Penn State Harrisburg

Penn State Harrisburg Secondary Teaching Certification Program

Field Experience--EDUC 313 Spring Semester, 2004

In an effort to give students the opportunity to experience direct contact with students early in their teacher certification program, all students will be placed in an extended field experience (EDUC 313) while simultaneously enrolled in EDUC 314, “Learning theory and Instructional Procedures.” After a concentrated period of instruction on the PSH campus, the teacher education students will be placed in one of three middle school settings in the greater Harrisburg area. Where possible, small groups consisting of four or five PSH students each will be assigned to middle grade level teams.

Over a period of 8 weeks, beginning on February 12 and continuing through April 15, these teacher education students will be expected to be present at their assigned schools from approximately 7:30 a.m. until the close of the teachers’ school day each Tuesday and Thursday. The precise beginning and ending times may vary based on the particular school placement.

During their time in the assigned schools, the PSH students will engage in a variety of activities in support of the teacher teams. In addition to observing in various classrooms, PSH students may engage in activities such as the following: participate in teacher planning meetings, monitor the work of middle school students as they engage in group work, assist teachers in the development of interdisciplinary units, tutor individual students and/or small groups, construct class displays in support of the instructional program. Because the specific needs of each teacher team will vary by grade level and by school, the specific activities that will comprise this pre-student teaching field experience will be determined by the participating teacher teams in consultation with the PSH instructor.

A. Course Objectives

In general, students participating in the field experience course (EDUC 313) will be expected to accomplish the following general objectives:

1. Through observations, participation, and conversations, to become acquainted with middle-level students, teachers, administrators, facilities, and curricula. 2. To discover how teachers, administrators, aides, and other school personnel view their roles. 3. To assist the classroom teacher in completing tasks that enhance the learning environment and that contribute to the education of middle-level students. 4. To understand how schools and classrooms are organized for instruction and how the organization is administered/monitored. 5. To observe and record the intricacies of lesson presentations, classroom management approaches, and assessment strategies. 6. To gain a greater understanding of exceptional children and students at-risk and to identify strategies that can be used to assist these children. 7. To teach/supervise individual students and small groups of students, and, when appropriate, to provide whole class instruction, all under the supervision of certified teachers.

2 B. Requirements:

1. Prior to the first day of the field experience, provide evidence to PSH’s nurse or course instructor of negative results from a recently administered TINE (tuberculosis) test. For those who have not been tested recently, PSH’s nurse can complete the test at a minimal cost. Additionally, during the first week of the semester, initiate Act 34 and Act 151 reviews (Criminal Record and Child Abuse clearances). 2. Maintain a weekly journal and submit approximately 375 words for each day spent in the field placement. More detailed information regarding this assignment is provided on a separate handout. 3. A total commitment to the field experience is expected, and, therefore, attendance is mandatory. Absences must be supported by a signed communication from a medical doctor. Absence, late attendance, and early dismissal must be reported to the cooperating teacher/team leader and to the PSH course instructor. Because of the nature of this assignment, the notification should occur prior to the absence/tardiness. Under extenuating circumstances, students may, with the permission of the host teachers, make up the days they missed so that they do not get penalized for the absence. 4. Each student will be expected to approach the field experience in a professional manner. Especially important are the following: (a) students should be careful in sharing specifics regarding the field experience with others (e.g. confidentiality regarding student performance should be maintained) and (b) appearance and attire must be appropriate for the assignment.

C. Assignment of Final Grade

Following consultation with the host teachers at the field experience sites, the final grades for EDUC 313 will be assigned by the course instructor and will be based upon careful consideration of the following:

% of Final Grade (1) Communication Skills/Personal Attributes 33 1/3% (2) Attendance/Punctuality 33 1/3% (3) Quality of Field Experience Journal 33 1/3%

(1) Communication Skills/Personal Attributes. See attached Evaluation Form. These forms are completed by the host team and are confidential. Students will receive a general summary of the attributes during the final conference scheduled on either April 27 or 29.

(2) Attendance/Punctuality. Students are expected to attend all scheduled field experiences and to arrive on time and stay until the end of the teacher's work day. Absences must be supported by a signed communication from a medical doctor. Absence, late attendance, and early dismissal must be reported to the host teacher/team

3 leader and to the PSH course instructor. Such notification should be provided in advance. If field trips are scheduled in other classes during the days assigned to the schools, students should see the instructor for possible make-up day alternatives. The only way NOT to be penalized for absences is to secure a doctor’s note or receive permission from the host teachers to make up the day(s) missed. I must be apprised of any absences!

4 (3) Journal. Each student will be expected to maintain a written record of his/her activities in the schools during the EDUC 313 field experience. While the specific content of the journal obviously will depend upon the particular events experienced by each participant, typically, journal entries will 375 words per day and will focus on your descriptions and reflections of important and interesting activities and events in the classroom and/or in the school. Particular attention should be given to those situations and activities that impact on how students learn and how teachers teach. The journal entries must include a completion of the observation activities (to be distributed prior to the field experience), as well as a reflection on those completed observation activities. The remaining journal entries should focus on the broad topics that are being investigated by each team. Be sure to include a journal entry for each one of the observation activities that are in the packet of information. Care should be taken to develop journal entries that are thoughtful, logically organized, and well written. Half of the journal entries are due on March 16. The other half are due on April 20.

Journal entries that meet the word requirement and that are reflective in nature will receive the symbol +, which means full credit of 3 points. Journal entries that meet the word requirement but are more descriptive than reflective in nature will receive a check mark, which signifies 2 points for the journal entry. Journal entries that do not meet the word requirement and are poorly written (including content and/or style will receive a minus symbol, which equals one point.

For each day an assignment is late, the total points will be reduced by 3.

During the final conference you may want to design a portfolio that documents your experiences as a prospective teacher. For that reason, you also may want to consider various forms of documentation that support and /or clarify your activities. For example, photographs of particular activities in which you play a significant role, samples of instructional materials that you help to develop, and materials that teachers may choose to share with you could be included in the body of your portfolio or could be placed in the appendices of your portfolio. The final product should be of “showcase” quality.

NOTE: Students receiving a final grade of “D” in this course, students who do not complete the assigned field experience, or students who are requested to terminate the experience by any school official at the host school will be required to enroll in and successfully complete EDUC 313 before enrollment in the Professional Semester (i.e. Student Teaching) is authorized.