Practicum
Practicum hours are a crucial part of a student teacher's education and give you the opportunity to apply what you have learned in the classroom. Practicum hours are typically taken during your last semester.
What you can expect from your practicum:
Your principal must sign the school administrative forms and you must also download the course guide and read it! When the semester begins, you will document hours and keep track of your experience in reflective logs. When observing keep a notebook in hand to jot down a few ideas, helpful points and a synopsis of classroom activities. You will submit your lesson plans and anecdotal logs via the Canvas learning management system.
Your cooperating teacher is a primary resource who will aid your development as a teacher. The lines of communication between you and your teacher must be wide open for you to get the most out of your practicum experience.
Your cooperating teacher (Certified teacher with a Master’s degree and 3 years’ experience) or school administrator can sign your timesheet. Depending on your placements, it is possible to have more than one cooperating teacher. You should consult with your field supervisors in such situations.
Some things to know:
- You can spend your Practicum I & II in the same location, but you cannot spend your Field Experience/Practicum in only one age/grade level. Make sure you work in at least two different age/grade levels (depending on your education track). One of your classrooms should serve children from high-need communities. You need two different teaching experiences on two different grade levels.
- You can use your own class only with the permission of the district principal and classroom teacher if you are the teaching assistant in that class. If you are teaching in a self-contained, multi-grade classroom, you can log hours for one grade level and you will need to find another placement for the other grade level.
- Between Practicum I and II, EDSN 682 and SEDN 683 all three-grade levels must be covered.
- Candidates entering a GSE MS Education/Special Education Program, who have previously completed all academic requirements for state teacher certification, are required to complete 50 hours of field experience and 20 days of student teaching in a different education track.
- 100 hours is equivalent of 20 days for practicum purposes
Courses/Required Hours
Early Childhood-Birth - Grade 2
EDSN 682 - Field Experience and Practicum I in Early Childhood General and Special Education, Birth-Grade 2
- Non-certified teachers: 100 hours practicum experience in general education at any of the three age/grade levels, during which students are formally observed and evaluated on their work with children. Certified teachers: 50 hours practicum experience in general education, any two different early childhood grade levels should be used.
- Total practicum hours for non-certified teachers is 100 and 50 for certified teachers. This course – between fieldwork and practicum – requires total 250 hours for non-certified teachers, 100 hours for certified teachers.
- EDSN 682 Field Exp and Practicum I Course Guide
SEDN 683 - Practicum II in Early Childhood Special Education, Birth-Grade 2
Students must meet certain requirements, including maintenance of a 3.0 GPA and a passing grade on the New York State Teacher Certification Examination- Content Specialty Test- Multi Subject, in order to be admitted to Practicum II, which must be taken in the last semester of studies.
- For non-certified teachers: 200 hour experiences in special education (integrated or inclusive classes are acceptable), 100 hours each at two different grade levels. Certified teachers must complete 100 hours in special education, 50 at two different early childhood grade levels. Between Practicum I and II, EDSN 682 and SEDN 683 all three-grade levels must be covered.
- If you are in a self-contained classroom, you can only log hours for one grade, so you will need to decide whether it will be for Kindergarten/First grade, or pre-k, and then complete your remaining hours in the other grade level.
- SEDN 683 Practicum II Course Guide
Elementary School- Childhood Education
SEDN 695 - Practicum in Special Education, Grades 1 - 6
- Non-certified teachers: 200 hours in special education (integrated or inclusive classes are acceptable), 100 hours each at two different grade levels. Certified teachers must complete 100 hours in special education, 50 each at two different grade levels.
- Non-certified teachers: 200 hours teaching students with disabilities, made up of 100 at the grade 1-3 level and 100 at the grade 4-6 level. Certified teachers complete 100 hours, 50 at each grade level.
- SEDN 695 Practicum Course Guide
Secondary School Education, Grades 7-12
SEDN 678 - Practicum in Special Education, Grades 7-12
- Non-certified teachers: 200 hours of teaching students with disabilities at each of two different grade levels - 7-9 and 10-12. Total 200 hrs.
- Certified teachers: 50 hours of teaching students with disabilities at each of two different grade levels - 7-9 and 10-12. Total 100 hrs.
- SEDN 678 Practicum Course Guide
