? How Can I TEACH SO ALL MY STUDENTS LEARN?

The Internship:  South Burlington Professional Development Site

EDSC 226 Fall 2004 and Spring 2005: 

12 Undergraduate Credits  or 9 Graduate Credits 

Supervisor:  Janet Bossange   jbossang@zoo.uvm.edu

Phone:  656-1192

“A classroom is a special place; aloof from the biases of the media,

a place in which the uses of the intellect are given prominence

in a setting of elevated language, civilized manner, and a respect for social symbols.”

Course Overview

            To achieve the benefits of the licensure program (new knowledge and skills, changed attitudes and values, and the potential to become an employed, licensed, school professional) UVM interns will be engaged in a variety of activities designed to fulfill our collective mission of providing training for future teachers in a field based setting. 

            Many hands contribute to the success of this program.  The most important resources are the people who give their time and expertise to assist the UVM intern in achieving their goal of becoming a licensed Vermont educator.  The team includes:  licensed professional educators from the local school district who are willing to mentor the preservice intern, the UVM site coordinator/supervisor, other school professionals, students, parents, UVM faculty, and the UVM intern.  

            The site coordinator is responsible for supervising the South Burlington interns during the fall semester in partnership with the cooperating teacher(s).  Each student will be observed formally a minimum of eight times, possibly more if needed  before December 17, 2004 (fall semester) and May 10, 2005 (spring semester) by the university supervisor.  The site coordinator/supervisor will “touch base” informally, in person, by phone or email, with each intern on a weekly basis.   The supervisor will also provide interns with her weekly schedule. 

            Interns are encouraged to have other colleagues formally document their teaching experiences.  These colleagues include:  fellow interns, other UVM faculty, department chairs, administrators and most importantly the cooperating teacher.  Interns will need to document at least two lessons (teaching episodes) on video. The site coordinator is ultimately responsible for the intern’s final grade for EDSC 226.  

            Cooperating teachers are responsible for the day to day activities for the intern following the experience plan in the handbook.  Cooperating teachers, interns, and the UVM supervisor will meet formally several times throughout the semester.  These meetings are defined below and include:  1)  A Goal Setting Conference, 2) Mid term Assessment, and 3)  Roundtable Meeting.  Other meetings may be scheduled as a result of a request by any member of the team (intern, teacher, supervisor).

Meetings Defined:

1)  A Goal Setting Conference :  This is the first meeting of the internship and occurs in the first weeks of the student intern’s field placement.  At this meeting the intern, cooperating teacher(s), and supervisor review the handbook, sign the contract, review the compensation for the cooperating teacher(s)using PDS policy, complete the Roles and Responsibilities checklist, review the experience plan, and set up the first observations and the date for the mid-term conference.  This meeting take about 35-40 minutes.

2)  Mid term Conference/Assessment:   This is the second formal meeting of the internship team made up of the intern, cooperating teacher(s), and supervisor. The meeting is scheduled for October in the fall and in February in the spring semester.  At this meeting the team completes and uses the mid-term report to discuss the interns’s progress.  The Attribute and Dispositions checklist is also reviewed at this time and recommendations for the interns’s growth are made.  At this meeting the “Solo” teaching period is finalized and the date for the final conference and Roundtable are set, including the naming of the committee.   This meeting take about 35-40 minutes.

3.  Final Conference and Roundtable Meeting:  This is the last of three formally planned  meetings.  The final review is also the Roundtable, licensure portfolio evaluation meeting.  Just prior to the final session the intern prepares the Portfolio and shares the completed work with all members of the committee.  At the final conference the intern is given their grade and the Roundtable review is conducted.  The review is facilitated by the supervisor, attended by the cooperating teacher(s), and one other UVM faculty member.  This meeting lasts one hour.

Internship Assignments and Expectations

Journal (Field Notebook) :  Interns will maintain a journal (also participate in “Journal Mapping” project) as part of their portfolio, including an accurate record of attendance and reflections on their experience as well as comprehensive lesson plans. 

Participation In Site Events :  All interns are expected to attend faculty and other related meetings held at their school.  Interns are also responsible for following teachers’ contract rules for absences and professional days, etc.  Interns should only be used as substitutes for cooperating teacher(s) unless there is an emergency (see policy).  

Policy:  Interns should have a copy of the university and school handbook and be fingerprinted.  Interns are responsible for submitting passing Praxis I and II scores as stipulated by UVM Secondary Education Program Coordinator.

230 Seminars and other meetings :  The undergraduate interns are required to participate in their seminar EDSC 230-with Robert Griffin on Wednesdays from 4:10 to 7:00 at Waterman beginning September 1st.   Graduate interns will participate in a year long EDSC 230 seminar with Fran Bisselle.  Dates will be determined by the group.

            Other meetings will be set by the site supervisor as needed to address the portfolio and roundtable requirements of your internship.

Planning for an observation-producing written lesson plans-supervision and conferencing:  Each intern is responsible for detailing, in writing, what the UVM supervisor is to observe at each formal observation at least one day before scheduled visit.  The written plan may be in the form of a 4MAT lesson or another model that clearly describes the lesson objectives.  These plans should be given to the UVM supervisor prior to each scheduled visit at the pre-conference meeting.  At the pre-conference meeting the goals and standards you plan to meet will be discussed.  During the semester you should plan to have others observe you, use a video camera to capture your teaching, and collect student feedback and products as well.  Student interns will hand in a weekly schedule each Monday to the UVM supervisor’s mailbox located in the SBHS main office.

Goal Setting & Midterm Conferences:  As defined above the team will schedule the Goal Setting conference during the first weeks of school and the Mid term conferences beginning the week of October 25th (fall) and April (spring).  At that time the supervisor will check with each internship team to reaffirm that all is well.  All interns and their cooperating teacher(s) will join Janet for these conferences.  Please refer to experience plan for planning for “Solo Period” as we will discuss the dates for your “Solo period” at the midterm date.  

Portfolio Review and Final Conference :  Portfolio Production:  Interns should develop and maintain their portfolio using the Vermont ROPA guidelines throughout the semester/year.  Each intern will be expected to have their licensure portfolio ready for review the week of December 6 (fall) unless other arrangements are made with site supervisor.  The rubrics provided in the state’s guidelines (ROPA) will be used to review the portfolio.  We will schedule Roundtable-final conference meetings for each student to occur during the week of December 13, 2004 (fall) and May 10, 2005 (spring).   The last day for the fall internship is December 21, 2004.  Unless you make arrangements with the UVM supervisor, your Roundtable will need to be completed by 12-21-04.  The last day for the spring internship will be announced later. 

*Note:  Should you need to take a religious holiday or personal day, please inform your supervisor in writing.  You may not miss more than five school days in order to successfully complete your licensure program.  Should you miss more than five days, we will need to plan for additional time.

Course Accommodations:  If you have a documented disability that warrants accommodation in this course, please make an appointment with the instructor.  If you have not already contacted ACCESS, please do so.  They are located at A170 Living/Learning, (656-2233).

Grading Policy

       In order to earn a Vermont Level I license candidates must earn a B or better in the internship.  Failure to produce requested materials will jeopardize your overall grade in EDSC 226.  Absences exceeding five days will require that the internship be extended to ensure the successful completion of the minimum of fifteen weeks.  The work you produce during the Internship will be judged at the highest level.  As a student in the capstone experience of our program you will be expected to modify your practice, justify your efforts, interpret new ideas and information, and generate multiple example of evidence demonstrating your ability to teach.  See Secondary Ed Handbook.