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EDU 3120 Inclusive Teaching of Students with Special Needs: Fieldwork Parts 1 - 3

Fieldwork: Getting Started

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 choose the grade level you perform your fieldwork in. 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.

 

Step 1: Choose a platform you want to host your blog throughout the program. Blogging website suggestions are below.

 

Step 2: Ensure your blog is public or can be shared with your instructors.

 

Check Blackboard for additional details on the field experience requirement for this course. 

Field Experience Blog Part 1

Field Experience Blog Part 1

Before you write your first blog post:

 

  • Observe the teaching-learning process of a special education teacher.
  • Conduct a follow-up interview with the special education teacher.

 

Students with disabilities may be served in a variety of settings. For this observation, you will observe a special education teacher working with students. The setting may be co-teaching or  teaching in a resource setting.   As you observe, please take note of the climate and culture of the setting, the instruction, and the impact on learning. You should plan to spend time talking with the teacher about your observations and other questions you may have.

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Write your blog post:

 

As you create your blog, please reflect and respond to the following:

  1. What did you notice about the climate and culture of the setting?
  2. How was instruction delivered and how did the students respond?
  3. If this was a co-teaching setting, what model of co-teaching was used? For example, was station teaching or parallel teaching used?
  4. When you converse with the teacher, you may wish to ask about communications between the special and general education teacher in terms of instruction and fulfilling the requirements of the IEP.

Field Experience Blog Part 2

Field Experience Blog Part 2

Before you write your second blog post:

 

For this field experience, you will observe in a general education classroom of your choice. The classroom must have at least one student who receives special education services.

As you observe, take note of the climate and culture of the setting, the instruction, and the impact on learning. You should plan to spend time talking with the teacher about your observations and other questions you may have.

 

Write your blog post:

 

As you add to your blog, reflect and respond to the following:

  1. What did you notice about the climate and culture of the setting?
  2. How was instruction delivered and how did the students respond?
  3. Was co-teaching involved?
  4. If a teacher assistant was used during instruction, what was the teacher assistant's role?
  5. When you converse with the teacher, you may wish to ask about communications between the general education teacher and special education teacher in terms of instruction and fulfilling the requirements of the IEP.
  6. Complete and attach your edTPA Context for Learning.

Field Experience Blog Part 3

Field Experience Blog Part 3

Before you write your final blog post:

  • You will observe in your own classroom.
  • You must complete your edTPA Context for Learning, if you haven’t already done so for this specific class.

In your first two field experiences, you observed a special education teacher and a general education teacher. It is now time for you to examine your own classroom. For this experience, you may find it helpful to observe and self-reflect on a specific unit you are teaching. Review the UDL guidelines [Universal Design for Learning Framework (http://udlguidelines.cast.org )] before observing and reflecting. 

Write your final blog post:

Before you add to your blog, consider the following:

  1. What aspects of UDL currently exist in your classroom?
  2. What changes do you wish to make so your classroom maximizes student learning?
  3. If you had the opportunity to co-teach, which model of co-teaching would you choose? Why?
  4. Attach a copy of your signed Field Experience Log (10 hours).

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