Initial Adolescence and Special Education - Field Work
All students seeking Initial Certification need to successfully complete fieldwork requirements. Fieldwork experiences are integrated with some courses in order for students to integrate and process theory with actual practice.
The intent of the fieldwork experience is to provide opportunities for students to experience classroom realities and a variety of teaching styles. By the time an Initial Adolescence student begins student teaching, he/she will have had a minimum of 150 hours of fieldwork placements in two differing types of schools – urban, suburban, rural, and/or private. The students in the Initial Childhood and Special Education program will have had a minimum of 150 hours of fieldwork placements in three differing types of schools – urban, suburban, rural, and/or private before student teaching. Students in the Masters of Education in Special Education program will have completed a minimum of 50 hours in two different placements which are integrated with two of the courses.
An expectation of fieldwork is to provide opportunities for students to actively assist the classroom teacher; becoming involved with students individually and in small groups. We would also hope that our students will use these opportunities to take the initiative to develop their relationships with the classroom teachers and school administrators at the fieldwork sites to explore and/or deepen their own passion for teaching.