FAQ For Teacher Candidates (Practica)

Courses: EDU 390, 391, 392; MAS/MEE 7996, 7997, 7998; MSE 7991, 7992, 7993

Application and Process
Schools Settings
Seminars

Application and Process

Q: How many Practica do I have to take in my program?

This varies by program.

Following is the number of Practica required for the regular education programs.
Program	Number of Courses Required
B.S. (K-6)	Three Practice Courses
B.S. (6-8)	Three Practice Courses
MAS & MEE	Three Practice Courses
MSE	Three Practice Courses

Each class is a combination of seminars and clinical experiences. The clinical experiences occur in a Birth – Grade 12 classroom and must add up to at least 60 hours in the designated classroom. The seminar portion of the course must total 30 hours.

Q: Will all of my Practica placements be aligned with my major?

Yes. Placements will be aligned to your program of study.

Q: When do I take my first practicum?

Practica courses are to be taken in sequence. In other words, Practicum I (EDU 390, MAS 7996, MEE 7996 or MSE 7991) should be taken first, followed by Practicum II (EDU 391, MAS 7997, MEE 7997 or MSE 7992), and finally, Practicum III (EDU 392, MAS 7998, MEE 7998 or MSE 7993). Formats for Practica courses include face-to-face and online for each Semester (15 weeks). Candidates are encouraged to register for Practicum I during the first full semester that they are enrolled in a program. The Practica are not taken concurrently.

Q: How do I get a placement in the schools for the Practica? What are the placement procedures?

Placements for the Practica are done by faculty from the Office of Clinical Studies. Placement details will be sent via email to your My 黑洞社区 email. Please follow these steps to ensure timely placement:

Candidates must complete the Practicum Fieldwork Application located within their Program on Task Stream one semester in advance.
1. Candidates wishing to register for Practicum in Fall (September), MUST complete the Practicum Placement Application in TaskStream by February 1^st.
2. Candidates wishing to register for Practicum in Spring (January), MUST complete the Practicum Placement Application in TaskStream by August 1^st.
There are no summer Practica. Application in TaskStream is NOT the same as Registration. Application in TaskStream is notification of your intent to enroll / register for a Practica section. The application provides the Office of Clinical Studies the information required to locate a placement in a school setting.
At the time of application, candidates must also submit to the Office of Clinical Studies a new Federal and State of Delaware Criminal Background Check. In addition to the CBC, candidates must upload into TaskStream a PPD/TB clearance from a medical provider/physician’s office, and the Child Protection Registry (CPR) application. Students may locate information regarding the CBC by visiting this site:
Please know that the application does not mean you are registered for the course. Registration for clinical coursework follows the University academic calendar. See for more information. In addition, please know that application does not equate to automatic registration of coursework: all registration requests are placed into pending status until a review of all required documentation is completed and approved.

Q: How does the candidate complete the fieldwork application on Watermark-Taskstream?

TaskStream is the University's vendor for your electronic portfolio, otherwise known as e-Folio. The Practicum Fieldwork Application is only available via TaskStream. In order to access the application, you must follow the steps below.

Register for your e-Folio lab course on your my黑洞社区 portal. (Undergraduate Candidates = EDU 102 and Graduate Candidates = MED 6102)
NOTE: You must register and pay the eFolio lab fee for EACH program in which you are seeking a degree.
Completion of the portfolio is a graduation requirement. Access the Practicum Application in your Directed Response Folio (DRF) Program (left side of menu on your TaskStream homepage).

Q: What happens if I am currently employed in an educational setting?

Candidates requesting placement at their current educational setting must obtain prior approval from their Human Resources Department (HR). Please be advised of the following:

黑洞社区 cannot guarantee placement in a school district in violation of district’s HR policy. If course description is required, please visit the course description.
Candidates must send via email, a copy of the completed Request for Concurrent Placement form with signatures from the mentor teacher, the principal and the Human Resource (HR) Director.
Your placement request must be aligned to your program of study.
All requests for concurrent placements must be noted on the fieldwork practicum application.
Please be advised that placements will be secured in the county in which the course seminars are held.

Reminder: It is the candidate’s responsibility to have HR approval before the Office of Clinical Studies submits a request for placement.

Q: In what types of school settings do placements occur?

The goal of the College of Education is to provide candidates with a variety of classroom experiences engaging diverse populations from various backgrounds, age ranges, and educational settings.

Placement for candidates in MSE 7990 will occur in a low incidence educational setting. Placement for candidates in MSE 7991 will occur in a high incidence educational setting. Placement for candidates in MSE 7992 will occur in a low incidence educational setting. Placement for candidates in MSE 7993 will occur in either a high or low incidence educational setting (candidate’s choice).

Q: What if I have an unusual circumstance affecting my request for placement?

Requests for a special placement or accommodations must be approved by the Clinical Studies Chair and the school district. All clinical placements must be approved and verified by the Practicum Placement Coordinator.

Q: When can I expect to be notified about my placement?

The timeline is dependent upon how quickly schools respond to the Practicum Placement Coordinator with available placements. Placements are made as soon as possible in the semester. Please check your Taskstream homepage for placement information.

Schools Settings

Q: In what kinds of schools do placements occur?

The goal of the College of Education is to provide Candidates with a variety of experiences. However, your placement priority will be public school setting.

Q: Can I use the same school for all of my placements?

No. We will permit you to utilize the same school for no more than two of your four clinical assignments. Please remember that the student internship is the fourth and final clinical requirement. Therefore, if you are currently teaching or have a desired student internship placement, please do not utilize that school for more than one of your Practica experiences.

Q: When do I start my time in the school?

Once you have your placement assignment, it is your responsibility to work out a schedule with your Mentor Teacher. Please follow the steps below:

Contact your Mentor Teacher immediately (within two weeks) to set up observation hours. (NOTE: You cannot begin ANY hours until after the first seminar meeting. Failure to contact your Mentor Teacher within two weeks of being notified of your placement may result in the loss of your placement.)
Be sure to provide your course instructor with a copy of the observation schedule after coordinating this with your Mentor Teacher.

NOTE: It is important to remember that you are a guest in the school and that teachers are opening their classrooms to you. Therefore, it is important to be as flexible as possible with your schedule so teachers can accommodate you. It is also important to remember that the teacher will be depending upon you and that any change in your schedule needs to be immediately shared with them.

Q: How do I schedule my 60 hours?

As stated above, after contacting the teacher, try to establish a mutually agreeable schedule. Your focus should be on instructional time, such as small and large group teaching sessions. REMEMBER: You must spend at least 60 hours in schools for each practica experience.

Seminars

Q: When do the seminars meet and where can I take the courses?

Practica seminars are offered at the Wilson Graduate Center, New Castle, Georgetown, Dover and online. Each of the Practica meets during the fall and spring semesters. Candidates can take the Practicum course at the location that is most convenient, but the clinical portion (school observations) takes place in the county where the student attends the seminars.

Q: How long are the seminars?

Semester seminars meet once a week for 15 weeks, 2 hours each weekly seminar totaling 30 hours of seminar.

Q: When will I be informed of the clinical details required in the program? In other words, what do I have to do during the observation and class hours for the practica?

Instructors dedicate time during the first seminar to inform Candidates about the required clinical details and respond to candidate questions about the requirements. NOTE: Attendance is required at all seminars.

Q: Will I be teaching during the clinical courses?

All candidates are required to teach two lessons in the classroom setting for each Practica. A minimum of six (6) lessons before student internship.