weeks, two must be completed as the ‘lead’ teacher of the full teaching load. The dates of student teaching depend on the school placement. In addition, the Student Teaching Seminar will meet for a minimum of five sessions plus exit conferences to be held with each candidate. Evaluating Student Teaching Performance Two formal evaluations (midterm and final) are conducted using the Competency Appraisal forms. Both the mentor teacher and university supervisor are required to complete a midterm and final evaluation for the student teacher. After the competency appraisal has been completed by all three parties (the university supervisor, mentor teacher, and student teacher), a conference to discuss the student teacher’s performance will be scheduled. During the conference, any steps needed for improvement and forward progress will be defined. As part of the appraisal, a grade is assigned (see scoring guide and grading policy below). The link to the competency appraisal is shared with the student teacher and seminar instructor. The NLU ECE Student Teaching Competency Appraisal assessment instrument is an adaptation of Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Professional Practice. In this framework, Danielson explains that typical early-career teachers are likely to have a mix of ‘basic’ and ‘proficient’ components to their practice; the ‘distinguished’ performance category, typically reserved for excellent teachers with several years of experience, has been removed from this pre-service assessment. Teachers with any ‘unsatisfactory’ components to their practice are in immediate need of targeted professional development to improve. It is the seminar instructor’s responsibility to assess the final grade for student teaching. The instructor considers input from the Mentor Teacher and University Supervisor as well as the assignments submitted and class participation in seminar to determine the final grade. This grade must be an A, B, or C for the student to pass student teaching.
Should the student be removed from a placement, a second placement will be attempted but not guaranteed. A third opportunity to student teach is not an option.
If a student teacher receives an ‘F’ (fail) in student teaching, the student cannot repeat the internship. The student is terminated from the program and may not return to National Louis University. Guidelines for Submitting a Field Placement Application The National College of Education OFE is responsible for the oversight of all Practicum II/Student Teaching candidate collaborations with area schools and school districts. The Office of Field Experiences placement staff strives to carefully place each candidate in a school environment that is enriching, diverse, and supportive.
26 / MAT Early Childhood Education Handbook
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