Time Commitment and Credits

General Guidelines

The goal of Practicum and Student Teaching is to gain real-world, hands-on experience working with students with visual impairments, including those from diverse backgrounds and abilities. In all field experience courses, it is our belief that teacher candidates will do their best work if outside commitments are kept to a minimum. The "Calendars at a Glance" offer proposed activities and milestones. These are not strict guidelines but are intended to offer recommended timelines to maximize learning outcomes.

Check the term dates on the PSU Academic Calendar

Practicum I

3 credits, 100 hrs total
Initial and endorsement candidates

Practicum II

3 credits, 100 hours total
Initial and endorsement candidates

Student Teaching

12 credits, full time placement 400 hrs total
For initial licensure candidates only

Practica I & II Time Requirements

Practicum is a 10 hour a week commitment lasting 10 weeks. In the VIL program, teacher candidates register for 3 credit hours. It is recommended that teacher candidates arrange to work with the cooperating teacher two days a week to allow for consistent and repeated opportunities to support students with visual impairments and to work with a diverse range of children. While the focus is on maximizing time directly observing and teaching students, time dedicated to conferences, consulting, preparing for instruction and/or assessment, and some travel is included within the 10 hour per week requirement. Teacher candidates who are not working full time as a provisionally licensed TVI are required to maintain a Log of Hours, which is reviewed at midpoint to ensure that the teacher candidate is meeting the time requirements and signed by both the cooperating teacher and university supervisor at the end of the term.

Practicum I

Calendar At a Glance

During Practicum I, teacher candidates begin the term observing their mentor cooperating teacher in a variety of settings with as diverse a caseload as possible. Gradually, the teacher candidate assumes more responsibility over the term within the 10 hour per week timeframe.

Practicum II

Calendar At a Glance

During Practicum II, teacher candidates begin the term observing and assisting the cooperating teacher. They begin to take on more responsibility, and by the end of the term aim to work the 10 hours a week assuming the roles and responsibilities of a teacher of students with visual impairments. This is particularly important for endorsement candidates who do not complete student teaching.

Student Teaching Time Requirements - Initial Licensure Only

Student teaching is a full-time, 40 hour per week commitment, lasting 10 weeks. In the VIL program, teacher candidates register for 12 credit hours. If teacher candidates have a current teaching license or credential and are adding a Special Educator Endorsement, a full-time student teaching experience will not be required. This is the culminating teaching experience prior to licensure.

Student Teaching

Calendar At a Glance

Initial licensure candidates complete student teaching, which is designed to offer the candidate the opportunity to work as a teacher of students with visual impairments to the maximum extent possible within the 40 hour per week student teaching schedule.

What Types of Activities Count Towards Practicum?

Conferences - IEP meetings, professional conferences
Teaching - direct instruction and assessment
Consultation - consultation services among TSVI and IEP team members
Preparation - lesson plan development, writing evaluation summaries
Observation - observations of students, as well as CT teacher instructing students
Travel - includes time traveling between schools, up to 10% of total time each week

All candidates who are not currently working full time as a provisionally licensed TSVI are required to maintain a Log of Hours sheet and track the different types of activities completed.

Options for Building in Practicum Hours

Given the fact that many endorsement candidates are working full time as teachers, meeting the hourly requirements for the VIL program may involve creative problem-solving. Make sure to consult with your university supervisor when developing a plan for earning practicum hours. Below are some ways in which teacher candidates have established practicum hours, under the supervision of the university supervisor and cooperating teacher.

Participating in activities hosted by agencies for the blind and visually impaired (e.g. camps, weekend intensives)
Supporting students before or after school (e.g. ECC specific instruction after school)
Scheduling time for planning and report writing after school hours
For those working full time, taking a leave of absence from work with permission from school principal
Earning hours beyond the term dates* - need program coordinator approval

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