Welcome to Practicum I Teacher Candidates
Welcome to an important and exciting phase of your career – Practicum I: Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings. This experience will support you to become a professionally licensed educator. As Elementary Education faculty, we understand the demands of this experience and are excited and confident knowing that you are ready to take on this task. We look forward to supporting you and helping you to become high achieving professionals. We also hope to model the highest principles of progressive education that you will provide to those you teach now and in the future. The Practicum I Experience Theory and practice come together in the Practicum I experience as teacher candidates are introduced to important concepts in education as well as the world of the elementary classroom. Candidates will be expected to plan and teach at least one lesson to the entire class as part of the 30 hours spent in the Practicum I classroom. Candidates will be supported during the experience by the cooperating teacher and seminar leader. On Campus Seminars Practicum seminars meet every week. Seminar attendance is mandatory. Seminars offer many learning opportunities and are forums for sharing ideas and challenges from the field. Placement There are specific guidelines for all placements made during Practicum I; that is, it is the candidate’s responsibility to arrange the placement for the ELE500 Practicum I preclinical experience. If candidates need help with locating a school placement, they should inform their seminar instructor by the end of Week 2. It is expected that candidates have identified a school placement no later than Week 3. • Candidates have the primary responsibility of locating an appropriate placement classroom. They can be assisted by the seminar leader if needed. • Practicum hours must be completed in an Illinois school as candidates at NLU/NCE must meet Illinois licensure requirements. • Practicum hours must be completed during the regular academic year and school day and during the term in which candidates are enrolled in the practicum class. It is recommended that observations are half or full day experiences. A portion of the preclinical hours may be completed in a private or parochial school setting with an approved teacher; however, if a candidate wishes to student teach in a private or parochial school, more than half [51% +] of the minimum required 115 preclinical hours must be completed in public school settings. • Candidates must work with a cooperating teacher who holds a Professional Educator License with an endorsement for the grade being taught and who has three or more years of experience as a teacher.
MAT ELE P1 Handbook 202 5 -202 6
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