Education 450
EDUC 450: Student Teaching: Grades PreK – 6
Prerequisite: Meet eligibility for student teaching
Credit Hours: (6-12)
Note(s): A fee of $110 will be charged to students taking EDUC 450.
This semester long full-time field experience provides candidates extensive clinical experience in a grade level appropriate for licensure in grades PreK-6 or PreK-3. Candidates have the privilege of designing and delivering a wide variety of learning experiences in their placement with the advantage of mentorship and coaching provided by schools, licensed teachers, and university faculty. They begin by observing and co-teaching with their cooperating teachers and gradually assume full responsibility in the classroom. Special seminars are scheduled regularly to enhance professional development of the candidate.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Student teacher placements are made in appropriate grade/subject areas. Opportunities are provided to practice teaching diverse learners under the supervision of approved cooperating teachers and university supervisors. The experience begins with observation and culminates in assumption of full responsibility. The student teaching experience will provide for a minimum of 300 clock hours with at least 150 hours spent supervised in direct teaching activities.
Student Learning Outcomes
Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia
Department of Education regulations for preparing early/primary and elementary educators and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) and National Association for Childhood the Education (ACEI) of Young Children (NAEYC) standards.
Having successfully completed this course, the student will:
1. Use principles backward design to support learners in achieving outcomes aligned to Virginia’s Early Learning and Development Standards and the Virginia Standards of Learning in all major content areas (English, Math, Science) History and Social Sciences including computer and technology.
2. Create integrated learning experiences which include objectives and instruction in content area subjects and create opportunities for student development content area subjects and music, drama, movement, and technology.
3. Modify and manage learning environments and experiences to meet the individual needs of children, including children with disabilities, gifted children, children who learning and children with diverse cultural needs to include:
- flexible groupings
- differentiation by process and/or product
- appropriate scaffolding, accommodations, and/or enrichment opportunities
4. Evaluate, select, adapt, and use a variety of teaching strategies/methods and instructional materials that promote curiosity and engagement, teach critical thinking, and develop problem solving skills for all students, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
5. Evaluate, select, and adapt instruction and materials to match the rigor of learning goals, to instructions (UDL), and to foster skills in metacognition (UDL) for all students, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse, gifted, or who have disabilities.
6. Design and/or implement formal and informal assessments, using multiple means of expression (UDL) to plan, evaluate assessments and
strengthen instruction to promote continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of all students
7. Create supportive and flexible learning environments which foster healthy lifestyles, active engagement in learning, motivation, student self-discipline/self-regulation and positive social interactions using key concepts and methods in health and physical education, universal design for learning (engagement), social emotional learning, and behavior science.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of educational technology for instruction, research, and communication.
9. Establish and maintain a positive, collaborative relationship with families, school colleagues, and agencies in the larger community to promote the intellectual, social, emotional, physical growth and well-being of children
10. Use methods of improving communication between schools and families, ways of increasing family involvement in student learning at home and in school and the Standards of Learning and Virginia’s Early Learning and Development.
11. Demonstrate a commitment to professional growth and development through reflection, collaboration, and professional development/learning.
12. Analyze, evaluate, and apply quantitative and qualitative research to instructional decisions in the classroom and to defend decisions when analyzing and reflecting on quality of instruction.
13. Successfully complete 150 hours of direct teaching in a supervised clinical experience.
14. Recognize signs of emotional distress, abuse/neglect that may be exhibited by children and follow established procedures for reporting.
15. Demonstrate ability to utilize effective and safe classroom and behavior management skills through methods that shall build responsibility and self-discipline and maintain a positive learning environment.
Assessment Measures
Assessment measures (formative and summative) in student teaching may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Lesson Planning (including Healthy Body/Healthy Mind portfolio) (Key CAEP Performance Assessment)
- Impact on Student Learning Project (Key CAEP Performance Assessment)
- Building School, Family, and Community Connections project (Key CAEP Performance Assessment)
- Teacher Candidate Evaluation form (Key CAEP Performance Assessment)
- Observation
- Formative feedback notes and conferencing in the field (to include midterm progress check)
- Participation in seminar class (discussions and small-group activities)
Completion of Child Abuse Certificate training
Review and Approval
October 2007 revised to reflect A-F grading scale Holly Robbins
October 2008 Course description change, course syllabus change Holly Robbins & Glenna Gustafson
October 2009 Course syllabus change to include chart aligning assignment and assessments with VA D.O.E. endorsement competencies
February, 2010
June. 2023