PORTFOLIOS

Students are generally required to complete successfully a portfolio at three points in their program of study. The portfolio is evaluated based on carefully designed rubrics.

Students in the Pre-Professional Block who are enrolled in Observation and Participation (EDFNDPRC 210) or Observation and Reflection in Head Start (EDUINDP 214) are required to complete successfully their Phase 2 Portfolio as a pre-requisite to the Professional Block. All students are required to complete successfully their Phase 3 Portfolio during their Professional (“Methods”) Block as a pre-requisite to student teaching, and their Phase 4 Portfolio during their Student Teaching semester as a requirement for graduation and licensure.

The portfolio is based on the Wisconsin Teacher Standards (See Appendix A-1.) and on five central assessment concepts:

· Communication Skills · Pedagogical Knowledge

· Human Relations and Professional Dispositions · Teaching Practice

· Content Knowledge

Additional information about portfolios is available in a variety of ways through students, their university supervisors, and academic departments:

Curriculum and Instruction Visit http://academics.uww.edu/cni/forms.html

Early Childhood Education Winther Hall 4044 foxr@uww.edu

Educational Foundations Winther Hall 6035 edfound@uww.edu

Physical Education Williams Center 123 hperc@uww.edu

Special Education Winther Hall 4033 specialed@uww.edu

Required Field Experiences Prior to Student Teaching

Before reaching their student teaching semester, undergraduate students spend 125 or more hours in classrooms in early field experiences, during which time their responsibilities for teaching increase gradually. Cooperating teachers are encouraged to discuss these prior field experiences with student teachers as soon as possible.

Phase 2 - Preprofessional Block: Observation and Participation or Observation and Reflection

As a requirement for admission to Professional Education, undergraduate students for all programs except Early ChildhoodEducation must successfully complete the Preprofessional Block. In this block, students enroll in three three-unit courses: Education in a Pluralistic Society, Child Development or Educational Psychology, and Observation and Participation. The field experience component of the Preprofessional Block consists of eight full days spent in a public school or agency. This field experience generally provides students with limited opportunity for teaching activities, e.g., one-on-one tutoring or small group work. Students are not necessarily placed in a classroom that corresponds to their major or their preference, and special education majors are placed in a general education classroom. During this semester, students partially fulfill the Human Relations requirement for obtaining a teaching license in Wisconsin.

During their first semester, students in the Early Childhoodprogram enroll in eight courses for a total of 17 units: Introduction to Early Childhood Education, Child & Family in a Diverse Society, Development of the Young Child, Early Childhood Music Methods, Individualized Learning Systems in Educational Media, Art in the Yearly Years, Reflective Seminar, and Field Study: Head Start. For Field Study: Head Start, students are placed in Head Start programs for two mornings a week for twelve weeks, or approximately 6.5 hours per week. During this semester, students partially fulfill the Human Relations requirement for obtaining a teaching license in Wisconsin.

Phase 3 - Professional Block: Field Study/Alternate Student Teaching, General Studies, etc.

Following successful completion of the Preprofessional Block and admission to Professional Education, undergraduate majors are eligible for the Professional Block. During the Professional Block, students enroll in courses appropriate to their licensing area, e.g., math and reading methods, and they also have one or more placements in area schools or agencies. Compared to the Preprofessional Block field experience, the Professional Block field experiences provide students with more responsibilities for teaching, e.g., planning and implementing lessons, assessing students, etc. The Professional Block experience serves as a transition between limited teaching responsibilities in the Preprofessional Block field experience and significant teaching responsibilities during the student teaching experience.

Early Childhood (EC) majors have a Professional Block experience that includes Field Work connected to methods courses over three semesters and a 300 hour experience over 15 weeks in a Birth to Three Program (approximately 200 hours) and a community-based childcare program (approximately 100 hours)

Early Childhood-Middle Childhood (EC-MC) majors all have a Professional Block experience in a pre-school setting.

In the regular educationMiddle Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) and Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) programs, students spend their Professional Block experience at an elementary, middle, or high school level that is opposite the level of their Phase 4 full semester student teaching experience. This experience is a combination of “field experience” and a limited “student teaching” experience.

In the special educationMiddle Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) and Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) programs, following Observation and Participation but preceding student teaching, students complete two field experiences. The first is in elementary or middle school in their area of emphasis; the second is in a general (regular) education classroom, frequently in full inclusion programs.

During their Professional Block experience, Early Childhood-Adolescence (EC-A) majors (art, business education, foreign language, marketing, music, physical education) are placed in elementary, middle, and/or high schools.

Phase 4 - Student Teaching

Early Childhood (EC)Education majors participate in two limited student teaching experiences prior to a full day/full semester student teaching assignment. The first limited student teaching experience includes approximately 200 hours in a Birth to Three Program and 100 hours in a community-based childcare program. The second limited student teaching experience includes approximately 150 hours in a Preschool inclusive or integrated program. The full day/full semester student teaching assignment for Early Childhood majors includes three six-week placements each in Early Childhood Special Education, Kindergarten, and a primary grade (ages six to eight).

Early Childhood-Middle Childhood (EC-MC)majorsparticipate in full semester of student teaching consisting of one placement at the kindergarten level for nine weeks and at second placement at Grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 for nine weeks.

Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) regular education majors participate in a full semester of student teaching at the grade level opposite that of their Phase 3 experience.

Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) and Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) special education majors participate in a full semester of student teaching.

Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) majors(art, business education, foreign language, marketing, music, physical education) participate in a full semester of student teaching. In the case of art, music, and physical education, this includes 9 weeks at an elementary level and 9 weeks at a secondary level.

Early Childhood through Adolescence majors (Art, Business Education, Foreign Language, Music, Physical Education certification) participate in a full semester student teaching experience for nine weeks at the elementary level and nine weeks at the secondary level.

Special Education: Special education majors participate in a full semester program of student teaching in a cooperating school, while concurrently enrolled in a seminar.

The following chart summarizes typical levels of field experiences in undergraduate programs:

Teacher Internships

Teacher internships are available to students. The teacher internship program is coordinated by the Wisconsin Improvement Program as a cooperative venture involving Wisconsin teacher training institutions, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and local school systems. The teacher internship is a full semester assignment in a participating school during which a student enrolls in twelve credits of directed teaching and is paid a salary by the local school system. The student is engaged in a full day, full semester experience, but may be required to attend a limited number of on-campus events during the day or evening (e.g., student teacher meetings, seminars for student teachers or interns). The intern is licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Additional information about the teacher internship program (requirements, application process and deadlines, etc.) is available from the Office of Field Experiences.

Undergraduate In-service Practicum

The undergraduate in-service practicum is available as an on-the-job experience for some regular education students for initial certification. The undergraduate in-service practicum experience may take place within the school where the student is employed. The school must approve the assignment, provide a teaching schedule mutually acceptable to the school and the university, and identify a cooperating teacher.

Special Minors

Special minor areas which require a student teaching assignment for purposes of licensure are bilingual education, elementary keyboarding, and library media. Students should consult program coordinators for more information about student teaching in these areas.

Graduate Programs

Regular Education Practicum

Curriculum and Instruction practica, including in-service, may be taken at the graduate level. Students are placed in a setting for a period arranged to fit the needs of the student and licensure requirements. Practicum credits will be determined by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. The specific requirements for an in-service practicum are available through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and involve a contractual agreement among the department, the student, and the school district.

Special Education Practicum

Special Education practica, including in-service, are available at the graduate level only. Students are required to apply for and complete a practicum assignment as part of the licensure requirements for each area of licensure desired. Students are placed in a practicum setting for a period of time based on the Special Education Department's assessment of the student’s training, certification, experience, and needs. Practicum credit will be determined by the Special Education Department as a result of this assessment. The specific requirements for an in-service practicum are available in the Department of Special Education and include a contractual agreement among the department, the student, and the school district. In-service agreement forms are available in the Office of Field Experiences.

Reading Practicum

Graduate students in the MSE-Reading degree program leading to 316 (K-12) Licensure or 317 (K-12) Licensure must apply for and successfully complete a practicum in reading. The four credit reading practicum satisfies both the elementary and secondary requirements. In most instances students will be able to satisfy the requirements within their own school districts. Applications for the reading practicum are available in the Office of Field Experiences.

International Student Teaching Opportunities

The College of Education & Professional Studies offers a variety of international experiences for students in partial fulfillment of program requirements. Students must be approved for participation in international experiences by their program coordinator and/or academic department, and the Director of Field Experiences.

Students are responsible for all expenses associated with the international experiences, including but not limited to the cost of a passport, visa, airfare, land transportation, lodging, and meals. Students may be eligible for financial assistance to offset these experiences.

Additional information on international experiences is available in the Office of Field Experiences.