Clinical Experiences
Directions to Local School Districts
Definition of Clinical Experiences
Clinical experiences are off-campus activities that provide teacher education candidates with opportunities to apply theories and concepts studied in course work. These experiences are directed by University faculty, facilitated by teacher mentors, and are an integral part of all education courses leading up to student teaching. Activities include, but are not limited to, observing, tutoring, mini-teaching, lesson planning, and developing instructional materials. Clinical experiences may take place in public or non-public schools, or in community agencies approved by University faculty.
Hours Required
Elementary Education/Special Education candidates are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of clinical experience prior to student teaching; secondary content area majors, 50 hours. Each student is responsible for maintaining his or her record of clinical experience. While most, if not all, clinical hours will be an integral requirement of education courses, secondary content majors may find it necessary to initiate some of their own hours in order to meet the minimum requirement prior to student teaching.
Classroom Observation/Clinical Experience Focus
Most instructors will provide specific criteria for students to follow when fulfilling a clinical experience or classroom observation. When such criteria are not specified, students may focus on the following when preparing a written report of the experience: Instructional goals, objectives, and activities; materials and resources; assessment procedures; classroom climate; classroom management; student involvement in learning.
Field Experience Folder
Education Department faculty follow a consistent plan for involving students in clinical experiences. As part of this plan, all students are required to set up a field experience folder which contains a letter of introduction from the student, a letter of authorization from the Field Service Coordinator, a set of Clinical Experience Guidelines, and Observation Log for personal record-keeping, and blank copies of the Field Experience Validation Form. The use of this folder continues from the first clinical experience up to the last one prior to student teaching.
Importance of Record Keeping
It is extremely important that each student maintains his or her folder and personal log of all clinical experiences throughout his or her education while at Saint Francis. Each student will be required to verify that he or she has fulfilled the minimum number of required hours of clinical experience prior to student teaching.
Guest-Host Relationship
Saint Francis students completing clinical experience hours must remain aware that our partner schools have graciously extended a welcome. Saint Francis students are guests, and, as such, must follow the regulations, procedures, instructional practices, and professional expectations of the host district. Students are to reflect the tradition and values of Saint Francis. They are expected to act in the most professional and ethical way possible, and be mindful that they represent not only themselves but also the University and, in particular, the Education Department. Students may be exposed to a variety of confidential information, and public disclosure of such information would be considered a breach of professional ethics.
Appearance
Saint Francis students are to be appropriately attired and groomed when visiting a school or educational agency. Professional dress and good grooming add to self-confidence and self-respect. Men should wear dress trousers, shirt and tie, and jacket or suit coat if available. Women should wear tailored slacks, skirt or dress of modest length, and tasteful jewelry. Jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, sweatshirts and clothes with slogan are inappropriate for the classroom.
A Framework for Clinical Experience Reports
Clinical hours spent in schools should focus on the standards for teacher performance that are reinforced in the Education courses at Saint Francis. In particular, these standards are found in Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, by Charlotte Danielson. These same standards are used to assess the performance of Saint Francis University's student teachers. As undergraduate students complete clinical experiences, they not only observe these standards being demonstrated by their mentors, but they also begin adopting them as signs of their own professional development as teachers.
Forms
Observation Log
Clinical Experience Validation Form
Copy of letter to school host
Student Teaching