3. Classroom teacher signs the timesheet for each visit
4. Classroom teachers provide consultation and allow teacher candidates to collect artifacts for the
completion of the case study
10EDUC 255 – Growth and Development: Infants and Toddlers
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
10 one-hour observation visits at Milestones Child Development Center, Deaconess
Children’s Enrichment Center, St. Vincent Center for Children and Families, and the
Children’s Learning Center:
1. Observe children regarding their development and learning
2. Collect artifacts that indicate physical and social environment for infant/toddler
Assignments:
1. Observation Logs
2. Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale
Course Grade: Field Experience counts as 56% of the course grade
Role of USI Instructors:
1. Evaluates and provides feedback on assignments
2. USI instructor may visit the teacher candidate during the field experience
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Classroom teacher provides space and opportunities for teacher candidates to
complete the field experience
2. Classroom teacher answers questions regarding general developmental practice in the class
3. Classroom teacher signs the timesheet for each visit
4. Classroom teachers provide consultation and allows teacher candidates to collect artifacts for the
completion of observation logs and the Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale
11EDUC 256 – Guidance of Young Children
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations
5 hours –
1. Teacher candidates visit the site and observe the classroom atmosphere
2. Teacher candidates note an area of focus using a guidance plan
3. Diagram the area, take notes, discuss the concern, and design a plan for improvement
Assignments: Course artifact – guidance plan
Course Grade:
1. Data collected during the field experience is used for the course artifact
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Discusses the observations and plans with the teacher candidates
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. The site coordinator allows observation and collaboration with the teacher candidates
12Early Childhood Education – Analysis Phase
EDUC 344 – Family, Schools and Community Partnerships
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
Hours vary by the experience – Various sites including school and community locations
1. Teacher candidates will assist in facilitating family engagement activities
Assignments: A service-learning project
Course Grade: Field Experiences account for 22% of the course grade
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Evaluate and provide feedback on the assignment
2. USI instructor may visit the teacher candidate during the field experience
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Space and opportunities for teacher candidates to complete the field experience
2. The classroom teacher answers questions regarding issues of family engagement
3. The classroom teachers allow the teacher candidates to collect artifacts for the completion of the
service learning project
13EDUC 355 – Practicum – Early Childhood Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
50 hours – Possible sites include, but are not limited to: Culver Family Learning Center, St.
Vincent Center for Children and Families, Methodist Temple Children’s Center, USI Summer
Enrichment Camp
1. Observe during initial visits
2. Teacher candidates identify a topic in collaboration with the teacher and children
3. Teacher candidates write a letter to parents informing them of the topic
4. Teacher candidates lead small and large group activities
5. Teacher candidates arrange for a field trip, a virtual field trip, or a guest speaker
Assignments:
1. Time sheet
2. Lesson plans
3. Family letter
4. Charts
5. Lists
6. Anticipatory teachers planning web
7. Children’s web
8. Documentation
9. Compilation of resources
10. Final web
Course Grade: The cooperating teacher completes an evaluation form and it along with the required number of hours for
placement determines the course grade.
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Regular visits are made to the site: fall semester – 2x/week, summer semester – daily
2. Takes anecdotal notes and shares these notes with the teacher candidate
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. 1. The site coordinator accepts the placements and asks for cooperating teachers to volunteer to work
2. with a teacher candidate
2. The site coordinator informs the USI instructor of the names of cooperating teachers
3. USI instructor chooses the cooperating teachers and pairs them with the teacher candidate
4. Cooperating teachers are expected to communicate daily with the USI teacher candidate
14EDUC 356 – Teaching Methods in Integrated Content Areas
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (3 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Fingerprinting (more than 7 hrs./mo.)
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Field Experience:
5 Hours
1. Prepare concept explorations and implement one hour of activities with preschool aged children
2. Each teacher candidate is part of a group which will plan and implement one hour of activities.
One teacher candidate will have the opportunity to teach while the other teacher candidates assist
with other activities that they did not plan
Assignment: Teacher candidates implement one lesson plan from their concept exploration (course artifact)
Course Grade:
1. Concept Exploration is 16%
2. Field Experience is 8%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. USI Instructor reviews the lesson plan prior to implementation
2. USI Instructor is present during implementation
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1.
15Early Childhood Education – Synthesis Phase
EDUC 431 – Supervised Teaching in Early Childhood Education
Course requirements prior to student teaching:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Student Teaching Handbook, sign and submit the signature page
Student Teaching: 16 weeks – full-time following the cooperating teacher’s schedule
Assignments:
1. Daily Lesson Plans
2. Weekly Reflections
3. Complete evaluations of the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor
4. Pairs Workshop
5. Weekly Technology Surveys
6. Program Completer Survey
Course Grade:
1. Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U)
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Assigns teacher candidates
2. Provides Co-Teaching® training online or face-to-face
3. Tracks on Tk20 the completion of viewing the Co-Teaching® online training
4. Tracks the weekly Technology Survey
5. Provides orientation for teacher candidates
6. Trains and assigns university supervisors to teacher candidates
7. Reads and records completion of Pairs Workshop activities
8. Records student teaching placements in the Tk20 system
9. Communicates with cooperating teachers regarding access to Tk20
10. Explains to cooperating teachers the process for completing the assessment
11. Assembles assessments into Tk20 binders
12. Verifies that the Tk20 binders are complete at the end of the semester
13. Sends binders to students for access by cooperating teachers and university supervisors
14. Consults at midterm with university supervisors and sets up conferences for students who receive
unsatisfactory midterm assessments
15. Attends midterm conferences
16. Steps 8, 9, 10, and 11 are repeated in preparation for final assessments
17. Tracks Disposition Inventory and conferences with teacher candidates when necessary
18. Collates and prepares the comments of the teacher candidates regarding the university supervisors.
Sends the comments to the university supervisors.
19. Issues grades
16Expectations of the school principal/cooperating teacher:
1. Facilitates the appropriate learning environment
2. Provides necessary materials (if needed)
3. Allows teacher candidates to observe in classrooms outside their designated placement
4. Provides adequate supervision of the USI teacher candidates
5. Communicates concerns to the teacher candidates/university supervisor/Director of Advanced
Clinical Experience and Co-Teaching
6. Allows teacher candidates to videotape his/her interaction with the students in the classroom
7. Provides constructive feedback to the teacher candidates and/or the university supervisor
8. Cooperating teacher completes online Co-Teaching® training
17FIELD EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION BY PROGRAM
Elementary Education – Exploration
EDUC 292 – Exploration in Elementary Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
18 scheduled visits of one hour or more
1. Tutor elementary students in a structured field experience using appropriate strategies
2. Analyze and apply developmentally appropriate strategies
Assignments:
1. Reflective journals
2. Student/school/community profile assignment
3. Completes a reflection on Tk20
Course Grade: 20%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Visits each teacher candidate at assigned tutoring site – 2 x
2. Reads reflective journal entries and provides guidance through comments
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Site coordinator assigns teacher candidate to students to tutor
2. Provides a location for the tutoring
3. The site coordinator completes a teacher candidate assessment on Tk20 for each student
4. The site coordinator signs the field experience time sheet for each student
18Elementary Education – Analysis Phase
EDUC 354 – Practicum in Elementary Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
Approximately 35 hours.
1. Field experience is during the regularly assigned course time
2. Students may work with the classroom teacher as needed. Such as: small groups within the
classroom, small groups as a pull-out, individual tutoring, whole class instruction.
3. Teacher candidates can develop activities or lesson plans after the teacher instructs them on
the standards that need to be covered.
4. Classroom teachers can develop the activities, assessments or plans and then the teacher
candidate implements.
5. Teacher candidates are required to teach one full lesson plan
Assignments:
1. Activity log
2. Summary journals
3. 2 lesson plans
4. Completes a reflection on Tk20
Course Grade: 100%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. USI instructor is at the school each day that the course meets – 2x/week
2, USI instructor observes teacher candidate and gives feedback
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Classroom teacher completes an assessment of the teacher candidate at the end of the
semester
19EDUC 382 – Elementary Analysis – Curriculum and Instruction
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
35 hours
1. Observe in the classroom
2. Work with small groups assigned by the classroom teacher – 10 to 15 minutes each
3. Teacher candidates design and implement lesson based on the standard assigned by the
classroom teacher
4. Weekly journals
5. Monthly journal summary
6. Develops a unit plan that contains 3 lessons that must be taught during the latter part of the
semester
Assignments:
1. Weekly journal
2. Monthly journal summary
3. Teacher candidate develops a unit plan that contains 3 lessons that must be taught during the
latter part of the semester
4. Creates a school, community, classroom profile
5. Completes a reflection on Tk20 at the end of the semester
Course Grade: 100%
1. School and Community Profile – 25%
2. Journal Reflection – 25%
3. Unit Plan – 50%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Visits once a week and again as needed for classroom observations and to meet with
cooperating teachers
2. Gives feedback after each observation
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher
1. The principal creates a list of teachers
2. Instructor places students according to field experience history. An attempt is made to place
students in a variety of experiences.
3. The classroom teacher completes the assessment of the teacher candidate at the end of the
semester
20EDUC 398 – Reading Methods
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
35 hours
1. Work individually with a reading buddy
2. In collaboration with the classroom teacher create and implement lesson plans for sessions
with reading buddy
3. Administers reading assessments to individual students
Assignment:
1. Completes reflective assignments
Course Grade: Not a separate grade for field experience, but assignments cannot be completed
without the field experience
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Observe teacher candidates while working with reading buddy.
2. Grade lesson plans and review reading assessments
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. The principal creates a list of teachers
2. The classroom teacher designates a list of students to work with the teacher candidates as
reading buddies
21Elementary Education – Synthesis Phase
EDUC 471 – Supervised Student Teaching in Elementary Education
Course requirements prior to student teaching:
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Student Teaching Handbook, sign and submit the signature page
Student Teaching: 16 weeks – full-time following the cooperating teacher’s schedule
Assignments:
1. Daily Lesson Plans
2. Weekly Reflections
3. Complete evaluations of the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor
4. Pairs Workshop
5. Weekly Technology Survey
6. Program Completer Survey
Course Grade:
1. Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U)
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Assigns teacher candidates
2. Provides Co-Teaching® training online or face-to-face
3. Tracks on Tk20 the completion of viewing the Co-Teaching® online training
4. Tracks the weekly Technology Survey
5. Provides orientation for teacher candidates
6. Trains and assigns university supervisors to teacher candidates
7. Reads and records completion of Pairs Workshop activities
8. Records student teaching placements in the Tk20 system
9. Communicates with cooperating teachers regarding access to Tk20
10. Explains to cooperating teachers the process for completing the assessment
11. Assembles assessments into Tk20 binders
12. Verifies that the Tk20 binders are complete at the end of the semester
13. Sends binders to students for access by cooperating teachers and university supervisors
14. Consults at midterm with university supervisors and sets up conferences for students who
receive unsatisfactory midterm assessments
15. Attends midterm conferences
16. Steps 8, 9, 10, and 11 are repeated in preparation for final assessments
17. Tracks Disposition Inventory and conferences with teacher candidates when necessary
18. Collates and prepares the comments of the teacher candidates regarding the university
supervisors. Sends the comments to the university supervisors.
19. Issues grades
Expectations of the school principal/cooperating teacher:
1. Facilitates the appropriate learning environment
222. Provides necessary materials (if needed)
3. Allows teacher candidates to observe in classrooms outside their designated placement
4. Provides adequate supervision of the USI teacher candidates
5. Communicates concerns to the teacher candidates/university supervisor/Director of
Advanced Clinical Experience and Co-Teaching
6. Allows teacher candidates to videotape his/her interaction with the students in the
classroom
7. Provides constructive feedback to the teacher candidates and/or the university supervisor
8. Cooperating teacher completes online Co-Teaching® training
23FIELD EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION BY PROGRAM
Secondary Education – Exploration
EDUC 283 – Exploration in Secondary Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
20 – scheduled hours of observation with a minimum of 10 site visits.
1. Focused observations in a middle school. Placement with licensed teachers who are teaching
within the major content area of the teacher candidate.
Assignments:
1. Reflective journals which are based on the connection of class discussion and tutoring experiences
2. Completes a reflection on Tk20
Course Grade: 40%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Reads and evaluates reflective journals
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Supervises the middle school students
2. The mentor teacher completes a teacher candidate assessment on Tk20 for each student
3. The mentor teacher signs the field experience time sheet for each teacher candidate
24Secondary Education – Analysis Phase
EDUC 384 – Advanced Clinical Experiences – Secondary Schools
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
Each teacher candidate will be placed in a local high school with an experienced mentor teacher within the
candidate’s content major. The candidate and mentor teacher will arrange a field experience schedule that
allows the candidate to complete a minimum of 50 hours in the secondary classroom. The field experience time
will be spread out over the course of the semester (beginning no later than Week 3 of the semester and ending
with Week 15) and include frequent visits (2 or 3 times per week). Ideally, the candidate will work with the
same class throughout the field experience; if the block schedule makes this impossible, the candidate may
alternate weekly between two of the mentor teacher’s classes.
The successful teacher candidate will
1. Complete and submit weekly focused written observations.
2. Work with individual students, small groups, and the entire class.
3. Teach one or two lessons to the entire class with at least one teaching evaluation by the USI instructor
and meet with the instructor to discuss the lesson(s) taught. Candidates will need to notify the course
instructor in advance when they are going to teach.
4. Choose appropriate instructional strategies, including available technology, in the delivery of learner-
centered lessons.
5. Participate, reflect, and grow professionally in a field practicum through the delivery of content-based,
standards-driven lessons in the secondary classroom.
Assignments: (percentage of final course grade)
1. Submit weekly reflective journals that describe what the teacher candidate did, what the teacher
candidate would like to have done, how the teacher candidate interacted with mentor teachers and
students, etc. In addition, the journal should reflect on what was learned and how it connects to previous
learning. (20%)
2. Interview the mentor teacher (outside of class time), using questions provided by the USI instructor as a
guide. Use the results of the interview to write a 3-5-page paper about the mentor’s teaching
experiences, style, and philosophy. (15%)
3. Invite the USI instructor to evaluate at least one lesson taught and meet with the instructor (outside of
class time) to discuss the lesson and its evaluation (20%).
4. Complete the two assigned IRIS literacy instruction modules (links posted on BlackBoard®). For each,
submit a short paper (2-3 pages) explaining how the strategies described could be implemented in the
field experience classroom. (10% each = 20%)
5. Attend all scheduled field experience sessions. If a session is missed for any reason, the teacher
candidate must notify both the mentor teacher and the USI instructor in advance and arrange to make
25up the time missed (15%).
6. Create and present to the class an 8-10-minute Power Point that includes a description of the class for
which the unit was designed, the unit focus, the assessment procedures used, how assessment informed
practice, how lessons were differentiated, what research-based pedagogical practices were used, and any
classroom management challenges faced and how they were addressed. The teacher candidate should
make additional comments about the planning process and what was learned from the experience as
well as summarizing the overall field experience. (10%)
Role of USI Instructor:
1. USI instructor is present in the participating schools on a regular, rotating basis.
2. USI instructor observes each teacher candidate in his/her placement at least 2-3 times.
3. USI instructor makes field notes during the observations, noting strengths and weaknesses of the teacher
candidate. The field notes are discussed with the teacher candidate, both on site and during the post-
lesson evaluation conference.
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. The principal or designated educator provides a list of mentor teachers available in the specified content
areas.
2. The classroom teacher mentors the teacher candidate.
3. The classroom teacher integrates the teacher candidate into the classroom setting
4. The classroom teacher allows the teacher candidate to assume some of the duties of the classroom
teacher, including the teaching of at least one lesson.
5. The mentor teacher observes and provides feedback after the teacher candidate teaches a lesson or
completes other activities with students.
26EDUC 473 – Supervised Student Teaching in Secondary Education or P-12
Course requirements prior to student teaching:
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Student Teaching Handbook, sign and submit the signature page
Student Teaching: 16 weeks – full-time following the cooperating teacher’s schedule
Assignments:
1. Daily Lesson Plans
2. Weekly Reflections
3. Complete evaluations of the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor
4. Pairs Workshop
5. Complete the weekly Technology Survey
Course Grade:
1. Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U)
2. 100%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Assigns teacher candidates
2. Provides Co-Teaching® training online or face-to-face
3. Tracks on Tk20 the completion of viewing the Co-Teaching® online training
4. Provides orientation for teacher candidates
5. Trains and assigns university supervisors to teacher candidates
6. Reads and records completion of Pairs Workshop activities
7. Records student teaching placements in the Tk20 system
8. Communicates with cooperating teachers regarding access to Tk20
9. Explains to cooperating teachers the process for completing the assessment
10. Assembles assessments into Tk20 binders
11. Sends binders to students for access by cooperating teachers and university supervisors
12. Consults at midterm with university supervisors and sets up conferences for students who
receive unsatisfactory midterm assessments
13. Attends midterm conferences
14. Steps 8, 9, 10, and 11 are repeated in preparation for final assessments
15. Tracks Disposition Inventory and conferences with teacher candidates when necessary
16. Collates and prepares the comments of the teacher candidates regarding the university
supervisors. Sends the comments to the university supervisors.
17. Issues grades
Expectations of the school principal/cooperating teacher:
1. Facilitates the appropriate learning environment
2. Provides necessary materials (if needed)
3. Allows teacher candidates to observe in classrooms outside their designated placement
4. Provides adequate supervision of the USI teacher candidates
5. Communicates concerns to the teacher candidates/university supervisor/Director of
Advanced Clinical Experience and Co-Teaching
276. Allows teacher candidates to videotape his/her interaction with the students in the
classroom
7. Provides constructive feedback to the teacher candidates and/or the university supervisor
8. Cooperating teachers complete Co-Teaching® training
28FIELD EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION BY PROGRAM
Special Education – Exploration
EDUC 292 – Exploration in Elementary Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
18 scheduled visits of one hour or more
1. Tutor elementary students in a structured field experience using appropriate strategies
2. Analyze and apply developmentally appropriate strategies
Assignments:
1. Reflective journals
2. Student/school/community profile assignment
3. Completes a reflection on Tk20
Course Grade: 20%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Visits each student at assigned tutoring site – 2 x
2. Reads reflective journal entries and provides guidance through comments
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Site coordinator assigns teacher candidate to students to tutor
2. Provides a location for the tutoring
3. The site coordinator completes a teacher candidate assessment on Tk20 for each student
4. The site coordinator signs the field experience time sheet for each student
29EDUC 283 – Exploration in Secondary Education
Course requirements prior to field experience:
Tk20 Access
Castle Branch Background Check (5 years)
Indiana Expanded Child Protection Index Check
Consent and Disclosure (academic yr.)
FERPA Certified
Pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Education Tests
USI Photo ID Badge
Read the Field Experience Handbook, sign and submit the signature page once each academic year
Site visit expectations:
20 – scheduled hours of observation with a minimum of 10 site visits.
1. Focused observations in a middle school. Placement with licensed teachers who are teaching
within the major content area of the teacher candidate.
Assignments:
1. Reflective journals which are based on the connection of class discussion and tutoring experiences
2. Completes a reflection on Tk20
Course Grade: 40%
Role of USI Instructor:
1. Reads and evaluates reflective journals
Expectations of the school principal/site coordinator/classroom teacher:
1. Supervises the middle school students
2. The mentor teacher completes a teacher candidate assessment on Tk20 for each student
3. The mentor teacher signs the field experience time sheet for each teacher candidate
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