Master’s Credential Cohort Program Summer Field Experience Guidelines Summer 2008
CONTENTS Section Introduction
Page Number .................................................................................................................................3
Summer Field Experience Site Descriptions
..............................................................................4
MCC Candidate Summer Field Experience Responsibilities Time ..................................................................................................................................6 Attitude and Attire ............................................................................................................6 Activities ...........................................................................................................................6 Record Keeping...................................................................................................................7 Sample MCC Summer Course Assignments EDUC 581: Multicultural Foundations ..............................................................................9 EDUC 582: Psychological Foundations .........................................................................11 EDU 558XB: First and Second Language Development ...............................................13 Forms and Evaluation Materials Summer Field Experience Completion Checklist ...........................................................14 Field Experience Observation & Schedule Agreement ...................................................15 Field Experience Attendance Log ...................................................................................17 Field Experience Observation Guide Prompts .................................................................18 MCC Candidate Evaluation ..............................................................................................20 Site Placement Evaluation ...............................................................................................21
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INTRODUCTION The summer field experience is designed to provide experiences in educational settings that will enhance understanding of teaching and learning at the secondary level. Students will have the opportunity to observe teaching and learning in progress and connect theories discussed in their coursework with classroom practices. Summer field experience placements have been carefully selected to provide opportunities to see teaching and learning in action. Placements serve middle and high school students from diverse communities. Placements emphasize academic learning, however, because these summer programs are structured differently than a traditional term-time academic setting, placements may have a specialized structure, educational emphasis, or supplemental activities. The summer field experience will take place concurrently with student enrollment in the following Master’s Credential Cohort (MCC) courses: EDUC 581 – Multicultural and Philosophical Foundations of Education Instructor: Dr. Makeba Jones July 14 – 31, 4pm – 7:15pm, Mondays – Thursdays EDUC 582 – Psychological Foundations of Education in a Diverse Society Instructor: Dr. Nori Inoue August 4 – 21, 4pm – 7:15pm, Mondays – Thursdays EDU 558XB – First and Second Language Development for the Classroom Teacher Instructor: Sarina Molina In class meetings: 7/18, 8/8, and 8/22, supplemented by on-ling coursework Each of these MCC courses will include specific course assignments that connect with the field experience. More information on these assignments can be found on pages 9-13 of this information packet. It is important to be aware that the timing of the field experiences and the coursework do not overlap exactly. Many of the field experiences are already in process before the MCC coursework begins; most field experiences end before MCC summer coursework is completed. Because of this, flexibility and preparation are necessary. Please read through this entire guide prior to beginning your field placement. Pay careful attention to the Embedded Signature Assessments (ESAs) for your courses. Many of the ESAs require that you make direct connections between observations / activities in your field experience and the readings and research discussed in the course. You will need to plan ahead to be certain that you complete all necessary observations, interviews, and/or student interaction at your field placement site while the program is in session.
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SUMMER FIELD EXPERIENCE SITE DESCRIPTIONS Summer field experience placement possibilities are described below. MCC candidates will work with the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator, Nona Conner, to identify a field experience placement that best fits the candidate’s learning objectives, interests, and scheduling concerns. Once an appropriate placement has been identified, the Field Experiences Coordinator will facilitate contact between the MCC candidate and the site coordinator at the summer field placement. In order to ensure an appropriate placement, candidates should not attempt to arrange for a field experience placement on their own. MCC Field Placements for Summer 2008: English Language Academy— The English Language Academy (http://www.elacademy.com/) is a program for English Language Learners that is hosted by Continuing Education at USD. During the summer international secondary students (ages 14-17) come to campus to learn English and engage in a cultural exchange. The program runs July 14August 8 (no Wednesdays) from 8am – 12noon. ELA can accommodate many MCC candidates. Gear Up— Gear up is a program within the Department of Counseling and Guidance within San Diego City Schools (http://www.sandi.net/depts/counseling/index.html). It is designed to prepare incoming ninth grade students for success in high school and beyond. Four high schools will host Gear Up programs this summer—Morse, Lincoln, Clairemont, and Mission Bay. The program will run July 14 – July 31. It can accommodate up to 12 MCC candidates. High Tech Middle / High Tech High Summer Bridge Program -The High Tech Schools (http://www.hightechhigh.org/) are a collection of small, innovative charter schools that emphasize interdisciplinary teaching, integration of technology, and project based learning. The summer bridge program is designed for incoming 6th and 9th grade students who are transferring to the schools from more traditional programs. The program prepares the students for the more independent work demanded by the High Tech program. There will be two sessions of summer school at High Tech this summer –Session I: June 30 – July 18 and Session II: July 21- Aug. 8. These sessions can accommodate multiple MCC candidates at the Liberty Station Campus.
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Keiller Cougar Academy— Keiller Leadership Academy (http://www.keillerleaders.org/)is a charter middle school that is a partner school with USD. Since becoming a charter several years ago, KLA’s faculty, staff, and students have worked diligently to raise academic achievement in this previously failing urban school. Their summer program, the Cougar Academy, provides academic enrichment for students who need additional support to succeed during the school year. It will be staffed by KLA’s dedicated teachers and administrators. The Cougar Academy runs for three weeks, July 28 – August 15 from 8am – 12noon. It can accommodate multiple MCC candidates. Nativity Prep Summer Academy— Nativity Prep (http://www.nativityprep.org/index.php) is a private, Catholic middle school that provides a college prep curriculum to underserved children from southeast San Diego. During the summer Nativity Prep students participate in a program that balances academic support (three days per week) with outside enrichment (two days per week). The summer program is divided into two 2week sessions – July 14-25 for incoming 7th and 8th grade students; July 28August 8 for incoming 6th grade students. This program can accommodate 4-6 MCC candidates. Upward Bound— Upward Bound (http://www.ed.gov/programs/trioupbound/index.html) is a national program that supports students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds succeed in high school and prepare for college. The Upward Bound program at USD (http://www.sandiego.edu/upwardbound/) works with students from Kearny High School, hosting them on-campus for academic courses, enrichment activities, and a residential experience during the summer. Coursework within the program is taught by both credentialed and noncredentialed teachers and supported by college students. This program operates July 14-July 31, with coursework offered 9am – 4:30pm. The program can accommodate 4-6 MCC candidates.
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MCC CANDIDATE SUMMER FIELD EXPERIENCE RESPONSIBILITIES TIME: Candidates are expected to observe and support teaching and learning at their placement site for a minimum of 25 hours between July 14, 2008 and August 18, 2008. All field placement documentation including field experience logs, evaluation forms, and field experience journals must be completed and returned to the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator by Monday, August 18, 2008. The hours that a candidate spends at the site should be arranged in advance so that both the candidate and the site can make appropriate accommodations. At the first site meeting, candidates should work with the site coordinator and/or site teacher to complete the “Field Experience Observation and Schedule Agreement” found on pages 15-16. This form must be signed and returned to the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator by July 21, 2008. Before submitting the form, please make two photocopies—Keep one for your own records and return one to your site supervisor. It is preferable if the majority of this time can be spent at a single site. However, the vagaries of summer scheduling may require that candidates work at more than one site. If this is necessary, arrangements should be made with the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator well in advance of the August 18 deadline. ATTITUDE AND ATTIRE: Professionalism is a must. Candidates are expected to be dependable, prompt, courteous, and respectful at all times. Candidates should dress is a professional manner. Private information about students and/or staff members should be kept confidential. ACTIVITIES: Candidates should observe and support teaching and learning at the site. Activities may include the following: Classroom observation – Candidates must spend a significant portion of their time observing the activities and interactions in classrooms at the site. Observations may take place primarily in a single classroom or across a range of different classrooms. The site coordinator will be responsible for guiding candidates toward classrooms that are appropriate for observation. While observing, candidates should take notes and respond to their observations in a “Field Experience Journal.” A general observation guide may be found on page 18. Course instructors will provide more specific observation guidelines that apply directly to their courses.
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Individual or small group interaction – Candidates must spend significant time working with individuals or with small groups who need a bit of extra time and/or support in their learning. This work should be done under the direction of the site coordinator or classroom teacher and should support on-going teaching and learning in the classroom. Sites should limit the number of students who work with an individual MCC candidate. Secondary students and MCC candidates will benefit from the opportunity to develop a rapport that can support teaching and learning. Understanding instructional planning and assessment– Candidates are encouraged to spend a limited amount of time observing site teachers’ work in planning for and assessing instruction. Where possible, candidates should have the opportunity to ask questions about the theory behind instructional practices, differentiation to meet student needs, and measures of student learning. Understanding the thinking behind site teachers’ work will support candidates as they transition into student teaching in the Fall. Classroom teaching – If the site coordinator, classroom teacher, and MCC candidate all believe that it is appropriate, the candidate may lead limited classroom instruction. Leading instruction is not a requirement and should not be the primary activity of the MCC candidate during the summer placement. Any instructional activities that are led by the MCC candidate should directly support the on-going instruction and instructional objectives in the classroom. Site teachers should work with MCC candidates to plan instruction, must remain in the classroom to observe the instruction, and are expected to provide feedback and support to help the candidate reflect on the teaching experience. Inappropriate activities – MCC candidates should not be expected to take on responsibilities at the site that fall outside of the direct realm of teaching and learning. Although making the occasional photocopy is fine, regularly running to the copy center is not. Examining student work to assess learning can be helpful, but grading stacks of student papers is an inappropriate use of time. Getting to know students while chaperoning in an occasional field trip helps everyone, coaching the summer sports league detracts from time that should be spent in class. MCC candidates and site coordinators should use their best judgment to ensure that the candidate’s field experience supports the MCC program learning objectives as well as the students and teachers at the school site. If there are questions or concerns, please contact the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator. RECORD KEEPING: MCC candidates are expected to maintain clear records of their hours and activities. A “Field Experience Attendance Log” may be found on page 17. Candidates are responsible for completing the log, obtaining appropriate signatures, and returning the completed log to the Field MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 7
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Experiences Coordinator. Site coordinators and/or teachers should initial the candidate’s hours at the end of each day they attend; candidates should not wait until the end of the summer to ask for verification of their attendance. In addition to the log, candidates are expected to keep a “Field Experience Journal” in which they record their observations and experiences. Recording observations and reflecting on those observations in writing supports teacher professional growth and is a practice that will continue through student teaching. Journal writing should be informal; it may take the form of bulleted notes, a dialectical journal, or a narrative response. The primary audience for these reflections is the candidate. Candidates are expected to reflect in writing after each site visit; each reflection should be dated and occupy a minimum of ½ page of space. Journals may be kept in notebook or electronic form. Candidates should regularly bring their journal to course meetings and are expected to submit the journal to the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator by August 18. Journals will be returned to candidates in preparation for student teaching during the fall semester. Please note that journals will be shared within the MCC program community and should not contain confidential information. Observation and reflection topics that may be used to guide journal entries may be found on pages 18-19. Courses may also provide course-specific prompts that relate to course readings and assignments. Please note that journal entries are not limited to these topics. The site coordinator or the staff member at the field experience site who most closely supervised the candidate’s activities must evaluate the candidate. Evaluations should be completed using the “MCC Candidate Summer Field Experience Evaluation” form, found on page 20. Satisfactory evaluations are required in order for the candidate to advance to student teaching. Candidates should provide their evaluator with a copy of the evaluation form and a stamped envelope pre-addressed to: Nona Conner, MCC Field Experiences Coordinator School of Leadership and Education Sciences University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110-2492 In addition to the formal evaluation, if staff at the site placement have concerns about the candidate at any time, they should contact Nona Conner directly at (619) 260- 7713 or conner@sandiego.edu Finally, MCC candidates need to complete a “Site Placement Evaluation” to provide feedback on the site placement to the MCC program. This evaluation form may be found on page 21 of this guide. Detailed feedback and specific suggestions are helpful in ensuring that quality field experiences for future candidates. Responses will be kept confidential and may be returned anonymously. Site placement evaluation forms should be submitted to the MCC field experiences coordinator by August 18.
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SAMPLE MCC SUMMER COURSE ASSIGNMENTS The following assignments represent the Embedded Signature Assessments (ESAs) for the three MCC credential courses that will be taken concurrently with the summer field experience placements. Successful completion of these courses and assignments is mandatory before you may begin your fall student teaching assignment. ESAs respond to the State of California’s Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs). More information on TPEs can be found at http://www.sandiego.edu/academics/soles/currstudents/handbooks/CA_TPEs_Full_Text.pdf. ESAs must be submitted to the course instructor and uploaded to Taskstream, an electronic portfolio system. All credential candidates within SOLES are required to purchase a Taskstream Account that will be used throughout the program to monitor progress and maintain records of requirement completion. More information on Taskstream is available on page four of the credential assessment handbook (http://www.sandiego.edu/academics/soles/currstudents/documents/Assessment.across.the.Progr am.Spring.2008.pdf) or at www.taskstream.com. Taskstream specific questions should be addressed to the Director of Assessment. It is strongly advised that you carefully read through these assignments prior to beginning your field placement. Many require that you make direct connections between observations / activities in your field experience and the readings and research discussed in the course. You will need to plan ahead to be certain that you complete all necessary observations, interviews, and/or student interaction at your field placement site while the program is in session. Please note that these ESA assignments do not represent all the course requirements. They are provided for information and planning purposes only. Course instructors reserve the right to make changes and additions to the assignments required for their courses.
EDUC 581: Multicultural and Philosophical Foundations of Education ESA Assignment Description: Students will complete a report that will include: 1) the student’s personal educational philosophy 2) a reflection of the change in their knowledge and dispositions of multicultural education as a result of their summer field experience. 3) knowledge of multicultural education learned during the course and 4) the applicability of this knowledge for their own teaching. This product should provide evidence and document your learning for each of the TPEs assigned to this course. See details below. Field Experiences Journal: MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 9
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In preparation for your ESA report, please consider the following with regards to your field experience placement. Your responses to these questions should be recorded in your field experiences journal. • Description of your site • Mission statement • Who runs it? Who attends, why and how often? • Does it have a web site? Check it out and describe the info that it offers. • What service does it perform for the community? If it is not a school, what is its connection with a school? • What is their approach to providing a culturally relevant classroom? • To what extent do professionals at the site seem to be aware of the culturally specific background of students and integrate it into their practice? • Conduct an interview with either a teacher or parent of student in the program to learn more about the program. This is optional since it is not always possible. • Record reflections on your experience both professionally and personally and answer some of the following questions, for example, what are some of the challenges and benefits in teaching or working with these students? What are you learning about student needs, what are your challenges in addressing those needs? How are your attitudes and knowledge changing as you work with them? These reflections will be incorporated into your report. • There will be opportunities during the class to work with others who are working at the same site and to work with others who are working at different sites to answer some important questions such as: the similarities and differences in the programs, what works and what doesn’t etc. Notes from these discussions and your reflections on these discussions should be included in your final report. Description of Final Written Reflection: How you changed professionally and personally from the summer field placement and this class? Be specific!! Try to incorporate your understanding of your site experiences and class readings (name the readings) with changes in your knowledge, skills and dispositions. A reflection on your experience and change in your knowledge, beliefs, skills and dispositions is an essential component to successfully completing this assignment and preparing you for your student teaching experience. Students should be sure to engage in a discussion about how beliefs, values, traditions etc may continue to get in their way of multicultural competency development. This assignment should be written in a way that responds directly to the demands of the Teacher Performance Expectations. Final Paper Assignment and Presentation: Additional information on these components of the course will be discussed in class.
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EDUC 582: Psychological Foundations of Education in a Diverse Society Observation project (TPE 6, 8) For this project, you will observe K-12 classroom(s) for at least 8 hours and write a short paper (7-10 pages) according to the following guidelines. IMPORTANT: It is crucial that you do not reveal any personal information regarding the identity of the teachers, the students, and the school. Also, please do not interfere with the learning activities. Your role is an observer, not a classroom assistant. Use commonsense. 1) Take field notes about key issues such as a) classroom settings, b) characteristics of the students, c) learning designs, d) students' responses, e) teacher-student interactions, etc. Also think about how the task was introduced, the nature of the task, students' performance, the effectiveness of the learning design, how students receive feedback, etc. 2) After finishing all the observations, reflect on what you observed. Compare and contrast the learning activities that you observed. Start writing a paper that discusses the following issues (itemize them or use bullet points) in reference to our discussions and readings. • What was the most effective learning activity? Why? What factors made it effective? How can we explain its effectiveness in terms of the developmental principles and learning theories/research we discussed/read? • What was the least effective learning activity? Why? What created the problem? How can we explain its problem(s) in terms of the developmental principals and learning theories/research we discussed/read? How would you remedy the situation based on the theories/research we discussed/read? • Choose one episode from your observation and give analyses/discussions of students’ motivational orientation, teachers’ technique to motivate students, and your recommendation for improving students’ motivation in reference to the motivational theories/research we discussed/read. • Choose one episode from your observation and give analyses/discussions of sociocultural norms/values that seemed to have been conveyed to the students (hidden curriculum) as well as how it was conveyed to the students. Give your recommendation for improving the learning activities. Relate to the theories/research we discussed/read. • Reflect on your learning that took place in this project and summarize how it contributed to your growth as a future teacher. 3) At this stage, I would like to encourage you to bring your draft to me during my office hours, receive feedback, and revise your paper before the due date. We will also have a few exchange sessions during our classes. Please bring the newest draft to each class. MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 11
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4) Organize a paper (7-10 pages) that answers the above three questions in reference to our class discussions and our readings. Please submit your paper along with your field notes and completed observation record no later than ______ in class. 5) Your paper will be evaluated in terms of the following criteria. For details, please see the attached rubric. • The clarity of your descriptions on the effectiveness of the learning activities, • The depth of your analyses, • The relevance of your analyses to our class discussions and readings, • The overall quality of your paper, Rubric for Evaluation of Observation Project Completion of Required Components Depth of your argument
Clarity of your argument
Developing More than one component missing or incomplete
Good One component absent or incomplete
Fragmentary descriptions or descriptions that are superficial, and/or judgmental rather than behavioral The logic of argument is unclear. The discussions of the observed learning activity and theories/research are not specific enough
Descriptions include specific evidence but also include good inference on students' learning in most of the places The logic of argument is clear, but rough in spots. The discussions of the observed learning activity and theories/research are sometimes unfocused and difficult to follow. Connections are present and there is sufficient elaboration, but these may show partial understanding, or misunderstanding of theories and concepts. Reflections explore the dynamics of observed cases
Connections to class readings and discussions
No connections present or presentations dropped in without sufficient elaboration.
Reflections
Little or no reflection, or only superficial reflection
Quality of Writing
There are frequent problems with spelling, sentence structure, organization, word selection. The paper needs to be returned and rewritten before further evaluation.
The paper is mechanically sound and the writing includes major arguments.
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Excellent All components present: 1) paper 5-6 pages; 2) all questions answered; 3) field notes; and 4) completed observation record Descriptions include specific and compelling evidence but also include deep and insightful inference on students' learning throughout the paper The logic of argument is clear throughout the paper. The discussions of the observed learning activity and theories/research are specific and focused.
Connections are present, sufficiently elaborated, and show clear understanding and convincing application of theories and concepts.
Reflections thoughtfully explore the dynamics of observed cases and include interrogation of the student’s taken-for-granted assumptions The paper is mechanically sound and the writing is persuasive and compelling.
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EDU 558XB: First and Second Language Development for the Classroom Teacher Case Study/Language Study Paper and Presentation: Students will conduct a case study with an English Language Learner and record linguistic issues he/she faces. Students will focus on five areas we will be studying in this course: syntax, semantics, phonology, morphology, sociolinguistics. Students will conduct contrastive analyses based on the language and English and ascertain areas that you suspect would be issues for English Language Learners from this linguistic group based on assessments discussed in class. As students go through the course, they will utilize linguistic principles to approach these issues, develop 5 lesson plans to target particular issues, record insights and compile these into a paper including classroom artifacts such as writing samples, interview and/or observation data, and record of the student’s performance during and after the lesson plans targeted towards these specific areas of difficulties.
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FORMS AND EVALUATION MATERIALS On the following pages you will find materials that will facilitate your summer field experience. Please be aware that you, as the teacher candidate, are responsible for maintaining all necessary records for your field experience. The responsibility for maintaining records should not fall to individuals who work at the placement site nor to the MCC field experiences coordinator. Your advancement to student teaching is dependent upon successful completion of all summer field experience requirements. Please keep in mind the following schedule for completing the necessary materials. Note that this checklist does not include course assignment deadlines. Candidates are expected to independently maintain a record of course assignment deadlines. Summer Field Experience Completion Checklist: To be completed by teacher candidate— Field Experience Observation Schedule Agreement — DUE 7/21/08 ***Make 2 photocopies before submitting -- Maintain one copy for your records, return one copy to your site supervisor Field Experience Attendance Log — DUE 8/18/08 ***Must document a minimum of 25 hours spent at your field experience site(s) ***Site supervisor must sign off before log is submitted. Field Experience Journal— DUE 8/18/08 Field Experience Site Evaluation — DUE 8/18/08 To be completed by site supervisor— Field Experience Attendance Log – Completed by teacher candidate, signed by supervisor MCC Teacher Candidate Evaluation—This should be returned directly to the MCC field experiences coordinator in an envelope provided by the teacher candidate. It should be mailed to: Nona Conner School of Leadership and Education Sciences University of San Diego 5998 Alcalá Park San Diego, CA, 92110-2492 ***If supervisors have any concerns regarding MCC candidates at any point during the semester, they should call Nona Conner directly at (619) 260-7713,
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Field Experience Observation & Schedule Agreement Dear Site Supervisor: Thank you for agreeing to host a USD teacher candidate this summer. Please review the information below and discuss your expectations with the USD teacher candidate. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly. Thank you again for supporting our teacher candidates. Nona Conner, MCC Field Experiences Coordinator Ph: 619-260-7713, email: conner@sandiego.edu Description of Responsibilities: 1. It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to manage all forms, keep track of his or her activities, and set up times for site visits. Each teacher candidate has also been asked to collect your preferred contact information and to notify you as soon as possible should he or she be unable to attend on a previously agreed upon day / time. 2. Through the course of the semester, please: a. Provide opportunities for the candidate to participate in the following activities: a. Observation of teaching and learning—Several hours need to be devoted to observation of teaching and learning at your site. This time spent observing (without simultaneously tutoring, working with small groups, etc.) will allow the candidate to learn from the teachers at the site and provide opportunities to make connections between the practices in place at your site and the theory and research discussed in their education coursework. b. Interaction with individuals or small groups— MCC candidates are required to provide support for the on-going educational activities at your site by working with individual students or small groups of students. Candidates may tutor individual students, offer academic enrichment to small groups of students, and provide additional support as directed by teachers or the site coordinator. c. Interaction with an English Language Learner— MCC candidates must have the opportunity to interact with and provide support for at least one student who is an English Language Learner. b. Provide a description of the site, its goals, the students and community served, the successes and challenges it faces. Discuss your teaching and students’ learning with the teacher candidate. Any information you are able to share with the candidate about your practices and the theories that guide your practices is much appreciated. c. Sign the teacher candidate’s Field Experience Attendance Log after each visit. It is the teacher candidate’s responsibility to keep the log up-to-date and to present it to you for your initials. Teacher candidates have committed themselves to serving at least 25 hours at their field experience site(s) between July 14 and August 18. d. Complete and sign a final MCC Teacher Candidate Evaluation. In addition to providing feedback to USD, this form may be used, at your discretion, as a forum for discussing the teacher candidate’s progress with him or her. Please return the completed evaluation to the course instructor in the stamped, self-addressed envelope provided by MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 15
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the teacher candidate. This evaluation will be considered in the candidate’s course grade; the teacher candidate will be unable to advance to student teaching if a satisfactory evaluation is not received. 3. You are always welcome and encouraged to contact the field coordinator with questions, observations, or concerns. In addition, if you have serious concerns regarding the teacher candidate’s commitment and/or ability to meet the field experience requirements, you may file a statement of concern. Please send a written and signed statement documenting your concerns to the MCC field experiences coordinator. A meeting will be scheduled with the teacher candidate as soon as possible to discuss an appropriate course of action. Depending on the severity of the concern, the field experience may be terminated. Contact Information: Site Supervisor:
Name: _____________________________________________________ E-mail: __________________________ Phone: _________________
Teacher Candidate: Name: _____________________________________________________ E-mail: __________________________ Phone: _________________
Anticipated Schedule: Site Schedule:
M ____
Tu ____
W ____
Th ____
F ____
Sa/Su ____
Candidate Observation Schedule:
M ____
Tu ____
W ____
Th ____
F ____
Sa/Su ____
Anticipated Holidays / Student Non-Attendance Days: ________________________________
Signatures: Please sign below to indicate that the Teacher Candidate and Site Supervisor have reviewed the practicum expectations and set a mutually agreed upon schedule: Signature, USD Teacher Candidate:
_______________________________________________
Signature, Site Supervisor: ______________________________________________________ Date: MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 16
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Field Experience Attendance Log Teacher Candidate: ________________________ Field Site: __________________________ Site Supervisor: ___________________________ Grade/Class: ________________________ Site Observations: Date # of Hours
Activities (Briefly describe your activities on this day)
Total Hours Completed: ___________________
Supervisor Initials
Completion Date: ____________________
Teacher Candidate Signature: _____________________________________________________ Site Supervisor Signature:
_____________________________________________________
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Field Experience Observation Guide OBSERVATION TOPICS: Observe & discuss with your site supervisor the following questions. Please note that these are guidelines only. Additional observations and questions are encouraged. Course instructors will provide more specific observation prompts that respond directly to course readings and research. • •
•
• • • • • • •
Site environment – How is the site organized? Who runs the site? What are the stated goals of the site? How is the site connected to the term-time K-12 educational system? Community connections – What communit(ies) are served by this organization? How are the organization and the communit(ies) connected? Are families and/or community leaders welcome on site? How does the site reach out to the community? Are there connections between the students’ home cultures and teaching and learning at the site? Student, parent and teacher motivations – What are parents’ motivations for sending students to this site? What are students’ motivations for attending? What are teachers’ and site leaders’ motivations for working at the site? How do these motivations connect and/or contradict each other? Student strengths and needs – What knowledge, skills, and experiences do students bring with them into the classroom? How do students’ backgrounds contribute to classroom learning? How do students’ backgrounds challenge classroom learning? Academic expectations for students—What are the academic expectations for students? How are expectations communicated? How are students motivated to work to achieve these expectations? Instructional methods—What methods of instruction are utilized at the site? How is instruction differentiated to meet the diverse needs of students? Student engagement—How are students expected to participate in learning? How do students respond to expectations? Assessment of learning—What evidence is there of student learning? Are students involved in assessing their own learning? How do teachers use assessment to inform future instruction? Classroom management—What are the behavioral expectations for students? How does the physical organization of the classroom support these expectations? How do the routines and rules of the classroom support these expectations? Classroom community—Is the classroom a “community of learners”? How is community cultivated in the classroom?
JOURNAL RESPONSES: Respond to the topics listed above in your journal. Journal writing should be informal; it may take the form of bulleted notes, a dialectical journal, or a narrative response. You are the primary audience for these reflections. When appropriate, you may wish to take notes during your site observations. In addition, you are expected to reflect in writing after each site visit. Each reflection should be dated and occupy a minimum of ½ page of space. Journals may be kept in notebook or electronic form. You should regularly bring your course meetings and are expected to submit the journal to the MCC Field Experiences Coordinator by August 18. Journals will be returned to you in preparation for student teaching during the fall MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 18
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semester. Please note that journals will be shared within the MCC program community and should not contain confidential information. Journals may respond directly to the observation questions listed above. The following questions may be used as additional prompts to guide journal responses. • • • • • •
Record highlights— Describe observed activities or experiences that were highlights for you, the students, and/or the classroom teacher. What mattered in the classroom today and why? Ask questions – What do you wonder about what you have observed? These may be questions you want to discuss with your site supervisor or your colleagues at USD or may simply be questions you want to ponder on your own. Notice apparent contradictions—Were there contradictions between stated objectives and actual events? If so, why do you think this occurred? Was it a problem? What adjustments could be made to ameliorate the contradiction in the future? Make connections – How do the activities and experiences of what is happening in the classroom connect with course readings? How do they connect with your previous experiences in the K-12 classroom as a teacher or learner? Brainstorm ideas – What ideas from this observation might you take away and apply in your own classroom? How could the lessons, activities, and structures at the site be refocused and used in other classrooms or grade levels? What improvements might be made? Consider your own learning—What did you learn from this observation? What did you learn about teaching? What did you learn about learning?
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MCC Teacher Candidate Evaluation -- Summer 2008 Field Experience USD Student: ________________________ Site Supervisor: ______________________
Field Experience Site: ______________
Student Performance 1. Dependability (attendance and promptness) 2. Professionalism 3. Commitment and willingness to work 4. Ability to receive feedback and suggestions 5. Capacity for reflection and inquiry 6. Enthusiasm and potential for teaching 7. Flexibility 8. Clear communication 9. Relationship/rapport with students 10. Sensitiveness to issues of diversity including cultural, linguistic, economic and cognitive histories. 11. Working with students individually. 12. Working with students in groups.
1
2
3
4
N/0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O N/O
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
N/O N/O
Rating:
1= Needs improvement 2= Satisfactory N/0= Not Observed
3= Strong 4= Outstanding
Comments
Other Comments: (Please add additional comments on the back of this form or on a separate sheet of paper)
Site Supervisor Signature: ______________________________________________
Date: ______________________________
Note: In addition to providing feedback to USD, this form may be used, at your discretion, as a forum for discussing the teacher candidate’s progress with him/her. Please return the completed evaluation to the MCC field experience coordinator, Nona Conner in the stamped, addressed envelope provided by the teacher candidate or via fax.
MCC Field Experience Site Evaluation -- Summer 2008 To be completed by the MCC candidate Field Experience Site: ___________________________ Site Supervisor: _______________________________ Field Experience Survey Response 1. Opportunities to observe teaching and learning 2. Opportunities to interact with students in educational settings 3. Opportunities to interact with teachers / site leaders 4. Accessibility of site (time schedule, location) 5. Educational environment of site 6. Knowledge, experience, & pedagogy of teachers / site leaders 7. Sensitivity of teachers / site leaders to issues of diversity including cultural, linguistic, economic, and cognitive histories. 8. Support for student learning 9. Support for MCC candidate learning. 10. Clear communication.
Rating:
1= Needs improvement 2= Satisfactory 3= Strong 4= Outstanding
1
2
3
4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
Short Answer Response: 11. Was this experience intellectually stimulating? Did it stretch your thinking?
12.
What knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions did you gain from this experience?
13.
What aspects of this field experience contributed most to your learning?
14.
What aspects of this field experience detracted from your learning?
15.
Would you recommend continued use of this field placement? What suggestions do you have for improving the experience?
16.
Other comments:
If extra space is required, please attach additional pages. Please return completed form to Nona Conner, MCC Field Experiences Coordinator. MCC Summer Field Experience Guide – Page 21
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