Field Expectations

The Master of Education in Teaching Program is a two-year, field-based program. Successful completion of Observation & Participation and Student Teaching are required for MEdT students to be recommended for initial teacher licensure to the Hawaii Teachers Standards Board (HTSB). A full-time Internship is required to complete the degree program.

Observation & Participation (OP) Expectations

During OP Semesters, MEdT Candidates will observe two full days a week within Mentor classrooms. During that time the candidate will be an active member of the classroom community through observation, teaching, reflection, and support of daily instruction. Candidates are expected to collaborate with their Mentor Teacher and Field Supervisor to fulfill all course requirements, including at minimum four teaching observations. A comprehensive list of expectations for Observation and Participation experiences will be provided in the syllabus for the corresponding Clinical Partnership and Practice courses (e.g., STE 602, STE 604).

Student Teaching Expectations

MEdT Candidates will complete their Student Teaching within a full-time classroom placement (5 days a week). The expectation will be a minimum of 8 weeks solo teaching period, which may include co-teaching where the teacher candidate is the lead teacher (minimum 4 weeks) and solo teaching as negotiated by the cohort coordinator and mentor teacher to best serve the needs of the teacher candidate and students in the classroom. Candidates are expected to collaborate with their Mentor Teacher and Field Supervisor to fulfill all course requirements, including at minimum five teaching observations. Further expectations for Student Teaching can be viewed under the Student Teaching page of the handbook. A comprehensive list of expectations will be provided in the syllabus for the corresponding Clinical Partnership and Practice III course (e.g., STE 610).

Internship Expectations

All candidates must complete a a full-time internship to complete the degree program. All internships must be in the candidate's area of licensure or a related field. Depending on the position, internships may include compensation, or may be unpaid. The internship is an excellent opportunity to further develop your understanding of teaching and learning, and skill in designing and implementing educational experiences. It will also provide you the time, opportunity, and guidance to complete the educational inquiry that constitutes your Plan B master's project. Further expectations for the internship experience can be viewed under the Internship page of the handbook. A comprehensive list of expectations will be provided in the syllabus for the corresponding Clinical Partnership & Practice IV course (e.g., STE 612).

Field Placements

Cohort field placement assignments are determined by MEdT faculty. Our faculty establish, maintain, and grow mutually beneficial relationships with partner schools and mentor teachers, and rely on those partnerships to support your work. Because the Partnership School Model is an integral component of the MEdT program, it is preferred that candidates be placed in our partner schools whenever possible. Candidates should not attempt to make their own placements nor should they contact principals/teachers in a partner school.

Field days are determined by cohort coordinators. There is no provision for absence from assigned field days except for a) documented medical need, b) death in the immediate family, d) religious holiday, e) official representation of the College or f) other extreme circumstances. Any pre-planned absence from assigned field days, including reporting to school late or leaving school early, must be approved in advance by the mentor teacher, university supervisor, and/or program chair.

Candidates are required to meet all policies and requirements of their placement site (e.g. Safety and Harm Reduction Traning, FERPA, Data Access, Licensing). See HIDOE Expectations page for further information. Candidates are expected to monitor their email and respond promptly to any requests from program faculty regarding partner requirements.

Employment

For candidates already employed in a public, private or charter school before starting the program, the MEdT program may allow the candidate to use their position to meet the field requirements if all of the On the Job Training Requirements (OJT) are met. See Employment Policies for further information on working in schools while in the MEdT Program. Candidates who are not already employed in a school position at the start of the program are discouraged from seeking school employment that would conflict with field days during the first two semesters of the program. Such employment disrupts the placements and agreements established with partner schools. Not all school employment is consistent with program field expectations and additional field hours may need to be completed to meet program requirements.

Field Absences

In case of unexpected absence (illness, car trouble, etc.), the teacher candidate must notify the mentor teacher immediately, calling the teacher at home or at school as soon as a problem arises. If the teacher candidate cannot reach the teacher, he/she must contact the school office. He/she must continue outreach until the teacher or office has been notified. At that time the teacher candidate should also inform his/her supervisor of any situation requiring an absence. The teacher candidate is still responsible for providing the mentor teacher with lesson plans to ensure continuity of instruction during the absence. Each unexcused absence may result in lowering your final course grade.

Dual Licensure

Candidates may request to pursue a recommendation for a teaching license in two secondary fields provided that all the following conditions are met:

the candidate is in good academic standing
the College of Education has official passing scores for the content knowledge assessment exam in both areas of licensure before the last day of instruction of the candidate’s second semester in the program
the candidate has a major in or thirty semester hours of coursework in the primary content field and a minor in or fifteen semester hours of coursework in the secondary content field

To enable candidates to complete field work in both areas, the candidate must make their request via their @hawaii.edu email to their cohort coordinator in their first semester. Candidates who have been approved to pursue two areas of licensure must:

complete a teaching methods course (STE 404) in both content areas for a total of 49 credits in the program
complete student teaching for their secondary content field in their fourth semester in lieu of an internship
meet the licensure expectations of the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board in both fields.

Updated 8/01/2024

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