EDUC 342

SECTION 045

Pre-Student Teaching Clinical Experience I

Instructor: Jonathan B. Smith, Ed.D.

Overview/ This course is designed to be an observational/participation

Course Description: experience. Students in this discipline are assigned to work with a certified health and physical education teacher and interact with elementary age children during a typical school day. Specific guidelines are provided to the undergraduate student so that this observational experience is directed toward careful description and analysis of teaching strategies, techniques used to motivate and create a positive learning climate, progressions, and curriculum development. Depending on the educational setting, students can have a variety of experiences working with individual children or large groups. The students are encouraged to work with children of various multi-cultural and ethnic backgrounds as well as those with special needs. Separate Pre-Student Teaching guidelines and requirements have been designed and outlined for Health and Physical Education students. This course provides an opportunity for students to speak directly to the problems and issues observed during the experience.

Prerequisite: Admission to Teacher Certification in the College of Education

And Admission to Junior Standing within the College of Ed.

Course Objectives:

After completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Ø Identify the composition of the administration in the pre-student teaching experience.

Ø Observe various classes at the primary level and be able to identify the variety of instructional strategies used.

Ø Observe various classes at the intermediate level and be able to identify the variety of instructional strategies used.

Ø Observe various classes in other special subject disciplines and be able to identify the variety of instructional strategies used.

Ø Describe their role as a teacher’s aid during the pre-student teaching experience.

Ø Identify methods of working with students that have individual ethnic and multi-cultural differences as well as students with special needs.

Ø Reflect on their philosophy of teaching before and after the experience.

Relationship of Course to College Conceptual Framework:

The College of Education has developed its education program around the teacher as a reflective and effective educator. Course activities and assignments reflect this theme by providing opportunities for students to engage in reflective and integrative thinking related to classroom management in each discipline. In addition, each student is to complete a reaction paper, one half-day observations of a classroom teacher in another discipline, two interviews and a daily log of the entire experience in a secondary school environment.

Course Participants:

This course is designed to meet the needs of pre-service teachers in health and physical education.

Semesters Taught: Fall, Spring

Strategies Used: Discussion

Cooperative Learning

Classroom Observations

Reflective Practice

Hands-on-Participation

Media Used: Teacher Workstation

Required Reading: HANDBOOK Pre-Student Teaching Experiences I and II

(purchase @ “Copies Now”)

Course Requirements:

Each participant in this course is expected to:

1. Attend all scheduled classes, meetings, and conferences. (required)

2. Complete the minimum required hours for this experience. (30%)

3. Maintain a daily log of the entire experience. (25%)

4. Complete and submit one ½ day observations of classroom teachers other than your coop. (10%)

5. Write a reaction paper of their overall impression of the experience. (15%)

6. Submit contract and proper evaluation forms. (5%)

7. Interview an administrator and a member of the support staff. (5%)

8. Submit all materials for this experience in a very complete, neatly prepared, and well organized notebook. (5%)

8. Attendance at mandatory debriefing (5%)

Notebooks are required to be handed in within 72 hours of the completion of the debriefing session!!! Also, approx. 50% of the experience should be in a Health Education setting!!!

Grading Policy:

90% - 100% A

80% - 89% B

70% - 79% C

60% - 69% D

59% - Below F

A one-percent reduction, from the total value, will be made for each calendar day that the course notebook is late.

Grades of INCOMPLETE are given in accordance with criteria established by the University and the Department. These grades will be issued judiciously and except in documented emergencies MUST be negotiated PRIOR TO the LAST WEEK of class (finals week IS NOT considered “class”).