UW STEP PRACTICAL LEARNING BY QUARTER

Spring Quarter Field Experience:

UW candidates will be in a middle school placement each Tuesdays throughout Spring quarter weeks 2-9. The experience is intended to give future teachers an understanding of both teaching and learning within particular contexts, micro and macro. 

Summer Quarter Field Experience:

Candidates will have experiences in a placement that supports a summer program, particularly those that are implemented to increase student success and prepare students for high school/college. Courses will integrate assignments that are associated with classes in which candidates are placed and that are planned with consultation from partner school mentor teachers.

Fall Quarter Field Experience:

The Fall Field Experience has three segments. The first begins in late August and goes until the UW quarter begins and is full time in the secondary classroom. The second is during the first 7 weeks of the UW quarter, typically until Thanksgiving and takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The third is from Thanksgiving until schools break for winter break and is again full time in the secondary classroom. The following is a suggested timeline for integrating a co-teaching model into the fall quarter practicum experience. It is important to remember that full-time student teaching will be winter quarter and that a gradual increase in responsibility is recommended for fall quarter. The suggested timeline varies for mentor teacher/candidate pairs depending on classroom contexts and development of skills. 

Late August to mid-September:

• Mentor teachers maintain role as primary planner; 

• Candidates observe and/or engage in classroom in ways that mentor teacher determines will support student learning (one teach, one observe; one teach, one drift; facilitate warm-ups, mini-lessons); 

• Mentor teachers share curriculum and lesson plans with candidates to review and to become familiar with; 

• Observations should be targeted and specific so that candidate is gathering data for mentor teacher (e.g., assessing students’ level of understanding, looking at student behaviors, listening to student discourse, observing classroom management style(s)); 

• Candidates should review grading and attendance policies and can begin becoming familiar with processes (may include some grading)

• Locate IEP, 504 plans, and ELL paperwork for students

Late September through October: 

• Mentor teachers begin engaging candidates in co-planning, making the thinking behind lesson planning visible and explicit; 

• Mentor teachers give candidates small activities/mini-lessons to plan and implement; mentor teachers should review & give feedback; candidates may begin small group instruction (parallel teaching, alternative teaching)

• Candidates should begin identifying “big ideas”, unit level goals, essential questions or ideas that are relevant to curriculum; 

• Lessons should incorporate various approaches to co-teaching with candidate gradually taking on more responsibility of working with students; 

• Candidates may be responsible for grading short assignments and taking on some classroom administrative duties; team teaching may be integrated if candidate demonstrates an area of expertise or classroom activities require dual facilitation (e.g., one lectures, one models note-taking)

• Candidates should go through all of their UW syllabi with their mentor teachers – identifying course assignments that require fieldwork. 

November through end of Fall Quarter:

• Mentor teachers and candidates begin sharing role of lead teacher and plan for candidate to take lead in planning and implementing the lessons 

• All planning should be reviewed by mentor teacher with feedback that suggests modifications and considerations relative to students 

• Lessons are implemented for which periodic solo teaching and/or team teaching takes place at the discretion of the mentor teacher; 

• Candidates administer assessments appropriate to the lessons they taught and collect student work for analysis.

• Candidates complete analysis of student performances; mentor teachers may provide limited feedback and ideas for next steps based on student performance

• Candidate should be familiar with and engaged in administrative tasks of classroom

• Candidates and mentors should discuss unit plan ideas for edTPA to prepare for videoing in January

 Winter Quarter Field Experience:

Full-time student teaching is the final segment of practicum experience for candidates.  During this time, candidates will be responsible for participating in a full school day and gradually building up to taking the lead role.  

Candidates will begin full-time student teaching the first secondary school day in January and follow their school’s calendar at least through the end of Winter Quarter.

Candidates will follow mentor teacher’s contract day, including all staff meetings, planning, and professional development activities. Candidates may apply for an Intern Substitute Certificate as designated on OSPI website. Candidates will attend courses 1-2 nights a week.

 The following explains the expectations for Candidates’ classroom responsibilities from the beginning of Winter quarter until the end of student teaching.

Early to Mid-January:

Candidate begins to take a lead in planning and instructing complete lessons for 2 classes/periods

• Candidate is expected to submit lesson plans to mentor in advance; a reasonable time for submitting and receiving feedback should be negotiated between candidate and mentor teacher

• Candidate continues to participate in co-teaching, utilizing a variety of approaches that include observation and opportunities for the candidate to solo-teach

• Candidate reviews lesson plans prior to implementation and debriefs whenever possible using reflective questions 

• Candidate begins planning for edTPA

Late January-March:

Expanding responsibility is contingent upon success in lead role (see below) during early and mid-January.  Once the candidate has demonstrated success as lead teacher in 2 classes/periods, they take over the majority of the planning and instruction in a 3rd and 4th class/period (with no more than 2 preps).

• Transition typically occurs around new semester start (end of January). 

• Ultimately, candidates take lead responsibility for a 4th class/period.

  • If a 4th class/period means a 3rd prep, please consult with coach.

• • Determination of number of lead classes should be agreed upon with mentor teacher and coach

  • Candidates should continue to assist in a 5th class while the mentor teacher takes the lead role with this class

  • Exceptions will apply for 7 period day, extended day, and block period schedules

• Mentor teacher continues to offer feedback on lesson plans and integrate co-teaching approaches

• Candidate should request comments and ideas from mentor teacher

• Candidate should be given opportunities to try out new methods and take risks with teaching strategies

• Co-teaching approaches are still an option when appropriate

• Mentor teacher continues to observe and offer feedback throughout the candidate’s experience

*As always, we encourage individualizing experiences and therefore use these guidelines as a starting point. Ultimately we know that meeting candidates where they are in their learning will lead to the most growth. Please work with coaches and STEP admininstration if you have questions or concerns.

Mid to Late March:

• Mentor teacher reassumes primary planning and teaching role to transition mentor teacher back to lead teacher

*Lead Role

A general description of the lead role is as follows:

·       Candidate is primary planner and is responsible for sharing lesson plans with mentor teacher

·       Candidate takes on primary role in instruction and assessment with mentor teacher support as co-teacher, using whatever strategy is best for students.  This may include times when the candidate and mentor teacher share in lead for particular lessons (e.g., parallel teaching, team teaching)

·       Candidate will continue to have opportunities to implement classroom management strategies

·       Candidate is responsible for classroom administrative duties (attendance, discipline, etc.) and grading, with mentor teacher support

·       Mentor teacher allows candidate to continue in lead role when challenges arise; mentor teacher may offer support and/or model getting students on task

·       Candidate takes on responsibility for connecting with parents (with support of mentor teacher)

·       Candidate participates in staff meetings and staff development activities during contract day

·       Candidate participates in student support meetings (with counselors, special services, disciplinary team, etc.)