Education Department Field Experience Handbook

Introduction

Professional Ethics Statement

Field Experience Policies and Procedures

Early Childhood Program

Middle Childhood Program

Adolescent/Young Adult Program

Multi-Age Education

Intervention Specialist

Introduction

The religious, educational, historical, and social tenets of Bluffton University provide the foundation for the mission of the Education Department.  Bluffton University seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as for vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples, and ultimately for the purposes of God’s universal kingdom.  This pursuit of excellence, informed by the peace church values, expresses itself in the following ways:

  1. to provide a superior baccalaureate program in the liberal arts emphasizing individual inquiry, critical thinking, and lifelong learning;
  2. to provide superior preparation in a select number of professional areas as an integral part of the liberal arts program;
  3. to integrate the values and faith of the College into all facets of the educational program, including not only the curricular and co-curricular programs, but the very life of the college community (Bluffton University Catalog).  

The general education program provides integrated courses and experiences which place the student in an ever-expanding context from the individual in the First Year Seminar to the global citizen of the Senior Capstone course.  The program is designed to acquaint the student with current thought and advances in all of the traditional academic disciplines which are presented in an integrated format.  Courses that are required of all students include: First Year Seminar, College English, Understanding Numerical Data, one lab science and one non-lab science course, Introduction to Biblical Literature, Integrated Social Sciences, Humanities I and II, Issues, Religion, Integrated Arts, Cross-Cultural/Service Learning Experience, and Christian Values in a Global Community.  The Liberal Arts and Sciences program models how an Anabaptist vision of community can be used to develop responses to issues and concerns from a global community perspective (Bluffton University Catalog, 1999-2000, p. 57-58).  

In the Department of Education, courses and field experiences are based upon a curriculum model joining content and methodology with major strands addressing teaching diverse populations and teaching in diverse environments.  The model has been developed with objectives that promote effective teaching and reflect the expectations of the Education Department and other professional entities.  The preparation of effective teachers at Bluffton University involves students meeting objectives that reflect not only Bluffton University’s values and expectations but also objectives that come from recommendations of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), professional entities such as education related learned societies, higher education institution faculty, in-service teachers, and the Ohio Department of Education (Bluffton University Teacher Education Department Goals and Objectives, 1993-1994).*

The Bluffton University teacher education program structures its courses and experiences around the conceptual framework: Educators Nurturing Communities of Learning and Respect. Bluffton University’s mission of peace and justice, cross cultural understanding, and service is combined with a strong liberal arts and sciences program and provide the “roots” for all teacher education students.  The teacher education program “branches” out to address student learning through content knowledge and an on-going teaching cycle of planning, teaching, assessment and reflection.  Communities of respect are nurtured through the context of inclusive schooling, collaborative colleague/parent/student interactions, and classroom organization based upon respect for the individual student and the learning community. 

Within this framework, students completing programs through the Department of Education at Bluffton University will:

  1. have a strong knowledge of subject matter and use such knowledge to create effective learning experiences for students.
  2. have a strong knowledge of theory and practice and be able to develop and implement lesson plans which meet the diverse needs of his/her students.
  3. create an inclusive learning environment that encourages respect of all persons; active, engaged learning; positive interaction; and self-motivation for all within the learning environment.
  4. effectively communicate using an appropriate variety of communication skills, including verbal and nonverbal techniques, and technology.  (Bluffton University, Department of Education, Assessment Plan, 1996-1997 and Danielson, 1996).*

Inside and outside of the classroom, students in the Teacher Education programs at Bluffton University are expected to develop and display effective collaboration skills as they work with parents, colleagues, and the surrounding community. Courses and experiences offer numerous opportunities to develop and improve these skills.  Students are also expected to develop skills and strategies for reflective teaching practices as they analyze student learning. They are also encouraged to continue their own professional development after graduation through meaningful contributions to their school, school district, professional organizations, and the global community.  Such contributions may include mentoring new teachers, writing articles for publication, making presentations to different groups, and conducting action research in his/her classroom (Danielson, 1996, p.117).*

The staff and faculty members of the Department of Education at Bluffton University accept the responsibility of providing the courses, experiences, guidance, administrative support, and self-evaluation necessary for the development and maintenance of a departmental structure in which effective, child-centered teaching professionals can develop. The Early Childhood License, Middle Childhood License, Intervention Specialist, Adolescent/Young Adult Licenses, Multi-Age Licenses, and Vocational License are all developed with this goal in mind.  By incorporating the vision of Bluffton University, its general education program, and the Department of Education, the staff and faculty are confident that the educational experiences at Bluffton University will reflect the realities and challenges found in classrooms where teachers and students are engaged in constructing meaningful teaching and learning. 

The information presented in this handbook is vital for anyone considering a Teacher Education program at Bluffton.  It provides students a composite of the requirements which must be completed for provisional licensure through the Ohio Department of Education.  These requirements are completed through a four step process:

  • Admission to Teacher Education (while taking Introduction to Teaching in a Diverse Society and Early Field Experience)
  • Admission to Student Teaching (the semester prior to student teaching)
  • Completion of the Program (when all program requirements are complete)
  • Follow-Up (during the candidates’ career as an educator)

Please keep this handbook for present and future reference.  If you have questions that are not addressed in the handbook, please feel free to contact an Education Department faculty member.

Gayle Trollinger, Ph.D.
Director of Teacher Education

 

References
Danielson. (1996).  Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching.  Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.