Office of Field Experiences (OFE)

Early field experiences are designed to give teacher education candidates opportunities to observe in various P-12 classrooms from the beginning of their professional teacher education coursework. Early and ongoing engagement with public school faculty and students ensures a balance of educational theory and practice. These courses may require placement through the Office of Field Experiences, and the instructor of your course could facilitate others.

Applications for early field experiences open on the first day of classes each semester. Candidates should monitor the Office of Field Experiences (OFE) website to ensure deadlines are not missed. Failure to complete applications by the advertised deadline will be encouraged to withdraw from the field experience course. In order to earn a grade of C or better, all candidates must successfully complete the required field experience requirements. Students who do NOT successfully complete the required field experience will earn a C-, D+, D, D- or F, depending upon the remainder of their work in the course.

EDCI201, SPED 240, SPED430/EDCI430/HPE343, and most methods courses REQUIRE students to complete field experiences. These courses, except EDCI 201 and SPED 240, require that students be admitted into the teacher education program before being permitted to enroll. 

APPLYING FOR EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCES

1. FIRST-TIME APPLICANTS ONLY, BEFORE YOU APPLY IN TK20:
   1. Complete your Background Check through Certiphi. This process will take 3-5 business days to get your results.
      1. Early Field Experience Applications will not be accepted until your Initial Background Check through Certiphi has been purchased, processed, and results have been evaluated.
2. Complete your Application for Early Field Experience Tk20.
   • Informational sites have been created within Canvas to assist you in the application process. Please use them to ensure that you have completed all your application requirements:
   • Early Field Experiences Canvas Information Site
     • You must log into Canvas to view these resources. If you are unable to access these materials, please submit an Access to Canvas Module Request to get access.

NOTE: DO NOT contact schools directly to request placement, as this will decrease or eliminate your chances of receiving that placement.

EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCE TIMESHEETS

Undergraduate Early Field Experience Timesheet (EDCI 201, PSY 323, SPED339)

Graduate Early Field Experience Timesheet (EDCI 500, 609, 616)

• Site Supervisor Approval Form for Graduate Students who are employed in an approved setting for their Early Field Experiences.

Timesheets are to be uploaded in TK20 upon completion of the field experience.

Block Practicum placements are required for ALL Elementary, Inclusive, and Middle Grades Education majors. This requirement is generally completed the semester before Internship I. Candidates will spend one full “teacher day” in the placement for up to 12 weeks and attend an accompanying Seminar class on campus. Candidates will potentially complete some of the following assignments: formal observations; reflective journals reacting to their experiences and/or seminar readings; planning and teaching lessons and reflecting upon each; gathering student work for assessment analysis. The level of participation of the candidates in the placement is at the discretion of the host teacher. However, candidates are encouraged to participate in-class activities as much as possible.

Candidates will apply for the Block Practicum experience the semester PRIOR to enrolling in EDEL 390 or EDMG 411.

Applications: Block Practicum applications generally open midway through the semester (approximately week 8). Candidates should meet with their advisors to ensure they are ready to apply and monitor the Office of Field Experiences website for application timelines.

Videotaping Permission Form for Early Field Experiences & Block - please distribute and collect these from students within the first two weeks in Block placement.

The College of Education and Allied Professions at Western Carolina University subscribes to a definition of diversity inclusive of the following attributes: age, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, geographic region, giftedness, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and school performance. WCU candidates should experience a range of school settings and interact with a variety of students. Candidates who have not been placed in a diverse setting prior to the Internship experience will be placed in a diverse setting for Internship (as allowable).

If a diverse placement in a public-school setting cannot be arranged, candidates will be allowed to complete an experience of at least 10 hours (across a full semester) with an after-school or community program that provides academic services in a structured environment for diverse students.

Diversity Requirement for Initial Licensure Residential Undergraduate & Graduate Programs

Every student must have diverse placements that meet diversity requirements 1 and 2

Requirement 1: Low performing school (use schools who score D or F on state report card) (per requirements in SB 599, § 115C-269.25)

Requirement 2: at least 1 of the following 5 characteristics:

• 5% English language learners (use percent of test takers who are labeled Limited English Proficient in each school from accountability reporting)
• 60% low SES (use % low income students from the Title I report)
• 20% or more students of color (use DPI Statistical profile->Pupil information report)
• Urban or suburban setting (use EDDIE classification)
• Alternative class type (school is early college or charter OR classroom is AIG or other alternative; use EDDIE classification types)

This can be met by two placements with one meeting requirement 1 and one meeting requirement 2 OR by a single placement that meets both requirements.

If students are not able to meet Requirement 1 by their Internship placement, they may be exempt from this requirement if they have met one additional characteristic from the Requirement 2 section.

If the student does not meet these requirements by their Intern I experience, they will be required to complete an experience of at least 10 hours with a school, after-school, or community program that provides academic services in a structured environment and meets diversity requirements not previously met. An after-school or community program would be considered an “alternative class type.”

• A placement can qualify on the school data or individual classroom data.

Diversity Requirement for Initial Licensure Distance Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

If the student is currently employed in a school setting, and this school does not meet both requirement 1 and 2, they will be required to complete an experience of at least 10 hours (across a full semester) with a school, after-school, or community program that provides academic services in a structured environment and meets the diversity requirements. An after-school or community program would be considered an “alternative class type.”

Students who are in a distance program and not employed in a school setting will self-report diversity data for any non-public school sites. OFE will, to the extent practicable, arrange for a placement to meet the diversity requirements.

Host Teachers for Block/Practicum Experience

For Elementary, Middle Grades, & Inclusive Education students.

For our “Block” placement, students are required to be with their host teacher one day per week (or 8 hours if their class schedule requires that they split between 2 days) over 10 weeks for observation.  During their time with the host teacher they will be conducting observations, assisting the teacher, and teaching several mini-lessons.

More detailed explanation of requirements and expectations are provided by the course instructor(s).

Clinical Educators for Internship

Requirements for Becoming a Clinical Educator

1. Approved by the administrative officials of the school system, program coordinator, and the Director of Field Experiences.
2. Professionally licensed in the field of licensure sought by the student.
3. Experienced, with a minimum of three years in a teaching role.
4. Committed to the education of pre-service teachers.
5. Rated through formal evaluations, at a minimum, at the “accomplished” level under the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation System.

More detailed information, forms, and helpful resources can be found on our new Clinical Educators Resource site.

Forms & Information:

• Intern I Observation Form
• Intern II Observation Form

Specific Program Information - See Program Specific Requirements under Internship I or II.

FIELD SUPERVISORS RESOURCES ACCESS

 Field Supervisor – (FS) (formerly university supervisor) acts as the liaison between the classroom teacher and Western Carolina University. He or she has the important responsibility of ensuring a comprehensive, rewarding classroom experience for interns/student teachers.

 Job Responsibilities:

• Serve as a good role model for prospective teachers.
• Exhibit professionalism, courtesy, and be approachable.
• Must attend an informational meeting/orientation at the beginning of the semester.
• Contact the intern(s) and clinical educator(s) within the first two weeks of the WCU semester.
• Provide all forms and documents (or directed interns to forms and documents) that are needed throughout the semester to the intern and Clinical Educator.
• Facilitate formal and informal discussions about intern progress and areas of needed growth.
• Communicates internship requirements & expectations to the intern and the clinical educator throughout the semester.
• Communicate in a timely manner through phone calls and/or emails.

• Supports the development of the intern by providing constructive, relevant, useful, and written feedback after observed lessons.
• Collaborate and coordinates with the clinical educator and academic supervisor to schedule mid-term and final evaluation conferences, and monitor student progress.
• Visit intern(s) a minimum of 4-5 times during Internship I and 5-6 times during Internship II. When considered necessary, additional visits may be pre-approved by the Director of Field Experiences.
• Complete internship requirements within Tk20.

Requirements for Becoming a Field Supervisor

Minimum qualifications for serving as a Field Supervisor:

1. Doctoral or master’s degree from an accredited institution in the teaching field.
2. Strong classroom experience within K-12.
3. Strong reputation as an educator and/or classroom teacher.
4. Active NC licensure (or eligibility) in applicable area.
5. Ability to use technology in the performance of responsibilities.
6. Must be willing to travel to regional schools within a 100-mile round trip.
7. Have a valid driver’s license and mode of reliable transportation.
8. Ability to adapt to new and changing processes and technologies.

If you are interested in becoming a Field Supervisor, please apply. You will need:

• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Transcripts
• Teaching License
• Reference List