5th Year M.A.T. Elementary Education Field Experience Guidelines for JMU Students, Practicum Supervisors, and Cooperating Teachers Revised August 2021 Within the Elementary Education Program at JMU, students have a number of field experiences prior to student teaching (ELED 321, ELED 322, ELED 621). We call the experience “practicum” and the focus of each is different as well as the expectations. Listed below is a snap-shot of each practicum. ELED 321: Practicum Focus: Learners and Learning – first official involvement in schools These students generally have little or no experience in schools. They may need a little more guidance in knowing what to do in the class. They are enthusiastic (finally in their education classes!), but a little ignorant of what they should be doing. As the cooperating teacher, you should be saying, “You’re new; let me help you find your way.” This field experience, taken in the fall or spring of junior year, provides JMU students with a classroom of students and a mentor teacher with whom to practice building relationships with learners, conduct extensive observations of learners and learning, as well as practice the teaching of content related to their concurrent methods courses (either writing, mathematics, and science OR reading, mathematics, and social studies). Accompanying weekly seminars will focus on reflecting on themes and experiences in the field and making content connections to methods courses. University supervisors should be providing constructive feedback after observing a lesson; however, remember that for many of them, this is their first attempt at implementing a formal content lesson. You might be thinking, “What’s the most important piece of feedback I should give, not all the feedback I could give?” What grades are used for this practicum? o Pre-kindergarten o Kindergarten o First grade What is the goal of the practicum? o Understand the rigor and demands of teaching as well as the nature of children’s development o Understand the instructional strategies associated with different disciplines o Understand opportunities and challenges to integrating curriculum across o disciplines o Use formative assessment to prepare and reflect on a sequence of instruction What is the focus? o The cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of young children o The environment of the classroom o The curriculum of the early primary grades o Plan and teach lessons o Design, implement, and analyze formative assessments o Practice methods of guiding student behavior When does the practicum meet? o One full day a week, either Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday o Students are expected to arrive at least 15 minutes before the children and stay a minimum of 15 minutes after children are dismissed o See the attached policy guidelines for additional information Note: teachers may request a student for multiple days thereby working with a number of different JMU students. However, only one student is assigned to a teacher for a particular day. We request that practicum students NOT be placed in classrooms where a teacher will be working with a student teacher. Who are the students? o JMU juniors (for the most part) o They major in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies [IDLS] and minor in elementary education. What additional JMU courses are they taking? o ELED 208 Child Development: Birth to Adolescence o ELED/ECED 372 Introduction to ECED o ELED 310 Diversity with service-learning practicum o LED 366 Early Literacy Development and Acquisition What assignments do students typically need to carry out in the classroom? o Child case study for ELED 208 Child Development o Small group lessons on play, art, and/or cooking for ELED/ECED 372 Introduction to Early Childhood Education o Students can individualize small assignments with the approval of the cooperating teacher and professor for ELED 310 Diversity o Reading assessments and a read aloud for LED 366 Early Literacy Development and Acquisition What are the expectations for those involved? Classroom Teacher JMU Practicum Student Provide multiple Follow all of the policies opportunities for the student and procedures established to observe the teacher in the Handbook for planning, instructing, and practicum reflecting on his/her lessons Communicate within the Talk to the student about first two weeks exactly issues of planning, what assignments must be instruction, assessment, and carried out in the practicum completing responsibili