Guidelines and Requirements for Practicum 1 Students


This course is an intensive professional development experience, working in a studio schools setting all day, as per assigned. Teacher candidates will be present in the school 1, 2 or 5 days per week, depending on their respective program.

Practicum students will participate in ResponsvieDesgin Teams of candidates, clinical educators, clinical teachers and administrators, collaborating to explore, envision and enact innovative solutions that deepen learning and raise K – 12 student achievement. Therefore teacher candidates are an integrated and important member of the school’s staff, and the focus is always data-driven P-12 student learning outcomes. Teacher candidates will conduct case studies or unit plans, and will deliver instruction, assessment, and feedback to P- 12 students. Teacher candidates will work on classroom management, and routines and procedures while gaining a breadth of experience in many aspects of the school, including areas which might be different from your certification area, including, but not limited to, special education, related arts, ESOL and others.


Instructional Responsibilities

    • Request extra copies of district/school texts and teacher guides from your cooperating teacher. If the materials are available, become familiar with your teaching materials.
    • Follow the daily time schedule required of classroom teachers, including arrival and departure time.
    • Attend faculty meetings, workshops, conferences, and other activities required of the classroom teacher.
    • Follow the school’s calendar, including parent-teacher conferences, open houses, holidays, and staff development days, etc. You must print your district’s calendar from their website.


Prerequisites


Practicum 1: Level 1 and Level 2 requirements.

Practicum 2: Level 1 and Level 2 requirements, and successful completion of Practicum 1.


Practicum Policies


A. This course is scheduled all day, as assigned, for the entire semester. Practicum students must arrive at the studio school site 15 minutes before school starts and stay approximately 15-30 minutes after the school day ends. Exact times will be determined by the studio schools liaison. All Practicum 1 and Practicum 2 students will have to make-up any hours missed. Studio school teacher candidates are highly encouraged to start when the teachers start, either in August or January, in order to be actively engaged with professional development opportunities and beginning of the year or semester activities. These days cannot be banked against future attendance.

B. Practicum students are required to check the listing for this course on Canvas site no less than once weekly for changes to the course schedule and other pertinent announcements.

C. Practicum students are expected to attend and actively participate in all formal seminars. Whole group seminars will either be before school, during lunch, or scheduled periodically throughout the semester at a school site. Seminar topics can include (but are not limited to) daily debriefing, classroom management, behavior modification, content area teaching strategies, ELL teaching strategies, school culture and community factors, family involvement, technology, integrated curriculum, evidence for SCOPE, and Inquiry Into My Practice techniques.

D. The practicum student is encouraged to participate in all school- related events. If there are field trips, meetings, workshops, parent/teacher conferences, etc., held during practicum hours, then practicum students are required to attend. If these events occur outside practicum hours, practicum students are advised to attend for continuity and for one’s own professional development.

E. The university practicum liaison will be at the school one day per week providing support and periodic observations. Practicum students can expect formal and informal observations by the liaison. Immediately following each observation, there will be a one-on-one debriefing session where practicum students will receive specific feedback regarding their classroom management techniques, teaching strategies, and curriculum.

F. At the end of each semester the practicum students will be evaluated by both a school representative and the clinical educator via MyCOE.

G. The practicum site will be used to complete all other course work field requirements as assigned in your methods classes, if any. If you are enrolled in Practicum 1, you do not need to accrue additional hours from other courses.


Written Work


Emphasis on effective communication through writing and speaking is an integral component of all coursework in the Division of Teaching and Learning at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Students in this class will be held to professional writing and speaking standards. Serious lapses in these standards may be reflected in the teacher candidates’ assignment and/or course grade, as well as their feedback in SCOPE. Written work is expected to be complete and accurate. All work submitted must be typed, and free of errors. All work must be completed and turned in according to the syllabus. All work due must be given to the instructor as a hard copy at the studio schools site, if requested, and must be uploaded in the appropriate MOSPE standard in SCOPE. Late work will not be accepted.


Writing Lab


Please access UMSL’s writing lab if you would like additional support for your writing. UMSL’s Writing Lab: 222 SSB, 314.516.6863 www.umsl.edu/~umslenglish/Writing%20Lab/ .


Academic Dishonesty


In all cases of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or sabotage, the instructor shall make an academic judgment about the student's grade on the work involved. Since this judgment is often a grade of zero, its assignment may result in a failing grade for the course. The complete campus policy on academic dishonesty may be found under “Student Conduct Code” in the Student Planner or at...

http://www.umsl.edu/~studentplanner/Academics/academicdishonesty.html

Use SafeAssign if you question your writing and use of citations.


Attendance


You must call or email your classroom clinical teacher, the school and your clinical educator if you are going to be late or absent.

Attendance in Practicum 1 and Practicum 2 is mandatory. There are no excused absences or built-in snow days. All absences must to be made up in their entirety. More than one absence may affect your overall grade. Practicum students must document their field hours based on daily attendance. Practicum students may need to work additional hours in the studio schools site to complete all assignments from this course and other methods courses taken this semester.


Dress Code


Practicum students should dress in a professional manner that identifies them as a teacher in the school. Practicum students should be professional at all times. Practicum students should not wear jeans or sloppy, revealing, tight or low-cut clothing that could be distracting to children, peers, supervisors, or parents. Remember: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.


Participation and Effort


Practicum students are expected to fully participate with interest and enthusiasm in all school events on the day of the practicum. Practicum students who do not fully participate may be removed from the practicum and will have to take the course another semester. When P – 12 students are not in the assigned classroom, practicum students are expected to accompany the students to their auxiliary activities, plan curriculum, analyze data, participate in seminars, participate in department or grade level meetings or prepare the classroom for the students when they return. It is not appropriate to work on homework or personal matters during the school day. Practicum students should arrive at the studio school site prepared to spend the day, with their lunch, and having already eaten breakfast. Drinks and food should not be consumed in the classroom. If school policy allows interns to keep drinks in the classroom, it is expected that what is consumed will be appropriate to a school setting. Cell phones should never be turned on during practicum hours.


Americans with Disabilities Act


The University of Missouri at St. Louis does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students, the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by federal laws and regulations. The student has the responsibility of informing the course Instructor (at the beginning of the course) of any disabling condition, which will require modification to avoid discrimination. As faculty members, we are required by law to provide ‘reasonable accommodation’ to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty at the beginning of the semester and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact Disability Access Services in 144 Millennium Student Center.


University of Missouri-St. Louis Student Policies


Policies and Forms are located under Office of Academic Affairs:

http://www.umsl.edu/services/academic/policy/policies-documents.html