ELE 500 Practicum I Guidelines for the Principal
On behalf of the Elementary Education teacher preparation program in the National College of Education at National Louis University, we would like to express our appreciation to you for supporting this early preclinical experience for our Elementary Education teacher candidate. Practicum I allows candidates to gain introductory exposure to the teaching and learning processes while earning 30 hours of the pre- student teaching hours required in our program. Your role in selecting a teacher to mentor the candidate is critical in helping the candidate learn about teaching as well as to carefully reflect on his or her decision to enter this profession. We have found that the most meaningful school experiences occur when candidates are assigned to classroom teachers who demonstrate a deep personal commitment to education and who welcome the opportunity to introduce pre-service teachers to the roles and responsibilities of a teacher. Accreditation standards for our program require that the cooperating teacher have an endorsement on his or her Professional Educator License for the grade that he or she is teaching and a minimum of three years of experience as a classroom teacher. Candidates in ELE 500 Practicum I are in the early stages of their professional preparation program. Expectations and possibilities for involvement are detailed in the Suggestions for Practicum I Experiences which the candidate can provide. On-campus seminars accompany the school-based component of this experience. Seminar assignments require the candidate to explore the school as a functioning organization and to learn about the school’s physical facilities, curriculum, instructional framework, professional personnel, and support services. Candidates are responsible for conveying information and appropriate forms to the cooperating teacher. Both you and the cooperating teacher are welcome to contact the seminar leader with any concerns or questions you have. The candidate can provide the correct name and university contact information. Again, thank you for your assistance in this important component of our elementary teacher education program. Please feel free to contact either the seminar leader or the Director of Teacher Preparation, Dr. Jamillah Gilbert [jgilbert11@nl.edu] at National Louis University.
MAT ELE P1 Handbook 202 5 -202 6
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