55-581 Clinical Practice & Seminar: Elementary

This course is designed for candidates planning to be licensed elementary teachers in Illinois. This course provides intensive daily experience over an entire semester in an elementary setting. Progress in developing teaching skills is carefully observed and supervised (via a minimum of eight observations) by an experienced and approved mentor teacher and the University supervisor. Evaluation is based on a variety of performance assessments. Both formative and summative feedback will be provided including the areas of content knowledge, planning, instructional delivery, assessment, data-driven interventions, classroom management and professionalism. The experience and related seminars focus on communication and collaboration, developing a quality learning environment, developing effective research-based instruction and assessments and professional reflection development. Seminars may include superintendents, principals and teachers from the schools as instructors and speakers. In a major culminating project, candidates will design, implement and evaluate a unit of instruction with particular emphasis on assuring successful learning by all students (including ELL, already proficient and struggling learners.) Candidates complete a 13-week clinical practice in grades 1-6 setting.

Credits

6

Prerequisite

3.0 GPA; Admission to clinical practice; all required content, methods and field experience course work completed; and a negative TB test on file.

Notes

Clinical practice may be repeated only once for credit with the consent of the College of Education and the Teacher Education Committees.