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• Field Experience and Clinical Practice

Field Experience and Clinical Practice

The Bluffton University field experiences program is designed to give candidates a chance to explore their chosen profession through three phases.  The first phase is EXPLORATORY.  This early field experience allows candidates to observe and assist teachers in classrooms and offers candidates a variety of settings in which to decide if this is the level and subject area that best suits them.  The second phase is FOCUSED and allows candidates to start to use the skills that are being developed in coursework on campus as they begin to teach short lessons and help with more classrooms duties.  Practicum and clinical practice are INTENSIVE field experiences (third phase) that provide each candidate with a mentor, but also allow him/her to try his/her own wings and work independently in a classroom.

Early Childhood Program - Grades Pre-K - Third

The early childhood program requires field experiences in the following courses:

 Middle Childhood Program - Grades 4 - 9

The middle childhood program requires field experiences in the following courses:

 Adolescent/Young Adult Program - Grades 7 - 12

The adolescent/young adult program requires field experiences in the following courses:

Multi-Age Education - Pre-K - 12

The multi-age education program requires field experiences in the following courses:

Intervention Specialist - Grades K - 12

The intervention specialist program requires field experiences in the following courses:

Field experience policies and procedures
I.  Placement policies and procedures 

Placement decisions policy
Placements for field experiences are made by the coordinator of field experiences and in some circumstances by the course instructor.  Candidates should not attempt to find their own placements unless instructed.

Placements are based on the following factors:

1. Course that the candidate is enrolled in.
2. Quality and availability of approved field sites.
3. Availability of qualified supervisors and cooperating teachers.
4. Continuity of the program in terms of compliance with program and state standard requirements 

Placement decisions procedures
Candidates will be notified either in class, through campus mail or campus e-mail of their assigned field sites.  Instructions will be provided if the candidate is to contact the teacher/school before the first day of the field experience. Directions to the school will be given out in class for exploratory and focused field experiences.

Placement changes procedures
Candidates are not permitted to adjust hours or change teachers unless they have received permission from the coordinator of field experiences.  If a candidate is unable to travel to his/her assigned site for any reason, he/she should contact the coordinator of field experiences and the course instructor.  The coordinator and instructor will decide if a change in placement is needed.

II.  Dress and grooming policy

Candidates’ dress and grooming must be consistent with the standards established in the assigned school.  A candidate may be asked to remove earrings or cover tattoos.  Candidates are expected to look professional at all times while in the schools.  No jeans, sweatshirts, athletic shoes (unless appropriate for the classroom setting) should be worn.  Women should watch the length of skirts, neckline of tops and no tops that expose the midriff are permitted.

III.  Involvement in the classroom policy

Candidates should demonstrate an interest in the assigned classroom and become involved in helping the teacher when appropriate.  Candidates should check with the teacher to see what needs to be done and should volunteer to help whenever possible.  A complete explanation of the purposes for the placement and expectations will be provided by the course instructor or the coordinator of field experiences.

While in the classroom, candidates should be engaged with the students, teacher or educational materials at all times. The classroom should never be used to study, sleep, read the paper, etc. Free time can be used to look at teacher texts or other classroom materials.

IV.  Confidentiality policy

Candidates should not discuss incidents outside of the classroom using names of students or teachers.  This is true in the building as well as off the school grounds.  Candidates should never discuss student records if not a part of a meeting specifically called for that purpose.  This is especially crucial for students with IEPs.

V.  Absence policy and procedure

Candidates will receive instructions for attendance at their assigned field site and usually are required to sign in at the office every day they are in the school.  Candidates are expected to be at their assigned site during the time arranged by the coordinator of field experiences unless circumstances prohibit it.  Candidates should be consistent in their arrival and departure at the assigned site.

Absence procedure
Candidates, when absent or tardy because of illness or dangerous weather conditions, are to notify the school, cooperating teacher and the university instructor/supervisor before the start of the field assignment hours.  If a candidate is planning to teach or do some duty that day, it is the responsibility of the candidate to supply the materials needed to the cooperating teacher even though he/she will be absent from the classroom.  A candidate who misses a day should speak to the teacher and the supervisor to schedule a make-up day.

VI.  Removal policy and procedure 

A candidate may be removed from his/her assigned field site by:

1. Request of the field site school
2. Coordinator of field experiences

Circumstances under which a candidate may be removed:

1. Non-adherence to school policy, procedures or expectations.
2. Failure to meet Bluffton University program requirements.
3. Failure to meet moral and ethical standards of the profession as defined by the school and the university.

Removal procedure
If the chief school administrator, the cooperating teacher and/or the university supervisor decide that a candidate is to be removed from the assigned site, the coordinator of field experiences and the course instructor (if that person is not the supervisor) must be contacted.  Depending on the hours accrued, the candidate may not receive credit for the field experience and must re-enroll in a subsequent semester depending upon the grounds for removal.  The candidate will meet with the director of teacher education to discuss the situation and to decide whether the candidate will continue in the teacher education program.

VII.  Outside activities - jobs, coursework policy 

Field experiences are an important part of the teacher education program.  A candidate should not skip any other classes in order to attend or make up hours for a field experience and he/she cannot offer outside activities such as a job as an excuse for not performing the functions and completing the hours expected for the field experience.

VIII.  Strikes and work stoppage policy and procedure 

In the event that the school district to which the candidate is assigned is subject to a strike or work stoppage, the candidate will not report to the school or be in or near the building of assignment.  At no time is the candidate to substitute for a teacher on strike or walkout, nor should the candidate participate in any “strike activities.”

Strike and work stoppage procedure
The candidate should report the situation to either the class instructor or the coordinator of field experiences.  If a work stoppage continues beyond five (5) days, a new field site will be found for the candidate.