Welcome to the Office of Field Experiences! The Office of Field Experience is part of Suite 201 Student Support Center in the College of Education & Allied Professions. We work with our school partners to arrange placement opportunities for our WCU teacher education students to complete course assignments, field experiences, and internship in public schools. We seek to support our students through their application processes, administer criminal background check reporting, oversee time requirement documentation, and insure that all our of students have diverse experiences. Our office also provides supervision and mentoring to our candidates during their internship, and if needed we work with WCU and P-12 faculty and administrators to resolve placement issues.
*Dates and Times are subject to change
Application | Date |
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Internship Applications for Fall 2021 - OPEN | Monday, January 25th |
Internship Applications for Fall 2021 - DUE | Friday, February 26th |
Block Practicum Applications for Fall 2021 - OPEN | Monday, March 8th |
Block Practicum Applications for Fall2021 - DUE | Friday, March 26th |
Intern Information |
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Virtual Intern I Orientation | Monday, January 25th 6:00-8:00 PM via Zoom |
Intern II PD Day #2 Youth - Mental Health First Aid Training | Day #1 – February 12th Day #2 – February 19th Day #3 – February 26th Day #4 – March 5th |
Intern II PD Day #3 Diversity & Career Prep | Friday, March 26th |
Intern II PD Day #4 Spring Education Career Fair | Friday, April 23rd |
Virtual Outstanding Prospective Teachers Award Ceremony |
Friday, May 14th
5:00-5:45 PM via Zoom |
Name | Office | Email Address |
---|---|---|
Amanda Chapman |
Killian 201 K |
|
Monica Miller Lead Field Supervisor & Instructor |
Killian 201 M |
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Christy Merritt |
Killian 201 H |
|
Deb Henry |
Killian 201 N |
Asheville City Schools | Buncombe County | Cherokee Central Schools |
Cherokee County | Clay County | Graham County |
Haywood County | Henderson County | Jackson County |
Macon County | Madison County | McDowell County |
Mitchell County | Polk County | Rutherford County |
Swain County | Transylvania County | Yancey County |
Student Population | Initial Background Check Requirement | Recheck Requirement | Payment for Background checks |
---|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Residential TEP |
With Early Field Experience Application (EDCI 201, PSY 323, SPED 339) |
With Internship Application |
Self-pay |
Birth-Kindergarten (All Tracks) |
With Online Orientation |
With Action Research/ Internship Application* |
Self-pay |
SPED Graduate Certification and MAT |
With Online Orientation |
With Practicum Application* |
Self-pay |
MAT (Social Sciences, English, Biology, & Art) |
TEP Admission (required during first semester of enrollment) |
With Internship Application* |
Self-pay |
* Students who are completing internship/action research requirement within the setting that they are currently employed are not required to complete the Background Recheck. However, employer will be required to verify that the school/school system has a background check on file via the Site Supervisor form. |
**SPRING 2021 EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCES WILL BE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY**
All students enrolled in an Early Field Experience course will be required to obtain a background check (EDCI201 & BK250), and all will need to complete a new Background Check and University Sanction Reveiw in Tk20.
Early Field Experiences generally involve focused observation, interviews and assisting the classroom teacher. Courses requiring these experiences include BK, EDCI 201, PSY 323, SPED 339, elementary and middle grades methods courses, and EDCI 607,609, & 616. Methods courses may also require that candidates plan and implement lessons. Candidates are required to document from 5 to 24 hours in the classroom depending on the course.
PSY 323 & SPED 339 (and Methods Courses taken outside of Block or Internship I)
GRADUATE EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCES
The "Block" Practicum Experience for students taking either ELMG 390 or EDMG 411 in the elementary, middle grades, and inclusive education programs and is generally completed the semester prior to Internship. This experience requires candidates to plan and implement several lessons and work in the classroom one day per week (or two half days) for 10 weeks.
Videotaping Permission Form for Early Field Experiences & Block - please distribute and collect these from students within the first two weeks in Block placement.
Internship is a two-semester experience. Candidates gradually assume the responsibilities of the classroom teacher for planning, implementing and assessing lessons, managing student behavior and carrying out non-instructional duties. The goal is for candidates to develop the knowledge, skills and professional dispositions necessary for successful teaching.
UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE - RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
GRADUATE - DISTANCE PROGRAMS (SPED)
Health Examination Certificate
Résumé Templates:
You may use one of the following examples or create your own. Just make sure that all components are addressed.
Statement on Professional Liability of Interns and Student Teachers
School personnel are responsible for ensuring the safety and protection of students at all times. Teacher education candidates completing field experiences and clinical practice are legally viewed as school employees and may be personally charged with negligence if accident or injury occurs to a student in their care. Neither the State of North Carolina nor Western Carolina University will be responsible for providing legal defense for any professional education candidate or for paying for any judgment which may be entered against the accused; therefore, beginning in the Fall 2018, the College of Education and Allied Professions will require that all professional education candidates purchase and maintain professional liability insurance prior to beginning their internship.
Many professional organizations offer professional liability coverage as a benefit of membership at greatly discounted rates for students. Examples of such organizations include, but are not limited to, the following:
Information on obtaining private liability insurance can be obtained from the North Carolina Association of Insurance Agents.
Note: Some districts require all teacher candidates to have liability insurance for any field experience placement in the district.
RESOURCES & MATERIALS |
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INTERNSHIP I |
INTERNSHIP II |
Video Permission Form for Internship I - English & Spanish Intern I - Midterm Evaluation Form INTERN I - FINAL EVALUATION FORM
Intern I Time Sheets
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MID-TERM CERTIFICATION OF TEACHING CAPACITY FINAL CERTIFICATION OF TEACHING CAPACITY
EDTPA |
PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
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INTERNSHIP I |
INTERNSHIP II |
Art Education (K-12) | Art Education (K-12) |
Health & Physical Education (K-12) | Health & Physical Education (K-12) |
Music Education (K-12) | Music Education (K-12) |
Elementary Education (K-6) | Elementary Education (K-6) |
Inclusive Education | Inclusive Education |
Middle Grades (6-9) | Middle Grades (6-9) |
Secondary English | Secondary English |
Secondary Math | Secondary Math |
Secondary Science | Secondary Science |
Secondary Social Sciences | Secondary Social Sciences |
SPECIAL EDUCATION (K-12) - GRADUATE |
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.
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:
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.”
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.
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).
More detailed information, forms, and helpful resources can be found on our new Clinical Educators Resource site.
Specific Program Information - See Program Specific Requirements under Internship.
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.
Minimum qualifications for serving as a Field Supervisor:
If you are interested in becoming a Field Supervisor, please apply. You will need: