MAT/Initial Licensure Program Field Experience and Student Teaching

Update: Effective February 2013, Ms. Dana Coleman has accepted a permanent role in the Teacher Education Department as the Coordinator of the Office of Clinical Experience. In addition to coordinating clinical and student teaching placements for candidates in both our graduate and undergraduate programs, Ms. Coleman will work with a faculty liaison team to build and maintain partnerships with our K-12 cluster sites where our candidates will be placed. She has also served as an adjunct faculty and supervisor of candidates in both the graduate and undergraduate licensure programs. Welcome, Dana!

Elementary, Secondary, or K-12 student teaching provides pre-service educators with experiences to connect theory and practice in the context of a K-12 classroom(s). Pre-service teachers' responsibilities include: long-term planning, implementation of an integrated curriculum, the facilitation of small- and large-group learning, and the development of assessment systems that support the MN graduation standards for K-12 students.

Field placement process

Students meet with the Coordinator of the Office of Clinical Experience or School Relations Coordinator during the first week of class. Placements are directly disseminated to students via e-mail typically by the third week of class. 

Students are asked to contact their assigned cooperating teacher within 7 days of receipt of the placement. (Failure to contact cooperating teacher may lead to the termination of a placement.) Scheduling the hours occurs directly between the cooperating teacher and the student.

Evaluation forms and clinical expectations are provided to the student by the course instructor the first night of class or disseminated by e-mail with placement. Evaluation forms are completed by cooperating teachers, submitted directly to the School Relations Coordinator and housed in each student's permanent file. Copies of these evaluations are eventually needed for incorporation into Pre-Student Teaching Assessments.

Clinical hours not completed by finals week will result in an incomplete.

Field Placement tips:

• Dress appropriately and travel lightly when completing field experiences. 
• Remember to be professional and respectful, and exhibit some flexibility to meet the needs of the classroom teacher. 
• Geographical and grade level placement requests are not guaranteed. 
• Most (but not all) field placements occur within subject level.

Field experience

GED 7815 Schools & Society

This field experience includes three days of public school tours, observing various types of schools (charter, magnet, alternative, traditional, etc.) and providing material for discussion and reflection throughout the semester. The tours are arranged by the course instructor in collaboration with school principals or volunteer coordinators. Students typically will visit three to five schools per day.

GED 7845 Teaching Literacy in the Elementary School-30 required hours

For many students this will be their first teaching experience in a classroom, after having completed the school tours, tutoring experience, and possibly a special education classroom.

A micro-teaching experience is an active teaching experience, as opposed to passive observation. Students work with small groups of students in public school classrooms. Teaching sessions occur once each week for two hours, and allow students to create and implement lesson plans. A total of 30 hours are required. Students are placed through a collaborative process including the School Relations Coordinator and the Literacy course instructor.

Evaluations are completed by cooperating teachers, submitted directly to the School Relations Coordinator and housed in students' permanent files. Copies of these evaluations are eventually incorporated into students' Pre-Student Teaching Portfolios.

GED 7862 Teaching in the Secondary School-30 required hours

The requirement for this course is to prepare and teach a lesson in a high school (9-12) classroom. The in-school requirement for this field experience is thirty (30) hours. Students are placed by the School Relations Coordinator.

The expectations of Hamline students in this micro-teaching experience include assisting with general teaching responsibilities and small groups at the beginning of the placement and then, later, teaching two lessons.

Students are expected to meet with the cooperating teacher and together agree on a schedule for their 30 hours and the two lessons to teach; this micro-teaching takes place during weeks 8 and 13 of Hamline's semester. Students are expected to submit lesson plans to the cooperating teacher for approval at least two days in advance of teaching the lessons.

Evaluations are completed by cooperating teachers, submitted directly to the School Relations Coordinator and housed in students' permanent file. Copies of these evaluations are eventually incorporated into students' Pre-Student Teaching Portfolios.

GED 7867 Theory to Practice-15 required hours

This 15 hour field experience allows students to observe practical applications of the theories and philosophies addressed in this course and other MAT Program foundational courses. The instructional objective is to enable students to become familiar with the instructional and cultural aspects of an urban middle school and will help them understand more fully the challenges for the professional educator in such a setting. This placement is arranged by the School Relations Coordinator.

Evaluations are completed by cooperating teachers, submitted directly to the School Relations Coordinator and housed in students' permanent files. Copies of these evaluations are eventually incorporated into students' Pre-Student Teaching Portfolios.

GED 7872 Exceptionality

This field experience provides students with another opportunity to observe in a public school, this time emphasizing children with special needs. The students are required to spend four (4) hours in a special education setting. They arrange these placements on their own; the instructor provides them with suggested sites.

Student teaching overview

Student Teaching Intake/Information Sessions for those planning to student teach during the Spring 2014 semester are scheduled for the following days/times/places:

Monday, February 11, 2013, 4:15 - 5:30p.m., East Hall 5

Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 4:15 - 5:30 p.m., Drew Science 318

Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 4:15 - 5:30 p.m., East Hall 4

Thursday, May 9, 2013, 4:15 - 5:30 p.m., GLC 100E

You must attend one of these sessions if you plan to student teach in Spring 2014. You only need to attend one session and registering is not necessary. We will record your attendance and your student teaching preferences when you arrive. Please contact Ms. Dana Coleman at dcoleman02@hamline.edu with questions.

Weekly seminars are held every Monday or Thursday evening from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. throughout the term in which you are student teaching. Completion of all other licensure coursework is required prior to student teaching. Student teaching occurs during the fall and spring semesters only.

Student teaching application process

1. Attend a Student Teaching Intake Meeting 
2. Submit the Student Teaching Petition Request Cover Sheet and all applicable forms by the published deadlines
3. Approval of the MAT program faculty that includes an assessment of your professional behaviors and dispositions 
4. Successful presentation and evaluation of your Pre-service assessment process 
5. Attendance at the Student Teaching Orientation and Placement meeting.

All students must apply for student teaching even if their particular situation does not constitute the need to locate a placement. All individuals should refrain from contacting schools or locating their own student teaching placements. Requests are welcomed, and information on this process is provided at in-take sessions.

For cooperating teachers

The Cooperating Teacher is a critical player in the Student Teacher experience. Most of what is learned during student teaching comes from the experience of planning and delivering lessons and participating in the other teacher responsibilities, which would not be possible if the Cooperating Teacher had not generously opened up her/his classroom for the student teacher’s professional development. The next greatest level of learning comes from the Cooperating Teacher who helps the student teacher reflect, provides daily feedback, and shares her/his knowledge of the school, school policies, these students, and what teaching strategies are working.

At the conclusion of a the Student Teacher's experience, Cooperating Teachers are asked to complete a form evaluating the Student Teacher's performance within their classroom.

Evaluation Form: MIDTERM
Evaluation Form: FINAL 

Global student teaching

(Unique Partnership between Hamline and EducatorsAbroad)

1. PROCEDURES

Students who are interested in student teaching overseas should submit an e-mail letter of intent to Associate Chair Dr. Bill Lindquist (see below). The letter, which must include the applicant’s contact information and follow the formatting guidelines of a professional cover letter, should address the following:  

1. Give a brief overview of your background including area/s of licensure.
2. Provide a clear rationale for requesting a study abroad experience.
3. Explain your readiness to teach and travel in a new country.
4. Give a rank-ordered list of desired locations for the overseas placement.
5. Assess your financial capacity to support the study abroad experience (be sure to consider housing/living accommodations in addition to travel costs). Explain how you will cover the costs.
6. E-mail the letter to Dr. Lindquist at wlindquist02@hamline.edu.  
7. Please submit the letter of intent by the due dates listed below. Letters submitted after the designated deadlines will not be reviewed.

Fall Student Teaching: submit the letter by January 1 to meet EducatorsAbroad's March 1 deadline. 

Spring or Summer Student Teaching: submit the letter by August 1 to meet EducatorAbroad's October 1 deadline.

*Note: Hamline University is not able to offer summer student teaching placements. No exceptions are allowed.

A staff member will contact the applicant to set up an interview for the purpose of assessing the following:  

     1.   Clarity of the student’s goals related to the study abroad experience. 
     2.   The student's adaptability, flexibility, and professionalism, in addition to 
            her/his readiness to teach overseas. 
     3.   Approximately one (1) week after the interview takes place, the student will 
           be sent a decision letter (request accepted or rejected). If a student’s                         
           request is approved, the letter will outline additional instructions and 
           steps to complete the application.     

2. EDUCATORSABROAD'S REQUIREMENTS

All Student Teachers: Complete a minimum of eight (8) weeks of full-time elementary or secondary student teaching in the stateside placement first and a minimum of ten (10) weeks of student teaching in an approved overseas school for a minimum of eighteen (18) weeks of student teaching. Students must complete all stateside requirements before being cleared to travel overseas. EducatorsAbroad will arrange the overseas placement, which includes assigning the student to a qualified supervisor. 

All Student Teachers: Based on your licensure area/s, you will complete 8 weeks of student teaching in a K-12 school. After returning from the overseas experience, you will participate in an exit interview with your Hamline supervisor. 

3. TUITION/PROGRAM COSTS

To be updated.

Summary of Steps: 

1. Submit a letter of intent to Associate Chair Dr. Bill Lindquist and request an appointment for the 1:1 interview.
2. Wait for Dr. Lindquist to send you a decision letter. If approved, proceed to the next steps.
3. View EducatorsAbroad's website at http://educatorsabroad.org/. Complete the application form and submit the fee.
4. For the form that requires the program director’s signature: stop by Drew Residence Hall Suite 66 to ask for the signature of Associate Chair Dr. Bill Lindquist or Chair Dr. Rachel Endo.
5. Contact the Student Placement Coordinator, Mr. Jesson Hunt, to inform him of your plans, and ask him who the MAT student teaching faculty lead will be for the semester you plan to student teach.
6. Get in touch with the MAT student teaching faculty coordinator (for 2012-2013, contact Professor Jeff Fink at jfink01@hamline.edu) to introduce yourself, inform him of your plans, and see if there are any special requirements you need to attend to.
7. Arrange for your own accommodations including room/board and transportation.