Table of Contents

Field and Clinical Experiences        1

❖        Overview        1

Observation Guide        3

❖        What is an Observation?        3

Field Experience Guide        4.

❖        What is a Field Experience?        4

❖        Placement Embedded Courses        4

❖        Requesting a Field Experience Placement        5

❖        Registering for a Field Experience        7

❖        Preparing for a Field Experience        8

❖        Completing a Field Experience        9

❖        Field Experience Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation        13

❖        Field Experience Team        14

Residency……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16 

Student Teaching Guide        18

❖        What is Student Teaching?        18

❖        Applying for Student Teaching        19

❖        Registering for Student Teaching        21

❖        Preparing for your Student Teaching        21

❖        Completing your Student Teaching        22

❖        Student Teaching Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation        25

❖        Student Teaching Team        26

Internship Guide        28

❖        What is an Internship?        28

❖        Applying for an Internship        29

❖        Registering for an Internship        29

❖        Preparing for an Internship        30

❖        Completing an Internship        30

❖        Internship Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation        31

❖        Internship Support Team        33

Conceptual Framework        37

Field and Clinical Experiences Alignment        38

Brenau University College of Education

Field and Clinical Experiences

Note:  In this handbook, the term teacher candidate or candidate is used to denote the Brenau University education student.

• Overview

• Brenau University College of Education places education majors in school settings for the purpose of having them observe good teaching in a classroom setting, of giving them an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills regarding teaching and learning, and of further preparing themselves to become a teacher in their own classroom. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GA PSC) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) have encouraged teacher preparation programs to move from a model based on academic preparation and coursework to one with more of a clinical focus.  At Brenau, methods courses include an embedded field experience.  There is also an emphasis on the importance of creating and developing partnerships between teacher preparation programs and the schools and school districts that provide placements for the education majors.  

• Candidates work in regionally accredited partner schools with a mentor teacher and a university supervisor as their chief support during the field and clinical placements.  These experiences build in duration from 48 hour field experience placements to a full semester of full-time student teaching/internship.  The field and clinical experiences increase in complexity and participation from observing the classroom teacher to participation in instruction and assessment in field experiences, and finally to a period of full responsibility during student teaching. The grade bands for the three field experiences match the requirements for the degree. Students may choose any of the three bands for student teaching.  

• In the case of Internships for MAT students, these students are already hired by a system as a lead teacher on a waiver certificate.  Their internship is one semester with the University Supervisor providing support and feedback on their teaching.  They have assignments in Livetext that are a part of the experience. A colleague on the school staff acts as their Mentor Teacher.

Education majors that include field and clinical experiences are

• Early Childhood Education, undergraduate and MAT
• Middle Grades Education, undergraduate and MAT
• Special Education, undergraduate and  MAT
• Secondary Education, MAT
• Music Education, undergraduate

Brenau places candidates in four types of placements:

• Field Experience (three semesters, 48 contact hours each)
• Student Teaching (one semester with Mentor/host teacher)
• Internship (one semester in their own classroom, colleague as Mentor Teacher)

Teacher candidates learn details about these placements when they take ED100/501 Clinical Experiences Seminar. Candidates may participate in observations following ED100/501. They must be admitted to Teacher Education before they may participate in any clinical experiences.

Important:

All placements are arranged by the Clinical Experiences Office.

Teacher candidates do not ever contact the school or school system directly to arrange or change a placement.

Observation Guide

• What is an Observation?

In an observation, candidates simply watch what is happening in the classroom with a focus on a particular assignment.  For example, if candidates are observing for a classroom management assignment, they will watch for and take notes on how teachers and students interact regarding behavior, class procedures, etc.  In an observation, candidates do not work with or interact with the students in the classroom. Candidates may observe for up to 10 hours per semester as required by classes at Brenau.  

Among other requirements, candidates must meet these requirements before they are placed in an observation.

• Pass a criminal background check
• Submit proof of current professional liability insurance

Non Certification Programs

Candidates who are in education programs that do not lead to Georgia Teacher Certification may complete observations associated with their placement embedded courses.  These observations are arranged by the Clinical Experiences Office and candidates complete assignments before and after the observation.  Non certification candidates receive information about their observation placements and supervision from the Clinical Experiences Office.

• Field Experience Guide

In a field experience, teacher candidates work with individual students, as well as small and large groups, in a classroom setting.  It is NOT just an observation.  Teacher candidates work with a mentor teacher whose job matches the certification the candidate is seeking.  Candidates plan and teach lessons, conduct and analyze assessments, and assist with other duties (recess, bus, etc.) as the opportunity arises.          

Teacher candidates spend 48 hours during the semester in field experiences in identified grade bands as required by the GA PSC for their major.  Each field experience is part of a placement embedded course. For candidates employed by a GA school system, the Field Experience must take place OUTSIDE of their classroom.

Among other requirements, candidates must meet these requirements before they are placed    

in a field experience.

• Hold a Georgia Pre Service Certificate (or Waiver in the case of a lead teacher)
• Have current professional liability insurance

• Placement Embedded Courses

• Methods courses have been identified in each major as placement embedded courses.  When teacher candidates take these courses, they complete a field experience at the same time.  Candidates complete a Field Experience Project (set of assignments) in LiveText in each placement as well as assignments from the placement embedded course instructor.  Candidates must satisfactorily complete the field experience requirements in order to receive credit for the placement embedded course.

Each placement is for 48 hours of school time.  The placement matches the candidates’ major in terms of grade bands, and, when possible, the methods courses in which the placements are embedded.  

Field experience placements are for one whole semester and begin at the start of Brenau’s semester.  The schools are expecting the candidate at the start of Brenau’s semester.  Teacher candidates need to be sure they schedule their placement hours throughout their placement embedded course/s because they will have assignments from the course instructor that must be completed in the placement.  In other words, candidates should not schedule their visits to begin several weeks after the course starts or to end halfway through the course.  Candidates need to be able to complete the assignments the instructor gives while they are in the placement; these assignments will be turned in to the instructor.  If the candidate has questions, the course instructor or the university supervisor can help.

The following placement embedded courses include assignments that will be carried out in a field experience placement.  Teacher candidates must have a field experience placement in order to register for these courses.  Candidates should check their program plans to see the placement embedded courses for their major and their course rotation to see the semester in which each course is offered.  If a candidate did not request a placement by the published deadline, he/she will not be able to register for a placement embedded course.

Placement Embedded Courses

• Requesting a Field Experience Placement

All placements are arranged by the Clinical Experiences Office.  Candidates do not ever contact the school or school system directly to arrange or change a placement.  Candidates should not discuss a placement with anyone in a school or school district office until after they have received a confirmation form for their placement.  In most cases, candidates will have input into the placements Brenau requests for them.  Once they have submitted their placement application, candidates should check their Brenau email daily in case there are any questions.  When the placement request has been confirmed, candidates will receive an email near the beginning of the semester from the Clinical Experiences Office with instructions for contacting the mentor teacher to schedule the school visits.

• Teacher candidates must submit a Field Experience Placement Request by the published deadline (January 21 for Fall Semester placements and September 21 for Spring Semester placements).  There are no summer placements.

Think of it this way.  When a candidate registers for a math course, he simply goes to the listed classroom on the first day of class.  With a field experience placement, however, Brenau must arrange for a school to allow the candidate to come into a classroom.  This means that the Clinical Experiences Office must process and approve each candidate’s placement application.  Then the office must send the school system’s contact person a request for their placement.  This person processes the request, making sure the candidate meets the system’s requirements, and then sends the request to the school where the principal or his designee talks with a teacher in the grade level or subject the candidate asked for and decides whether to approve or decline the request.  That approval or denial is then sent back to the school system’s contact person who replies to the Clinical Experiences Office.  If the request is denied, the process must start over again.  Because of all these steps, and because candidates are in competition with all education candidates from other universities who are requesting placements, candidates must apply early for each clinical placement.  Unless the request is denied, placement requests cannot be changed.

• When the application window opens, students who are eligible for a field placement will be emailed a link to apply. The placement request must be filled out completely.  If the Clinical Experiences Office has to contact a candidate regarding information omitted from the request, the candidate’s placement could be delayed.  

• The deadline for applying for a field experience placement for Spring Semester is September 21 and the deadline for applying for a field experience placement in Fall Semester is January 21.  Teacher candidates should put these deadline dates on their calendar and watch their email for reminders that the deadline is near.  Late applications or appeals for late applications cannot be accepted. Think carefully before you list the schools you are requesting.  

• Once candidates request placement for a field or clinical experience, they are expected to complete that placement.  The placement request is sent in the candidate’s name.  It does not give a good impression of the candidate if schools and school systems grant the placement request and then are notified that the candidate is not coming.  Teacher candidates should talk with their advisor about their program plan and check the placement plan they created in ED100/501; they should make sure they are following the plan and are committed to it before they apply for placement.

• Because field experiences are embedded in content and methods courses, candidates will only be allowed to request a “stand-alone” field experience (not connected to a placement embedded course) if ALL placement embedded courses for their major have been completed.  

• All placements are arranged by the Clinical Experiences Office; candidates do not ever contact the school or school system directly to arrange or change a placement.  In most cases, candidates will have input into the placements we request for them.  

• During their placements, candidates will be placed in diverse settings that allow them to experience working with students of different ethnicities, of low socio-economic levels, with special needs, in different settings (rural, suburban, and rural), with English language learners, as well as with students in the different grade bands of their major.  This is in compliance with the rules of the PSC.

• Note:  Information from the GA PSC now makes it possible for a candidate who is employed in a school to complete some field experiences and student teaching in his/her job setting.  If a candidate is employed in a school, he/she should email the clinical office at  coeclinical@brenau.edu to see if his/her job setting meets the requirements to make this possible.

• Registering for a Field Experience

The placement request application only asks the Clinical Experiences Office to find the candidate a school in which to complete the placement.  When registration opens, candidates still must register through CampusWEB to take the placement embedded course associated with the field experience.  

• Candidates must have requested a placement in order to register for a placement embedded course.

This means that candidates who did not request a field experience placement by the published deadline will not have a placement and will not be able to register for a placement embedded course.

For example, ED383 Teaching Math ECE is a placement embedded course.  Teacher candidates must have a field experience placement in order to complete some assignments in this course.  A candidate who did not request a field experience will not be able to register for this course.

When candidates register on CampusWEB for a placement embedded course, they will see a FE100 message; it means that this registration requires approval from the Clinical Experiences Office. 

The candidate will complete the Registration Application for Embedded Course.

The Clinical Experiences Office will check to make sure the candidate requested a field experience placement for that semester.  If so, they will email the candidate with further instructions.  If the candidate did not submit a placement request by the published deadline, the office will contact the candidate to let her know that she will not be able to register for the placement embedded course/s that semester.

• Preparing for a Field Experience

• Communication about the field experience will come to the candidate through Brenau email.

It is very important that candidates check their Brenau email daily when they have submitted a placement request.  Sometimes there is more information needed, questions that must be answered, or changes that need to be communicated.  The candidate should continue to check Brenau email daily for any communication regarding the placement.

• Teacher candidates should make sure they have submitted all requirements through LiveText as soon as possible.  For example, if a candidate already has a pre-service certificate, they should go ahead and submit it and not wait for the deadline.  If the candidate misses a deadline, the field experience placement request will be put on hold until that requirement is met.  This could jeopardize the field experience and could mean that they will not be placed in the school or in the semester they requested.

• The final deadline posted for ALL field experience requirements cannot be extended.

• When a placement request has been approved and confirmed by the schools and a university supervisor has been assigned to the candidate, the candidate will be notified shortly before the start of the semester through Brenau email that the field experience placement has been finalized.  The candidate will complete the Field Experience Contract, have it signed by the mentor teacher, and submit it through the Field Experience Project in LiveText when the field experience begins.  

• The candidate will follow instructions on the contract form to contact the university supervisor and the mentor teacher.

• The candidate will set up the placement schedule with the mentor teacher.  This schedule will be based on the mentor teacher’s classroom schedule and the candidate’s schedule, with consideration of the methods courses that the candidate will take that semester.

• The candidate should check the school’s website or ask the mentor teacher about the school’s dress code for staff members.  It is the candidate’s responsibility to know and follow the school’s dress code each time she goes to the school.

• Once the placement has been confirmed, the candidate should look at the state standards for the grade level and subject/s she will be working with in the placement.

• The candidate should read the Field Experience Documents and Links available on the Clinical Experiences website.

• In some semesters, the candidate’s placement embedded course/s may only be in the second session of the semester.  Regardless, the candidate must contact the mentor teacher as instructed in the Field Experience Contract.  The school and mentor teacher are expecting to hear from the candidate in order to plan for the field experience.  

The candidate should plan attending the field experience at the beginning of the semester and should keep in mind the due date for each of their Field Experience Projects in LiveText.

• When a candidate receives their Field Experience Contract, they should contact the mentor teacher to introduce themselves and set up the schedule for  visits to the school.  Contact information is included on the contract form.  The candidate should keep in mind that field experience placements are for one whole semester and begin at the start of Brenau’s semester.  The candidate needs to be able to complete the assignments the embedded course instructor gives while she is in the placement; these assignments will be turned in to the instructor.  Also, the candidate should be at the school during instructional time that matches the placement embedded course/s.  When she is taking a math methods course, she should be at the school during math instruction.  If the candidate has questions, the course instructor or the university supervisor can help.

• Completing a Field Experience

• Once the candidate and mentor teacher have agreed upon a schedule for visits to the school, it is very important that the candidate follows that schedule.  The mentor teacher will be expecting the candidate to be there at the scheduled day and time.  Changes should only be made for emergencies and these should be very rare.  If the candidate must change the schedule, they must notify the mentor teacher AND the university supervisor ahead of time.  Tardies, absences, and leaving the placement early all are considered in the candidate’s field experience evaluation.

• Attendance and punctuality are very important parts of professional behavior in the field experience and will be considered in the field experience evaluation.  In other words, all tardies, absences, and leaving the placement early all are considered in the candidate’s field experience evaluation.

An absence should be due to an emergency.  The candidate should notify both the mentor teacher and the university supervisor if they MUST be absent.  

• IMPORTANT NOTE: Teaching candidates should not use a cell phone, tablet, laptop, etc., during the time they are in the school unless the device is being used, with the mentor teacher’s permission, to teach students. These devices should be turned off and put away during the field experience.

• The field experience begins at the start of the semester.  As mentioned, in some semesters, the candidate’s placement embedded course/s may only be in the second session of the semester.  Regardless, the candidate must contact the mentor teacher as instructed in the Field Experience Contract.  The school and mentor teacher are expecting to hear from the candidate in order to plan for the field experience.  

The candidate must meet the due date for submitting ALL Field Experience Project Assignments in LiveText.  These begin at the start of the semester.

• It is important that the candidate know and understand how to calculate the hours she spends in the field experience placement.  It is expected that most of the time will still be instructional time.  However, candidates may also include non-instructional time that is spent participating with the mentor teacher and/or students (during planning, recess duty, bus duty, lunch duty, before and/or after school duties).  This will allow candidates to be at school for almost an entire day (up to seven hours), if that works into the candidate’s and the teacher’s schedules.

Note:  Teacher candidates may not count time spent at school away from the mentor teacher and students.  For example, a candidate may not go to the library and work on an assignment (including the Field Experience Project) while the students and mentor teacher are at lunch, recess, etc., and count that as part of their field experience time.

Candidates may count up to seven hours of school time per day in the field experience.  These seven hours must be allowable time as described above.

• Candidates must complete all the requirements of the field experience and any assignments for the field experience on time.  This is very important!  If the candidate needs help or if she has questions, the candidate should ask the university supervisor.  Missed deadlines and late assignments will be considered in the field experience evaluation. 

• All field experience requirements must be satisfactorily completed in order to receive credit for the field experience placement, otherwise, it must be repeated and will delay graduation.

• Field experience candidates should remember that all knowledge about learners is confidential and should only be shared within professional guidelines. If in doubt about whether to comment on learners, you must not say anything until you have checked with one of your supervisors or an administrator. It is okay to say, "I will have to check" or "I do not know."

• In all speaking and writing (including emails and journals), the candidate is expected to communicate clearly, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  This will be considered in the field experience evaluation.

• All field experiences must be satisfactorily completed in order for a candidate to be eligible for student teaching.

• The candidate should remember that he/she is building a professional reputation.  The university supervisor and the people the candidate works with at the school are likely the ones they will ask for references when they apply for their first teaching position!

• It is always a good idea to write a thank you note to the mentor teacher at the end of the field experience.  The mentor teacher has given their time and shared their expertise during the field experience on top of their normal duties and a thank you note lets them know that this has been appreciated.  It also leaves a very good impression!

Policies and Procedures

Absences

Teacher candidates are expected to follow the schedule they made with the mentor teacher.  This means that changes should only be made when absolutely necessary.  In the case of illness or emergency, candidates should call the mentor teacher as early as possible, preferably the night before, certainly no later than 7:00 a.m. They should notify the university supervisor that day by email unless a visit by the supervisor has been scheduled.  If the university supervisor is visiting that day and the candidate will not be at school or if school has been canceled for inclement weather, she should call the university supervisor early enough to reach the university supervisor before he or she leaves home.  Questions regarding this regulation should be addressed to your university supervisor.

If the candidate is absent when she is scheduled to teach, she must provide lesson plans to the person who will teach her class.

Appearance

The candidate’s appearance should reflect good personal grooming and hygiene. He/she should be working now to build a professional wardrobe so that, when it is time for student teaching, there are enough professional pieces in the candidate’s wardrobe to allow him/her to dress professionally every day.

Candidates are expected to dress in a professional manner irrespective of the type of dress allowed in the school.  For women, this would mean dresses, skirts, or slacks, and blouses, suits, or sweaters.  For men, appropriate attire is considered to be slacks, collared shirt, and a possibly a tie. Sport shirts are acceptable if they are collared.  

Jeans and t-shirts are unacceptable.  Note: If your school has special dress up days (e.g., “jeans day,” “dress as favorite book character day,” “Braves Spirit Day,” etc.) you are encouraged to dress appropriately for the event, still in a professional manner.

It is important for candidates to find out the dress code of the school, and, if there are requirements in addition to Brenau’s requirements, those must also be followed.

Corporal Punishment

A Brenau teacher candidate does not participate in or act as an official witness to any act(s) of corporal punishment.

Money

Brenau teacher candidates do not collect or handle money in the field experience.

Arrival and Departure Times

Candidates are expected to be in the classroom by the time agreed upon by the candidate and mentor teacher and remain in the classroom until the agreed upon departure time.  This does not mean the time the candidate arrives and leaves the school building, but the time spent in the classroom with the mentor teacher and students.  If the candidate has questions about this, she should contact her university supervisor for advice.

Confidentiality

Candidates should remember that all knowledge they have about learners is confidential and should only be shared within professional guidelines. If the candidate is in doubt about whether to comment on learners, she must not say anything until she has checked with one of the supervisors or an administrator. It is okay to say, "I will have to check" or "I do not know."

Ethical Behavior

Candidates should exhibit ethical behavior at all times. This means that they should refrain from discussing with anyone other than the two supervisors any negative reactions they might have. Should they have professional concerns, they should discuss these confidentially with their university supervisor. 

Liability Insurance

Candidates must obtain professional liability insurance through a professional organization or private insurance firm.  Candidates will not be placed in a field experience without having submitted proof of current professional liability insurance by the due date posted in LiveText.

GA Pre Service Certificate

Candidates may not be placed or participate in a field experience without a current GA Pre Service Certificate or a Waiver/Provisional Certificate.  This must be submitted by the due date posted in LiveText.

Assignments to Complete in Field Experiences

• Placement Embedded Course Assignments

Teacher candidates receive instructions from the placement embedded course instructor for course assignments to be accomplished in conjunction with the placement. These assignments are completed in the field experience setting and turned in to the placement embedded course instructor for evaluation.

It is very important to remember that, as stated in the syllabus, if the candidate does not satisfactorily complete the requirements for the field experience, he/she will have to repeat the experience and that could delay graduation.

• Field Experience Project

The Field Experience Project in LiveText consists of assignments that all candidates will complete in every field experience. The university supervisor evaluates the field experience project.  The Field Experience Project assignments are available in LiveText at the beginning of the semester. 

All instructions and due dates are included in each Field Experience Project assignment in LiveText.  It is important that these assignments be completed and submitted by each posted due date.  Late assignments will be considered in the field experience evaluation.  

• Field Experience Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation

• Assignments from the placement embedded course are given by, submitted to, and evaluated by the placement embedded course instructor.   The candidate will receive instructions for these assignments from the course instructor.

• Candidates must satisfactorily complete all requirements of the field experience in order to receive credit for each placement embedded course associated with that field experience.

• Instructions for the assignments in the Field Experience Project for each field experience are included in LiveText.  These assignments are submitted through LiveText and evaluated by the university supervisor.  All of these assignments must be satisfactorily completed in order to receive credit for the placement embedded courses associated with the field experience.  Submitting each assignment by the posted due date is very important!  This is considered in the field experience evaluation.

• Teacher candidates must complete all field experiences required for their major before they are eligible for student teaching.

• Field Experience Team

Teacher candidates have three leaders who guide and evaluate them in each field experience.  These are the mentor teacher, the university supervisor, and the placement embedded course instructor.

• Mentor Teacher

Mentor teachers play a very important role in the preparation of preservice teachers and Brenau is very grateful for their contributions!

Mentor teachers receive initial information that a field experience candidate is coming to their classroom from their school administration.  Once placements have been finalized, the Clinical Experiences Office notifies candidates of their confirmed placement and candidates contact their assigned mentor teacher.  This is usually done by email at least a couple of weeks before the semester begins.  In this initial email, the candidate includes the name and contact information (Brenau email address) for their assigned university supervisor.  The mentor teacher is encouraged to contact the university supervisor if he/she has concerns during the field experience placement.

The candidate asks the mentor teacher for a daily class schedule and arranges a schedule for visiting the classroom with the mentor teacher’s advice and help.  Candidates participate for 48 hours in each of their field experience placements.  Each placement is embedded in one or more methods courses that the candidate takes simultaneously with the field experience.  The placement should be planned to last throughout the content or methods course.  Once the schedule has been set, the candidate is expected to follow this schedule.

The candidate has certain assignments that he/she is responsible for completing.  Candidates are required to plan and teach one or more lessons during each field experience.  The candidate’s university supervisor visits the school and observes the candidate teach one of these lessons during each field experience.  The date and time for each lesson is coordinated by the candidate to accommodate both the mentor teacher and the university supervisor.  At that visit, the university supervisor speaks briefly with the mentor teacher to ask about the candidate’s participation in the field experience, particularly regarding professional behavior (attendance, punctuality, dress code, being prepared, interaction with staff and students, etc.  Following the lesson, the university supervisor meets with the candidate to discuss the lesson and offer feedback.

If the candidate has requested placement in a school that is not near a Brenau campus, lesson observations are conducted by video.  The candidate videos themselves teaching a lesson and posts the video on a platform that can be shared with the university supervisor (Youtube private channels work well).  The university supervisor views the video and gives feedback through email and the lesson observation feedback form.  All information and instructions for the video, as well as forms (including the video permission form required for every student in the video) are included in the LiveText assignment.

In the second and third field experience, the mentor teacher also formally observes the candidate teaching one lesson and gives feedback on the observation feedback form.  This form is located in the Mentor Teacher’s documents in the Field Experience Documents posted on the Field and Clinical Experiences website and is given to the mentor teacher by the candidate.

At the midpoint and again at the end of the placement, the mentor teacher is asked to complete the Placement Dispositions Rubric (PDR).  This feedback will allow Brenau to help guide our candidates to improve their performance in each successive placement.

• University Supervisor

University supervisors serve as the primary contact for candidates and mentor teachers, and as the evaluator for candidates during their field experiences.  Candidates are notified by the Clinical Experiences Office and told who their university supervisor will be; supervisors may also email their assigned candidates in an initial contact.

During the candidate’s initial email to the assigned mentor teacher, she should provide the teacher with the name and contact information for the university supervisor.  This contact information should be the university supervisor’s Brenau email address.

As the placement progresses, the university supervisor will evaluate assignments posted by the candidate in LiveText.  The supervisor may also comment or give feedback during the field experience through LiveText and/or through Brenau’s email. Whether the candidate submitted the assignment by the posted due date in LiveText is considered in the evaluation.

Most interaction during the field experience is through LiveText and Brenau’s email; however, the university supervisor does make a visit to the school, or watch the videoed lesson in a remote placement, when the candidate is teaching a lesson.  The student will complete a lesson plan for the lesson, sharing it via email with the university supervisor prior to the lesson being taught. The university supervisor observes the lesson (either in person or by video) and gives feedback on the lesson delivery.

Student Teaching Guide

• What is Student Teaching?

Student teaching is a full-time placement that lasts one full semester, per the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. It is designed to provide the student teacher with opportunities to practice and demonstrate the skills, knowledge and behaviors developed during the teacher education program.  Teacher candidates gradually take on the duties and responsibilities of the mentor teacher; they have full responsibility for all planning, instruction, assessment, management, and duties for a minimum of four weeks.  Throughout student teaching, candidates also complete Student Teaching Project assignments in LiveText.

During the student teaching experience, the candidate engages in the practice of skills, techniques, and knowledge acquired in both the classroom and field-based settings.   In that setting, the candidate is expected to try out, revise, and finally refine these skills necessary for successful teaching.   The major purpose, then, is to provide the candidate an opportunity to demonstrate in a realistic setting that they do in fact possess the skills, knowledge and behaviors required of a beginning classroom teacher.

Among other requirements, student teachers must meet these requirements before they are placed for student teaching.

• Have completed all other courses, as well as all observations and field experiences.
• Hold a current Georgia Pre Service Certificate
• Show proof of current professional liability insurance
• Have passed all applicable GACE content area exams
• Meet GPA requirements (2.75 undergraduate, 3.0 MAT students)

Student Teaching Courses

Either ED415 Applied Instruction (undergrad) or ED700 Clinical Practice Seminar (MAT)) is also taken during student teaching.

• Applying for Student Teaching

• All placements are arranged by the Clinical Experiences Office.  Candidates do not ever contact the school or school system directly to arrange or change a placement.  Candidates should not discuss a placement with anyone in a school or school district office until after they have received a confirmation form for their placement.  In most cases, candidates will have input into the placements Brenau requests for them.  Once they have submitted their placement application, candidates should check their Brenau email daily in case there are any questions.  When the placement request has been confirmed, candidates will receive an email near the beginning of the semester from the Clinical Experiences Office with instructions for contacting the mentor teacher.

• The deadline for applying for a student teaching placement for Spring Semester is September 21 and the deadline for applying for a student teaching placement in Fall Semester is January 21.  Candidates should put these deadline dates on their calendar and watch their email for reminders that the deadline is near.  Late applications or appeals for late applications cannot be accepted.

• Candidates must submit a Student Teaching Placement Application when the window opens and they receive a link for the application.  The placement request must be filled out completely.  If the Clinical Experiences Office has to contact a candidate regarding information omitted from the request, the candidate’s placement could be delayed.  

• Candidates must follow instructions in LiveText to secure verification from their advisor that they are indeed eligible for student teaching.

• Think carefully before you list the schools you are requesting.  Once a placement request has been submitted, it cannot be changed unless the school system denies the placement request.  

• Once candidates submit an application for a student teaching placement, they are expected to complete that placement.  The placement request is sent in the candidate’s name.  It does not give a good impression of the candidate if schools and school systems grant the placement request and then are notified that the candidate is not coming.  Candidates should talk with their advisor about their program plan; they should make sure they are following the plan and are committed to it before they apply for a student teaching placement.

As mentioned before, this is for the Brenau candidates’ benefit.  It allows them to play one role during their student teaching; it also allows the school to see them as a future teacher rather than a parent, volunteer, former student, family member, etc.  It reduces

        distractions for the candidate and allows them to focus on demonstrating their

        knowledge and skills as an educator while they are there.  

• It is possible for a candidate who is employed in a school to complete some field experiences and student teaching in their job setting.  This information is part of the ED 100/501 Clinical Experiences Seminar course.  If a candidate is employed in a school, he/she should email the clinical office at coeclinical@brenau.edu  to see if his/her job setting meets the requirements to make this possible.

• Student teaching is a "full semester" commitment, according to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.  Candidates will be participating full-time at the school with the same schedule the teacher has.  This includes before and after school duties such as bus, car rider, and breakfast, as well as meetings, tutoring, conferences, planning, workshops, PTA, curriculum nights, spaghetti suppers, Saturday fall festivals, student programs, etc.  These could include some afternoon, evening, or even weekend time.

        Candidates will also have the responsibilities of planning, materials preparation, and         grading and they will find that this does not fit into the school day.  They will be spending time working at home in the evenings and on weekends, too.   

        It is important for candidates to start NOW thinking of their responsibilities that may         need special consideration and preparation. 

• Will they need child care?  Do they care for elderly parents or have other special responsibilities?  Candidates should be sure they have a back-up plan and a back-up plan for the back-up plan!  Attendance during student teaching is critical and candidates are expected to be there every day.  Any time missed must be only for an emergency and must be made up at the end of student teaching.

• Is the candidate an officer in her sorority or other campus, church, or community organization?  Now is a good time to arrange for someone else to assume their duties while they are student teaching.  This is not the time to agree to be an officer in a sorority or other organization, chair the bake sale, coach the little league team, or take on any other role that would require much of the candidate’s time.

• Do they need to make any arrangements for transportation?

• Do they have a job now?  What arrangements do they need to be away from their job?  Remember that student teaching truly is full-time.

Thinking of these things now will help the candidate better plan and make arrangements for any support she will need during her student teaching semester.

• Registering for Student Teaching

• The student teaching application only asks the Clinical Experiences Office to find the candidate a school in which to complete student teaching.  Teacher candidates still must register through CampusWEB office to take the two courses associated with student teaching.  

• Candidates must submit all student teaching requirements in LiveText before they will be cleared to register for their student teaching courses.  They will then register in CampusWEB for their courses.

• Candidates register for 9 hours of student teaching and either ED415 Applied Instruction (undergraduate candidates) or ED700 Clinical Practice Seminar (MAT students).

• Preparing for Student Teaching

• Communication about student teaching will come to the candidate through her Brenau email.  It is very important that candidates check their Brenau email daily when they have submitted a student teaching placement request.  Sometimes there is more information needed, questions that must be answered, or changes that need to be made.  The candidate should continue to check her Brenau email daily for any communication regarding the student teaching placement.

• Candidates should make sure they have submitted all requirements through LiveText as soon as possible.  For example, if a candidate already has a pre-service certificate, she should go ahead and submit it and not wait for the deadline.  If the candidate misses a deadline, his/her student teaching application will be put on hold until that requirement is met.  This could jeopardize her student teaching, and could result in the candidate not being placed in the school or in the semester she requested.

• Candidates will not be able to register for any student teaching courses until all student teaching placement requirements have been met.  Candidates will receive an email when they have been cleared to register.  Candidates should not ask any advisor or staff member in the registrar’s office to help them register before they have been cleared. 

• Teaching candidates must attend the mandatory Student Teaching Orientation.  You will be emailed an invitation to the Zoom training.

• Candidates should become familiar with all the student teaching documents on the Clinical Experiences website.  

• Candidates will receive an email as soon as all of their requirements have been submitted and the school system has confirmed the student teaching placement request. 

• Once a placement request has been approved and confirmed by the schools, and a university supervisor has been assigned to the candidate, the candidate will be notified through his/her Brenau email that the student teaching placement has been finalized.  The candidate will complete the student teaching contract, have it signed by the mentor teacher and submit it through the Student Teaching Project in LiveText when student teaching begins.  It is very important that the candidate read and carefully consider each item that requires initials or a signature.  The candidate is held responsible for everything he/she initials and/or signs.

• The candidate will follow instructions on the confirmation form to contact the university supervisor and the mentor teacher.

• The candidate should check the school’s website or ask the mentor teacher about the school’s dress code for staff members.  It is the candidate’s responsibility to know and follow the school’s dress code each time she goes to the school.

• Once the placement has been confirmed, the candidate should look at the state standards for the grade level and subject/s she will be working with in the placement.

• The candidate should read the Student Teaching Documents and Links available on the Clinical Experiences website.

• Completing Student Teaching

• Candidates should complete all the requirements of student teaching and any assignments on time.  This is very important!  The candidate should ask the university supervisor if he/she needs help or if he/she has questions.  Missed deadlines and late assignments will be considered in the student teaching evaluation. 

• In all speaking and writing (including emails and journals), the candidate is expected to communicate clearly, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  This will be considered in the student teaching evaluation.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: Teaching candidates should not use a cell phone, tablet, laptop, etc., during the time they are in the school unless the device is being used, with the mentor teacher’s permission, to teach students. These devices should be turned off and put away during student teaching.

• The candidate should remember that she is building her professional reputation.  The university supervisor and the people the candidate works with at the school are likely the ones asked to be references for the candidate when she applies for her first teaching position!

• It is always a good idea to write a thank you note to the mentor teacher at the end of student teaching.  The teacher has given her time and shared her expertise during student teaching on top of her normal duties and a thank you note lets her know that this has been appreciated.  It also leaves a very good impression!

Policies and Procedures

Absences

Attendance and punctuality are important parts of professional behavior and will be considered in the student teaching evaluation.  

In the case of illness or emergency, the student teacher should call the mentor teacher as early as possible, preferably the night before, certainly no later than 7:00 a.m. She should notify the university supervisor that day by email unless a visit has been scheduled. If the university supervisor is visiting that day and the candidate will not be at school or if school has been canceled for inclement weather, the student teacher must call early enough to reach the university supervisor before he or she leaves home.

No absences other than illness or emergency are allowed during student teaching.  If the student teacher is ill, she will be expected to provide a doctor’s excuse to the mentor teacher and university supervisor.  Absences will result in extending student teaching.  Questions regarding this regulation should be addressed to the university supervisor.

All missed time during student teaching must be made up.

If the student teacher is absent, she must provide lesson plans to the person who will teach her class/es for each and every day she is responsible for the planning and teaching.

Appearance

The student teacher is expected to dress in a professional manner irrespective of the type of dress allowed in the school.  For women, this would mean dresses, skirts and blouses, suits, slacks and blouses/sweaters.  For men, appropriate attire is considered to be slacks, shirt, and possibly a tie. Sport shirts are acceptable if they are collared.  Jeans and t-shirts are unacceptable. The candidate’s appearance should reflect good personal grooming and hygiene. Note: If the school has special dress up days (e.g., “jeans day,” “dress as favorite book character day,” “Braves Spirit Day,” etc.) you are encouraged to dress appropriate to the event, still in a professional manner.

Corporal Punishment

A Brenau student teacher does not participate in or act as an official witness to any act(s) of corporal punishment.

Arrival and Departure Times

The student teacher reports at the time all teachers in the school report each morning. She remains at the school until the time teachers are permitted to leave in the afternoon. If the cooperating teacher reports unusually early or stays unusually late, it is the student teacher should talk with her university supervisor to determine how she is to operate. The student teacher takes on the teacher’s duties and follows the cooperating teacher’s schedule.  The student teacher is expected to attend all meetings, conferences, professional development, PTA meetings, spaghetti suppers, Science Nights, etc., as well as Saturday fall festivals, etc., during student teaching.  If the candidate has questions about this, she should contact the university supervisor for advice.

Commitment

Student teaching is a full-time activity and candidates should not plan to work or spend time on campus or outside activities that require much of their time. If the student teacher has special circumstances, she should talk with her university supervisor.  It may be that this is not the best semester for the candidate to complete student teaching; it may be necessary to delay student teaching until a later semester.

Course Schedule

Student teachers may not take any other courses during the semester they are enrolled in student teaching.

Confidentiality

The candidate should remember that all knowledge about learners is confidential and should only be shared within professional guidelines. If in doubt about whether to comment on learners, student teachers must not say anything until they have checked with one of the supervisors or an administrator. It is okay to say, "I will have to check" or "I do not know."

Ethical Behavior

Student teachers should exhibit ethical behavior at all times. This includes refraining from discussing with anyone other than the two supervisors any negative reactions they might have. Should they have professional concerns, they should discuss these confidentially with the university supervisor.

All student teacher communications with parents regarding their child must be made under the direct supervision, and knowledge, of the mentor teacher. 

Holidays, Teacher Work Days and Parent/Teacher Meetings  

Once candidates begin student teaching, they follow the calendar of the school system, not the Brenau University calendar.

Liability Insurance

Candidates must submit proof of current professional liability insurance during the time they are engaged in the student teaching experience through a professional organization or private insurance firm.  

Money

Brenau student teachers do not collect or handle money during student teaching.

Reimbursement for Women’s College Residents

The candidate is responsible for expenses incurred during the semester.  Transportation, special teaching materials, and lunch are all the responsibility of the candidate.  

• Student Teaching Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation

        To ensure the success of the student teacher and the supervision program itself, a series of         assessments will be implemented.

• Formative Assessments

Student teachers will be assessed throughout the program to ensure progress and success. Student teachers will complete assignments in LiveText throughout student teaching which shall be reviewed continuously by the university supervisor. In addition, the university supervisor will complete formal assessments of the student teacher’s ability to prepare a comprehensive lesson plan and to demonstrate effective teaching strategies in the classroom. The mentor teacher provides input by observing the student teacher throughout the semester and submitting assessment documents.  All of this will culminate in an overall evaluation and recommendation (or plans for improvement) to the College of Education.

• Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES)/Intern Keys

        Student teachers are assessed throughout student teaching using an instrument based on the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES), called Intern Keys. Teacher Keys is the instrument used by public schools in Georgia for classroom teachers. The university supervisor uses the TKES Summative Rubric to evaluate the student teacher at the end of student teaching.

        The university supervisor and mentor teacher also complete the Placement Dispositions Rubric (PDR) during the semester.  Professional behavior is considered in the student teacher’s grade, including attendance and meeting deadlines or due dates.

The student teaching grade is not a cumulative grade in the same way as other course grades. A student teacher could begin the internship experience with very weak skills and end up with strong skills and more than adequate performance.

• Criteria for Grades

The following criteria have been established by the Teacher Education program at Brenau for issuing grades in student teaching.

        P        The candidate has met all of the objectives at a satisfactory to exemplary level. The candidate has developed and used a variety of teacher-made games, materials, technology, and activities as well as creatively used available commercial materials. A high level of enthusiasm, energy, and dedication to the teaching profession is in evidence.

        F        The candidate has shown some interest in teaching, but is unable to perform at a minimally acceptable level and does not appear to be making satisfactory progress toward acceptable performance or the candidate has shown no interest in teaching and failed to perform at a minimally acceptable level and/or has been terminated from their student teaching position.

        I        The candidate has shown interest and progress in teaching, but has failed to meet the minimally acceptable level of performance by the end of the semester, or the candidate has had circumstances beyond his/her control which interfere with the completion of the experience.

• Evaluation of the University Supervisor and Mentor Teacher

In an effort to assist the university and the university supervisors, student teachers are requested to complete an evaluation of their university supervisor and mentor teacher.  A form for the University Supervisor Evaluation and the Mentor Teacher Evaluation is found in Student Teaching Documents on the Clinical Experiences website.

• Student Teaching Team

Teacher candidates have several leaders who guide and evaluate them during student teaching.

Mentor Teacher

A mentor teacher is the classroom teacher who has agreed to share his/her learners, expertise, and time in order for the student teacher to have as nearly a realistic teaching situation as possible.   This teacher has completed at least three years of successful teaching and may have specific training as a Teacher Support Specialist.  The mentor teacher has been recommended by the school principal because of demonstrated skills in teaching, supervisory knowledge and a desire to be a part of the teacher preparation process.

University Supervisor

The university supervisor is the Brenau University faculty member who visits the teacher candidate for observation and consultation regarding student teaching experiences and assists the mentor teacher. The university supervisor has had public school teaching experience and has a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the Brenau University Teacher Education program.  The university supervisor evaluates the teacher candidate at the end of student teaching.

Academic Advisor

The academic advisor is the faculty member who has worked with the teacher candidate in preparation for the student teaching experience.  The advisor guides the candidate in the completion of all coursework, field experiences and other program requirements.  The advisor verifies that all requirements have been met and that the candidate is eligible to student teach.  For information on the preparation of the student teacher, inquiries should be directed to the candidate's advisor.  

Internship Guide

• What is an Internship?

In certain instances, an internship may be completed in lieu of student teaching.  In an internship, the teacher candidate must already have a bachelor’s degree, not necessarily in education and have been hired by a regionally accredited school in a grade level/subject that matches his/her major and certification she is seeking.  The employing school works with the candidate to secure a IN4T non-renewable certificate and assigns a mentor teacher who holds a professional level, renewable Georgia teaching certificate and has completed at least three years of teaching.  Brenau assigns a university supervisor who works with the candidate.  The candidate completes assignments, much like those in student teaching, in her own classroom in an internship during their last semester.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an internship, the teacher candidate must:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree with sufficient preparation in the content area and/or grade level of the job.
2. Meet Brenau’s grade point average requirements.
3. Complete all courses and all field experiences before the semester of the internship begins.
4. Be employed by a school district or a private school which holds regional accreditation or in a Georgia lottery-funded PreK.
5. Have passed all applicable GACE content area exams
6. Submit an application to complete an internship.
7. Secure a IN4T Georgia teaching certificate.
8. Teaching assignment must be in the appropriate grade level for certification (pre-K through grade 5 for Elementary, grades 4 through 8 for Middle Grades, and 6 through 12 for Secondary, or any grade preK-12 for P-12 certification areas).

The teaching candidate must complete all assignments as directed by the university supervisor  during the semester of internship.  The candidate must also complete either ED415 Applied Instruction (undergraduate), or ED700 Clinical Practice Seminar (MAT) during the last semester of the internship.

• Applying for an Internship

• As soon as the candidate has been hired by a school, they should go to the Clinical Experiences website.  Click on Am I ready for an Internship?  The candidate should answer the questions there to see if they qualify for an internship.

• If the candidate meets the requirements listed there, they should email the Clinical Experiences Office (coeclinical@brenau.edu) to request an Internship Application.  

• The candidate then contacts his/her advisor to let him/her know he/she is applying for an internship and ask that the advisor complete the eligibility rubric in the LiveText assignment.

• The internship will begin at the start of the first fall or spring semester after the internship application is approved.  

• Registering for an Internship

     The candidate must submit all application requirements before she is cleared to register.  

Internship Courses

     Either ED415 Applied Instruction (undergrad) or ED700 Clinical Practice Seminar (MAT) is  

     also taken during the last semester of an internship.  This course supports candidates as    

     they complete the requirements for an internship.

• Preparing for an Internship

• Communication about the internship will come to the candidate through his/her Brenau email.  It is very important to check the Brenau email daily when the candidate has submitted an internship application.  Sometimes there is more information needed, questions that need to be answered, or changes that need to be made.  He/she should continue to check his/her Brenau email daily for any communication through the end of the internship.  

• Once the internship has been approved, the candidate will be notified through his/her Brenau email.  When he/she receives the name and email address for her university supervisor, the candidate should email him/her and introduce himself/herself.

• The candidate should go to the Clinical Experiences website and become familiar with the internship documents available there.  He/she will need to share these with his/her in-school mentor and administrator.  

• Completing an Internship

Once the application is approved and all paperwork is completed, the student may begin the Internship with the new semester.  The student will be assigned a University Supervisor that will be with them throughout the semester.

• Internship Assignments

The candidate will complete assignments in his/her LiveText Internship Project, similar to what he/she did in his/her Field Experience Projects in LiveText.

Observations

The candidate will have informal observations by his/her mentor teacher and formal observations by her mentor teacher and her university supervisor throughout her internship.

Placement Dispositions Rubric

The Placement Dispositions Rubric (PDR) is an assessment of the intern’s attitude and commitment toward the student teaching experience and to the teaching profession. The PDR will be completed by the intern, the in-school mentor and the university supervisor during the internship experience. The mentor teacher should share the form with the intern and discuss it during a conference. The university supervisor will share the completed form with the intern through LiveText and discuss it as well. The intern will submit the mentor teacher’s form through the LiveText assignment..

Lesson Plans

The intern will prepare lesson plans within the guidelines of the employing school and these will be monitored and approved by the school administrator when and where appropriate. The mentor teacher and university supervisor may ask to see these lesson plans at any time.

For lessons observed by the university supervisor, the lesson plan should be on the Brenau Lesson Plan format in LiveText.  

• Internship Assessment, Grading, and Evaluation

To ensure the success of interns and the supervision program itself, a series of assessments will be implemented.

Formative Assessments

Interns will be assessed throughout the program to ensure progress and success. Interns will complete an Internship Project in LiveText throughout the internship which shall be evaluated by the university supervisor. This will culminate in an overall evaluation and recommendation (or plans for improvement) to the College of Education.

Intern KEYS

Interns are assessed throughout the internship using an instrument based on the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES)—Intern Keys.  The university supervisor uses the TKES Summative Rubric to evaluate the intern at the end of the internship.

The internship grade is not a cumulative grade in the same way as other course grades. An intern could begin the internship experience with very weak skills and end up with strong skills and more than adequate performance.

Criteria for Grades

The following criteria have been established by the Teacher Education program at Brenau for issuing grades in an internship.

P        The candidate has met all of the objectives at a satisfactory to exemplary level. The candidate has developed and used a variety of teacher-made games, materials, technology and activities as well as creatively used available commercial materials. A high level of enthusiasm, energy, and dedication to the teaching profession is in evidence.

F        The candidate has shown some interest in teaching, but is unable to perform at a minimally acceptable level and does not appear to be making satisfactory progress toward acceptable performance or the candidate has shown no interest in teaching and failed to perform at a minimally acceptable level and/or has been terminated from their teaching position.

I        The candidate has shown interest and progress in teaching, but has failed to meet the minimally acceptable level of performance by the end of the semester, or the candidate has had circumstances beyond his/her control which interfere with the completion of the experience.

Termination from the Internship Program

• Interns who are dismissed from their teaching position will be terminated from the internship experience in which they are enrolled. Should the termination be based on a reduction in force for lack of student enrollment, the intern will be permitted to apply for a student teaching placement. There will be no refund of tuition.

• If the intern is dismissed from employment for reasons of immorality, insubordination, incompetence, unprofessional behavior or any violation of the Code of Ethics of the teaching profession for the State of Georgia the student will not be granted student teacher placement.

The candidate should remember that he/she is regarded as an intern by Brenau University, but regarded as a hired teacher by the school.

Evaluation of the University Supervisor and Mentor Teacher

In an effort to assist the university and the university supervisors, interns are requested to complete an evaluation of their university supervisor and mentor teacher.  A form for the University Supervisor Evaluation and the Mentor Teacher is found in the Internship Documents on the Clinical Experiences website and provided in LiveText.

• Internship Support Team

The Intern Support Team (IST) shall consist of the intern, the mentor teacher, the university supervisor, and a school administrator. The IST will have the following responsibilities:

• Meet during the internship to discuss expectations and requirements.
• Evaluate progress of the intern and areas that need to be addressed.
• Help determine if the intern has completed the requirements for the internship satisfactorily.

Roles and Responsibilities

Intern

In order to ensure that the internship is a successful, productive experience, the intern is expected to:

• Fully inform the administration about the nature of the internship and the requirements the intern is expected to fulfill.

• Create a classroom climate that focuses on student achievement.

• Fulfill employer-assigned responsibilities as well as Brenau University requirements in a prompt and timely fashion.

• Dress appropriately for classroom teaching according to building policies and maintain a neatly groomed appearance at all times.

• Follow the regulations, policies and procedures of the school and comply with the Code of Ethics of the teaching profession for the State of Georgia.

Interns must exhibit ethical behavior at all times. This includes refraining from discussing with anyone other than your two mentors any negative reactions you might have. Should you have professional concerns, you should discuss these confidentially with your mentors. The Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators is the standard for ethical and professional behavior on the part of teachers. Any breach of ethics must be self-reported to the building administrator immediately. Any failure to do so may result in the reporting of any incidents by either of the supervisors.

• Use the established procedures of the school district to address problems or concerns.

• Hold in strict confidence, in accordance with FERPA and the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators, any information concerning the students, staff, and general school matters.

Interns should remember that all knowledge about learners is confidential and should only be shared within professional guidelines. If in doubt about whether to comment on learners, interns must not say anything until they have checked with one of the mentors or an administrator. It is okay to say, "I will have to check" or "I do not know."

• Demonstrate a positive attitude for teaching and working with others, including students, faculty and other school personnel, supervisors, and parents.

• Participate in professional development activities, and apply the learned concepts in the classroom.

• Avoid partisan opinions in the classroom and remain as objective as possible when dealing with controversial issues.

• Keep an open mind and be receptive to constructive criticism from those in a position to offer helpful suggestions and advice.  The internship is a learning experience, and accepting and utilizing evaluative feedback are essential components of professional growth.

• Schedule observations for the mentor teacher and university supervisor.

In beginning the internship, some helpful suggestions are:

• Learn the rules and policies of the school and become familiar with school routines and other procedures related to safety regulations; fire and security drills; hall, bus and/or playground duty, and lunchroom schedules.

• Develop a classroom management plan and establish classroom routines for handling matters such as recording attendance, distributing materials, and collecting student work.

• Learn where supplies and equipment are located and how to obtain what is needed for classroom use.

• Become familiar with the textbooks and teacher's manuals; determine how they are organized and how they should be utilized in lesson planning and delivery.

• Make seating charts and learn the names of students.

• Discuss special students and their needs and abilities with the special education teachers and the students' parents and seek their help in planning for the special learners in the class.

• Gather and compile data on all students in the classroom by reviewing students' records and conferring with others, such as the counselor, parents, and other teachers, in order to become familiar with students' capabilities, learning styles, and pace of learning.

Mentor Teacher

The intern will be supervised by a mentor teacher in her school.  A mentor teacher, who holds a professional level, renewable Georgia teaching certificate in the same area as the certification the candidate is seeking, and has completed at least three years of teaching, will be assigned to fulfill the following responsibilities in supporting the professional development of the intern.  The mentor teacher is expected to meet weekly with the intern.  It is expected that the Mentor Teacher will do the following:

• Provide intern information related to procedures, guidelines, and expectations of the school district.

• Collect, disseminate and locate material or other resources to support the intern.

• Give the intern information about teaching strategies or the instructional process.

• Offer the intern support by being available to listen and share experiences.

• Give the intern guidance and ideas related to discipline and student management.

• Offer the intern information about organizing and planning the school day.

• Help the intern arrange, organize and/or analyze the physical setting of the classroom.

• Give the intern opportunities to observe you and others teaching.

• Observe the intern teaching.

• Critique and provide feedback to the intern on teaching performance using Intern KEYS.

• Give the intern support and assistance on conferencing with parents and relations with the community.

• Mentor teachers must also observe confidentiality with regard to information about the teaching performance of the intern. As trusted mentors, information about the intern’s ability must be kept in confidence. The exception here would be a legal or ethical violation on the part of the intern that was not reported by the intern (see Professional and Ethical Behavior section below). It should be noted that it is the administration’s responsibility to observe and evaluate the intern’s teaching performance for employment purposes. It is the responsibility of the supervisors to provide supportive supervision to the intern to improve their teaching performance. School administrators should not expect mentors to provide evaluations for employment purposes.

University Supervisor

The intern will be supervised by a university supervisor from Brenau University College of Education.  It is expected that the University Supervisor will do the following.

• Conference with the intern a minimum of six times: in the initial Intern Support Team meeting, following each observation, and in the final Professional Growth Plan meeting during the last week of the internship..

• Meet with the Intern Support Team at the beginning of the internship.

• Observe the intern teach a lesson at least five times.

• Conduct post-observation conferences to facilitate the intern in gaining a perspective on teaching through dialogue and joint reflection.

• Make a final report to the University regarding the intern’s status for completing the requirements for a teaching certificate..
  

School Administrator

In an effort to support the Intern during the internship, the School Administrator will: 

• Provide the intern information related to procedures, guidelines, and expectations of the school district.

• Collect, disseminate and locate material or other resources to support the intern.

• Give the intern information about expectations on teaching strategies or the instructional process.

• Offer the intern support by assigning an mentor teacher who holds a professional level, renewable Georgia teaching certificate in the same area that the intern is seeking and has completed at least three years of teaching, is not in her/his first year at this school, preferably has the Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) endorsement and has the characteristics to be a supportive mentor.

• Provide the intern guidance and ideas related to discipline and student management.

• Provide release time for the intern to observe others teaching.

• Provide release time for the mentor teacher to observe the intern teaching and to conference with the intern about her performance.

• Provide the intern an orientation on TKES.

• Support the intern on conferencing with parents and relations with the community.

• It should be noted that it is the administration’s responsibility to observe and evaluate the intern’s teaching performance for employment purposes. It is the responsibility of the supervisors to provide supportive supervision to the intern to improve their teaching performance. School administrators should not expect mentors to provide evaluations for employment purposes.

Student Teaching vs. Internship: FAQ

Student Teachers:

• Complete all courses and field experiences before the semester of Student Teaching begins.
• Hold a current Ga Pre Service certificate
• Proof of Professional Liability Insurance
• Passed all GACE Content Exams
• Meet GPA Requirement (2.75)

If you are a bachelors student and are hired as the Teacher of Record, you will still be enrolled as a student teacher. You must be an MAT student to complete an Internship.

Internship:

• MAT Students
• Complete all courses and field experiences before the semester of Internship begins.
• Hold a baccalaureate degree.
• Meet GPA Requirements ( 3.0)
• Be employed by a school district or a private school which holds regional accreditation or in a Ga Lottery funded Pre-K.(You have a signed contract with the District)
• Secure a IN4T Ga Teaching Certificate (Provisional B)
• Teaching assignment must be in appropriate grade level/subject for certification.
• If you meet these requirements, send an email to coeclinal@brenau.edu to request an internship application.
• Contact your advisor to let him/her know you are applying for an internship, and ask that they complete the eligibility rubric in LiveText.

If you are a MAT student and are hired as a teacher of record, you need to submit an internship application.

FAQ’s

• I am an undergraduate student and I am a teacher of record. Will I complete an internship?

No, you must be in our MAT program to complete an Internship. If you are an undergraduate student and a teacher of record you will still complete Student Teaching. The difference being, your Mentor is not in the classroom with you like traditional student teaching.

• I am an undergraduate student employed as a parapro, can I complete my student teaching in my own classroom?

If you remain in the same classroom all day, every day, with the same cooperating teacher you are able to complete your student teaching in your parapro position. The GaPSC requires 15 weeks of teaching in the same classroom all day.

• I am a MAT student employed as a parapro, can I complete my student teaching in my own classroom?

If you remain in the same classroom all day, every day, with the same cooperating teacher you are able to complete your student teaching in your parapro position. The GaPSC requires 15 weeks of teaching in the same classroom all day.

• I am a MAT Secondary Education student with a concentration in Biology. Can I complete my Internship in a Chemistry classroom?

No, the GaPSC requires student teaching/internships to be completed in a classroom aligned with your major.

• I am a B.S. Middle Grades Education student with a concentration in Language Arts and Social Studies. Can I complete my Internship in a Math classroom?

No, the GaPSC requires student teaching to be completed in a classroom aligned with your major.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the College of Education of Brenau University is based on the vision that “education professionals from Brenau University will take active roles in planning, implementing and evaluating effective teaching practices through reflective decisions relating to content, pedagogy, and the learner”. It is the belief of the faculty that candidates must have a strong grounding in the content knowledge necessary to guide learners and must also possess the skills needed to respond to the needs of learners; this grounding is supported by the liberal arts mission of the institution. This premise, based in part on Shulman’s (1987) work regarding the importance of the knowledge base, framed the initial conceptual model of the College of Education and remains an important component of the conceptual framework.

The theme of reflection, based on Schon’s writing (1987) is a natural fit with the unit’s focus on a constructivist approach to learning. A guiding principle of the unit is that only through the successful use of reflection can the candidate provide appropriate learning experiences that are responsive to the needs of the learners (Ornstein, 1995). The unit’s use of the reflective practice mirrors that described by Van Manen (1977) in that it is viewed as a developmental process for the candidate, with the assumption that beginning teachers are likely to focus on the effective delivery of instruction in the classroom. The preservice teacher is more likely to practice reflection-on-action or reflection-in-action (Schon, 1987) while the practicing teacher should be developmentally ready to engage in reflection-for-action. The teacher education faculty believes that the use of a program portfolio facilitates the development of the reflection process for candidates in the teaching programs and provides needed feedback for the novice candidate (Borko, Michalec, Timmons, & Siddle, 1997). 

An understanding of and perspective for the learner is an important element of the conceptual framework and reinforces the institutional mission regarding community responsibility and global understanding. Decisions about the learning process must take place in the context of knowledge of the learner. Reflection provides the vehicle needed for the candidate to better understand what he or she knows (Loughran, 2002). Part of this reflective process involves facilitating the candidate’s capacity to accept, change or to balance one’s own ideas and goals with that of the learner’s and with the broader concepts of education (Jewett, 1998). It is important that this process not become one of rationalization about the events or problems that are the object of reflection (Loughran, 2002) if the shift to reflection-for-action is to be successful for the novice teacher. 

The unit outcomes include a requirement for the teacher to become an intelligent consumer of research. The faculty is committed to the need for examination of events in the context of the prior knowledge and experience of the learner, which incorporates the use of constructivism and reflection, while encouraging the preservice candidate to expand the analysis to include current research and practice.

Field and Clinical Experiences Alignment