Office of
Field Experiences
Tom Ganser, Director
2038 Winther Hall
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1123
Fax: (262) 472-1500

PROFESSIONAL BLOCK

Field Study/Alternate Student Teaching
(Elementary/Middle, Middle/Secondary, and K-12 majors)

Field Study: General Education (Special Education majors)

Eligibility

To be eligible for Field Study/Alternate Student Teaching, the student must meet the following criteria:

• Successful completion of the Pre-Professional Block.
• Admission to professional education.
• Enrollment in the Professional Block during the designated reserved semester, as specified in the letter verifying admission to professional education. Any deviation from the reserved semester must be approved in advance by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction or the Department of Special Education.

For Elementary/Middle, Middle/Secondary and K-12 majors, the field experience portion of the Professional Block partially fulfills the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requirement for hours of pre-clinical experience, and the Alternate Student Teaching experience partially fulfills the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requirement for student teaching. For Special Education majors, the Field Study: General Education experience partially fulfills the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requirement for hours of pre-clinical experience.

Components

• Students attend the methods courses appropriate to their licensing program. The courses are blocked together during the morning or the afternoon, and are intended to prepare students for teaching during the subsequent placement.
• During the next six to seven weeks, students are assigned to a placement for approximately 3 hours per day, Monday through Friday, in the morning or afternoon.
  • For the Alternate Student Teaching experience, students assume major responsibility for teaching during the final two weeks of their assignments.
• Students are placed in an elementary, middle, or secondary school setting appropriate to the licensing requirements for their major.
• Transportation is the responsibility of the students.
• University supervisors will be assigned for all Field Study assignments.
  • The supervisor will plan with students regarding reports and plans to be submitted.
  • The supervisor will make a minimum of one visit to observe the student and confer with the cooperating teacher.
• The cooperating teacher will complete an evaluation of the student's field work. The university supervisor will provide this form. (See Appendix C.)
• The final grade of Satisfactory/No Credit will be assigned by the university supervisor in consultation with the cooperating teacher.

Role of the Student

Students will be expected to:

• Become familiar with the total school environment (office, rules, personnel, etc.).
• Observe and discuss with the cooperating teacher instructional techniques utilized.
• Plan for instruction:
  • Preparing lesson plans for review by cooperating teacher
  • Organizing materials and techniques for instruction
  • Utilizing the cooperating teacher's oral and/or written comments for professional development through the reflective process.
• Share methods course assignments with cooperating teacher.
• Review with cooperating teacher the Final Evaluation.

Role of the Cooperating Teacher

The cooperating teacher will be expected to:

• Provide orientation to school, including:
  • Principal and office staff
  • Location of rooms (including art, physical education, music, etc.)
  • Rules, emergency procedures, classroom management, etc.
• Familiarize the student with:
  • Weekly morning and afternoon schedules
  • Routines and procedures (restroom breaks, attendance, etc.)
  • Supervisory responsibilities (recess, study hall, etc.)
  • Supplies and supplemental materials.
• Provide opportunities for observation of the classroom with focus on meaningful aspects of classroom organization and interaction.
• Incorporate the student into classroom activities and instructional responsibilities and provide guidance in the preparation of lesson plans.
• Provide on-going oral and/or written comments regarding lesson plans, teaching effectiveness, management techniques, etc.
• Complete the Final Evaluation form with the student. The university supervisor is responsible for submitting this form to the Office of Field Experiences where it becomes part of the student's file. (See Appendix C.)

Role of the University Supervisor

The university supervisor is the major communication link between the university, and the cooperating school and teachers. The university supervisor:

• Provides clarification of expectations for the assignment.
• Becomes familiar with the school's environment and personnel.
• Makes at least one supervisory visit.
• Determines the student's final grade (Satisfactory/No credit).