The field experience requirement for this course is 10 hours.
What is field experience? Field experience is your opportunity to observe and assist with prescribed activities in an educational setting. For this course, you can perform your fieldwork in any elementary classroom environment. Contact your faculty member for permission to observe a different grade level. Reach out to your faculty member if you have questions.
Who handles my field experience placement? The school placements for CBE sections are self-selected, and you will need to provide Proof of Placement via an email or other documentation from school personnel. If you are local, you may choose to apply to volunteer using the district's website.
How do I record my experience? Field experience is two parts. First, your field experience is logged via a signed log of hours and then submitted through Blackboard at the end of each course. Second, is through a reflection blog that you will develop and answer open ended question that promote a higher level of thinking.
Where do I write my blog? Create your blog using a blogging software you choose. Below are suggestions for free online blogging tools. Your blog must be viewable by your instructor in order to receive credit for the assignments.
Check Blackboard for additional details on the field experience requirement for this course.
Before you write your blog post:
· Identify the grade level you will observe (K-6). Prepare a set of interview questions related to teaching instruction in science. Consider asking questions related to the following:
o The frequency of science instruction
o Integration of science with other content areas
o Differentiation strategies used
o Follow-up questions related to your observation
· Observe in the classroom when science is being taught.
Write your blog post:
As you create your blog, please reflect and respond to the following:
1. Summarize and reflect on the interview questions and responses
2. How do they compare to your philosophy of teaching science, developed in Project 1?
3. What evidence of integration strategies did you observe?
4. If none were observed, what opportunities for potential differentiation strategies did you note?
Before you write your blog post:
· Identify the grade level you will be conducting this field experience
· Complete and attach your edTPA Context for Learning
· Plan a time to meet with your teacher.
· Decide together which experiment you will be conducting.
· Be sure that you have all essential resources needed.
· PRACTICE the experiment beforehand to avoid surprises!
· Conduct the experiment with a group of students or the entire class.
· Have the students complete a corresponding lab report. You can create this or use one that has already been developed.
· Review and analyze their lab reports.
As you add to your blog, reflect and respond to the following:
o What went well? What didn’t go well? Why?
o What did the students learn? What do they still need to do?
o What might you do differently next time?
o What did you learn about teaching science?
o How are you growing as a professional? What areas will you continue to work on?
Feel free to include pictures and/or work samples to strengthen your field reflection.
Before you write your blog post, you will teach a learning segment:
§ You must complete your edTPA Context for Learning, if you haven’t already done so for this specific class.
§ Meet with the teacher to discuss the learning segment (3-5 consecutive lessons) from your unit that you will be teaching.
§ Plan the times that you will be teaching the lessons from your learning segment.
§ Be sure to collect formative and summative assessment data.
§ Analyze the data collected.
Write your blog post:
Before you add to your blog, consider the following:
After you perform your fieldwork and complete your interview, write your blog:
§ Attach a copy of your signed Field Experience Log (20 hours).