Meeting State and National Requirements
Practicum experiences are designed to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts
Department of Education as written in the Regulations for the Licensure
of Education Personnel.
These experiences are administered through the Office of Practicum Experiences
& Teacher Induction, which provides a centralized system for overseeing
placement, supervision, licensure, and outreach/collaboration activities for
student teachers.
The office provides service, support, and up-to-date information regarding
licensure for student teachers, cooperating professionals, and university
supervisors. It is also used as a resource for teacher education faculty
seeking relationships with schools for research and a support to alumni
in need of informal mentoring and verification of program completion.
All office events, activities, procedures, and curricula sponsored by
the office are evaluated by students at the end of each semester. Cooperating
schools, college supervisors, teacher education faculty, and other administrators
also have an opportunity to share and recommend ways to enhance the program
at regularly scheduled meetings throughout the school year.
Placement
Placement of both pre-practicum and full practicum student teachers is
based on the "Creating a Community of Learners" Partnership
model. We support the concept that teachers learn from each other, and
beginning teachers learn in supportive environments with other beginning
and experienced teachers.
All pre-practicum and full practicum placements occur in our Partnership Schools
and are organized and documented on a database to ensure a variety of placement
opportunities for each student. A list of our Partnership
Schools is available online.
Each school and cooperating teacher completes a profile that is used
to create a system where student teachers may review placement settings.
Local placements in urban, suburban, public, private, and Catholic Partnership
Schools provide a rich variety to match student teachers' needs
and career goals. International settings and Native American schools also
provide an opportunity for cultural experiences as well as meeting the
state requirements for initial licensure.
School liaisons work directly with the Office of Practicum Experiences & Teacher Induction to provide a smooth process. Pairs or clusters of student teachers are placed whenever possible to enhance the dialogue about teaching and learning consistent with the "community of learners" concept.
Supervision and Full Practicum & Clinical Requirements
Cooperating teachers and university supervisors collaborate to supervise
both pre- and full practicum experiences jointly. Cooperating teachers
are selected based on previous feedback from student teachers and supervisors,
as well as through their own profiles.
Preparation and support for cooperating teachers is provided through
information packets, orientation sessions, and summer institutes related
to supervision of student teachers. Clinical supervisors visit student
teachers a minimum of six times during the semester. Small group meetings,
one-on-one conversations, and phone contact and email discussions are also regular.
Requirements for the practicum experience include a journal, which is
maintained throughout the practicum experiences and serves as a place
for the student teachers to raise questions and communicate directly with
the university supervisor.
Student teachers also must demonstrate competency in both the pre-practicum
and full practicum experiences. This is measured through formal and informal
observations, self-evaluation using the state Pre-service Performance Assessment (PPA), cooperating teacher feedback,
and video or audiotapes. A system for assisting student teachers who may
have difficulties demonstrating competency in the field is also in place
if needed.
Students maintain a Reflection Portfolio and an Evidence Binder throughout the practicum experience to document their teaching standards and demonstrate the implementation of the Teacher Education conceptual framework. A series of orientations, special issues series speakers, workshops, and courses, also provide information and support throughout the supervised practicum experience.
All syllabi for pre-practica, full practica and clinical experiences are available online.
Licensure
Regulations for licensure as required by the Massachusetts Department of Education
are on file in the Practicum Office. (Download a copy of the Four Steps to Massachusetts Licensure in PDF format.) All student teachers must demonstrate successful
completion of the standards as evidenced by the Pre-service Performance Assessment
(PPA) located in the syllabus.
Successful completion is determined by supervisors through on-site observation
of teaching and review of the PPA, Evidence Binder and Reflection Portfolio.
Undergraduate student teachers receive endorsement for initial licensure
in the state of Massachusetts upon successful completion of all course
and practicum requirements. All undergraduates are required to complete
three (3) pre- practica (one day per week) and one (1) full practicum
(semester long) to receive endorsement.
Graduate students with no prior teaching licenses, enter a teacher education program seeking initial licensure. Graduate students who are already certified in one area, may enter a program for a specialist license in
Special Education or Reading
at initial level.
Initial licensure requires
one (1) pre-practicum experience (one day per week is minimum requirement;
additional time is strongly recommended and required for some programs) and a semester-long student
teaching.
Teacher who are already certified
may seek a new field of Initial licensure and are required to complete
a clinical experience in the new field. A pre-practicum may be required.
Upon successful completion
of all courses and practicum requirements, graduate student students
receive endorsement for initial licensure in the appropriate field.
Licensure is granted by the state, not by the University. Students must apply
directly to the state for licensure and must pass the Massachusetts
Test for Educator Licensure, in addition to satisfactory completion of the
Lynch School teacher education program. The Certification Office guides students through the process.
Outreach and Collaboration
The Practicum Office also serves students in connecting them to other
parts of the University and state agencies.
The Center for International
also provides a connection for students who wish to complete their student teaching
experience in an international setting. State-wide agencies such as the
Massachusetts Field Center for Teaching and
Learning, Massachusetts Department of
Education, and Massachusetts Teachers
Association also provide rich resources through their Web sites, engaging
speakers, free journals for student teachers, and opportunities for student
teachers to attend conferences at reduced rates.
Accreditation
TThe teacher preparation programs at the Lynch School are accredited by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and by the Interstate Licensure Compact (ICC), which includes Massachusetts.
The programs, including practicum components, are designed to meet the requirements of these accrediting agencies, as well as the Lynch School's own professional initial license.
The approved Teacher Education Programs at the Lynch School of Education are recognized in other states through Reciprocal Agreement. Students can obtain licensure in other states but may be required to pass the specific state’s teacher licensure tests.