The Linked MGE 505/MGE 590 Experience Welcome to one of the most important and exciting phases of your career – Teaching and Learning Practicum/Student Teaching. This experience will support your transition from being a teacher education candidate to becoming a professionally licensed teacher. As Middle Grades 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 continue to become a high achieving professional. 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 total Student Teaching experience actually begins in MGE 505. Candidates complete a minimum of 50 hours with one content area during the quarter they are enrolled in MGE 505. In most cases, the MGE 505 middle grades classroom will be the site where the MAT candidates complete the Student Teaching experience in what is referred to as a linked placement. Theory and practice come together in the MGE 505 experience as teacher candidates lay the groundwork for their Student Teaching experience. MGE 505 Welcoming Candidates to the Classroom In an effort to welcome and support the practicum candidates and student teachers, experienced cooperating teachers have offered the following suggestions: • Put the candidate’s name on the classroom door. • Assign adequate, personal workspace for the candidate’s use. • Introduce the candidate to the parents and families through a newsletter. • Introduce the candidate to school/district staff and the student teacher as a co-teacher. • Give the candidate a tour of the school building. • Explain school and classroom organization and their underlying philosophies. • Provide a copy of the class schedule, school calendar and work time expectations. • Acquaint the candidate with daily routines and procedures. • Involve the candidate with the students right away. • Exchange phone numbers, email addresses. • Set up daily/weekly conference times. • Establish a takeover schedule. • Share specifics about management expectations. • Aid the candidate in utilizing strategies for understanding the learning styles and needs of the students. • Discuss student data and what information is available and under what conditions or circumstances – make certain that the candidate has an understanding of FERPA. • Promote reflection on the multiple and complex decision-making activities. • Encourage the candidate’s development of self-evaluation and reflectionskills. • Ask the candidate to share all assignments that are required from NLU so a calendar can be set up to work on these in the classroom.
MGE MAT PII/ST Handbook 2025-2026
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