Practicum
Initial licensure for undergraduate and graduate programs typically culminate in a full-time field practicum. The practicum is a full-time teaching experience of at least 300 hours in the role of the license sought, supported by a cooperating practitioner and a Salem State supervisor.
The licensure and field placement office is responsible for working with program coordinators and students to optimize a student's placement in a practicum. Student teaching practica can be completed in one of our four laboratory schools or in another setting that meets state and national standards for appropriate practica. Practicum candidates have completed all program requirements; including coursework, pre-practicum field experiences, and MTEL tests, meet the grade point average requirement, and have been recommended for the practicum by their program coordinators.
Practicum Requirements
- Matriculation into an undergraduate initial licensure program with a major in one of the disciplines required by the program, or into an approved post-baccalaureate/graduate initial licensure program
- Passing score on the Communication and Literacy portion of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
- Passing score on all appropriate MTEL subject matter test(s) for the license sought
- Successful completion of all prerequisite courses
- Minimum of 75 clock hours of field-based experiences prior to the practicum
- 2.75 or better cumulative grade point average
- 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average in the major(s)
- Faculty/program coordinator recommendation for admission to student teaching
No exceptions made to this policy. Students who have not passed all relevant MTEL tests will not be allowed to enter into a practicum. There are many resources on campus to assist you in preparing for the MTEL, including the MTEL Test Prep Center offers study materials and diagnostic testing to help you prepare for all.
Practicum Applications
- Deadline for application for a spring practicum is: October 30 for undergraduate programs and November 15 for graduate programs. Applications are accepted pending the September MTEL only.
- Deadline for application for a fall practicum is April 30 for undergraduate programs and May 15 for graduate programs. Applications are accepted pending the May MTEL only.
Q & A Sessions Announcement:
Practicum application informational question and answer sessions are held in the spring and fall. Our next two sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, April 10, 2012 and Tuesday, April 24 , 2012 in Veterans Hall, Ellison Campus Center, North Campus at 4 pm. Attendance is strongly suggested if you are interested in participating in a practicum! Come by, pick-up an application and get your questions answered!
- Fall 2012 Undergraduate Practicum Application (coming soon)
- Fall 2012 Graduate Practicum Application (coming soon)
- Fall 2012 Clinical Application (coming soon)
- Fall 2012 Preschool Practicum Application (coming soon)
- Fall 2012/Spring 2013 School Counseling Practicum Application (coming soon)
- Spring/Summer 2013 Reading Specialist Practicum Application (coming soon)
- Reading Practicum Proposal (coming soon)
- Summer 2012 Practicum Graduate and Undergraduate Application (coming soon)
Practicum Application Attachments
- Undergraduate Pre-practicum Attendance Form
- Graduate Pre-Practicum Documentation Form
- Masters of Education in Moderate Disabilities Pre-Practicum Documentation Form
- Documentation of passing MTEL Test- please provide a copy of your official score report or obtain evidence of passing from your Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Educator Licensure and Recruitment (ELAR) account.
Reduction in Student Teaching (KWaiver)
Reduction in student teaching applications can be found here. Reduction applications and portfolios must be submitted on or before the practicum application deadline as outlined above.
Students MUST meet the following eligibility requirements in order to submit a portfolio for a reduction in student teaching:
- Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above, GPA in major of 3.0 or above
- Pass ALL appropriate portions of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
- Have had at least TWO FULL YEARS of teaching experience
The student teaching/practicum requirement cannot be reduced beyond one-half of the requirement set forth by the Regulations for Educator Licensure by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Therefore, students will receive no more than six (6) credits toward the reduction of undergraduate student teaching and three (3) credits toward the reduction of graduate practica. All students must attend the practicum seminar for the full semester.
Policies
Practicum policies and requirements are contained in the student teaching, educational leadership and guidance counseling handbooks and are listed below. In order to ensure endorsement for licensure by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, all parties (practicum student, cooperating practitioner and faculty supervisor) must complete the necessary paperwork outlined on this page.
Practicum Handbooks
- Educational Leadership Practicum Handbook
- Guidance Counseling Practicum Handbook
- Student Teaching Practicum Handbook
Practicum Evaluation Forms
The university supervisor is responsible for distribution and return of forms to the licensure and field placement office.
- Practicum Verification Form - Each student teacher will complete this form during the first week of student teaching.
- Weekly Internship Report and Sample - The student teacher will submit a brief record of classroom involvement per week signed by the university supervisor or cooperating practitioner.
- Study of School Services - The student teacher will survey and meet with support staff, documented in this form signed by the principal or cooperating practitioner. In addition, the student teacher will interview three of these support staff members and include a one-page summery of each interview in their Student Teaching Portfolio.
- Field Experience Report - The university supervisor completes this form at the completion of the field experience.
- Formative Observation Report - The university supervisor completes the form for each formal observation of the student teacher. These forms should be used for reference in the three three-way conferences addressing student teacher progress. Students and cooperating practitioners should receive their copies of the form immediately after each observation.
- Scoring Rubric for Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol - This rubric will be used to assess the incorporation of SIOP methods in your lesson/unit plans to guide instruction of English Language Learners (ELL) in your classroom. This report is completed jointly by the supervisor and cooperating teacher, then discussed with the student during a "three-way conference."
- Preservice Performance Assessment for Practicum (PPA) or Practicum Equivalent for student teachers
- Preservice Performance Assessment for Practicum (PPA) or Practicum Equivalent for student counselors. This is the final practicum report that we keep on file in support of your licensure application to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is completed by the field supervisor cooperating teacher and the practicum student. Attach to the PPA a copy of the evaluation questions, located in the PPA Guidelines, specific to the content of the license sought. (See license-specific questions on DESE website or in student teaching handbook). This report, with the exception of Guidance Counseling and Administration must be filed for each student teaching placement.
