School of Education

Polices for Student Teaching

1. Placement Process and Eligibility
   To be eligible for a student teaching practicum, a candidate must have completed all prerequisite courses in his or her program, must have a 2.75 overall grade point average and a 3.0 in the major, have passed all parts of the MTEL, be recommended by the program coordinator/department chair, and have completed pre-practicum experiences of at least 75 hours. In addition, students must present evidence of a negative TB test. The Office of Student Teaching and Licensure is responsible for student teaching practicum placements. That office submits all requests for practicum placements to school principals and/or his/her designee(s) and Pre-school Directors and then notifies practicum students about their placements and any agency requests for interviews and reporting time. School System/Agency and student inquiries relative to placements should be directed to this office (978-542-6472).
2. Criminal Offender Registration Information (CORI)
   Individual districts may ask you to complete a Criminal Offender Registration Information check (CORI). You are required by state law to complete this form accurately and in a timely manner. You may be denied access to the school until the CORI is approved. If this happens, you are required to make up any missing days.
3. Attendance
   The student teaching practicum experience is for most programs at least 300 hours in the field site. The Office of Licensure and Field Placement will inform you of the student teaching practicum calendar, including beginning and ending dates and vacation times. Unless informed otherwise by the College, you are required to follow the public/pre-school calendars. Authorized absences for such activities as College Registration and/or required meetings are indicated in the separate Practicum Calendar. If you are going to be absent because of illness, you must follow the policies concerning notifying both the school/agency and your supervisor.

   At the discretion of the college supervisor and cooperating practitioner, you may be required to make up absences that total not more than four days per semester. Absences totaling five days or more per semester must be made up on a schedule mutually agreed to by the college supervisor and the cooperating practitioner. Your cooperating agency may expect you to attend such events as in-service meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and faculty meetings. The t expects you to participate as fully as possible in the role of a teacher, provided cooperating agency policies are not violated.

4. Program Requirements for the Practicum
   While this handbook describes general requirements for all practicum students, specific licensure programs may have additional expectations; for example, special guided journal assignments or assessments appropriate for particular learners and professional roles. Faculty supervisors and seminar leaders will inform you of these assignments, which will be included in your Student Teaching Portfolio, described later in this handbook. These assignments are meant to prepare you for the particular roles and responsibilities of your license and to satisfy the national and state standards governing your field.
5. Student Load
   You are encouraged to plan your course schedule so that you enroll only for the 12 credits of student teaching field experience (6 credits in the graduate programs) during the semester you are completing your practicum. You are also encouraged to arrange your finances so that you can minimize the need for working in the evening and on weekends. The practicum requires a full time commitment to the classroom, if you are to take full advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned in your education and arts and sciences courses and earn your recommendation for employment. You must make the student teaching practicum your highest priority. When outside activities interfere with success in the field experience, including attendance, you assume full responsibility for the results of your action.
6. Grading System
   Salem State College uses a pass/fail system for evaluating the student teaching practicum experience. Candidates who perform satisfactorily and earn a recommendation for licensure will be awarded a passing grade.

   The college supervisor is legally responsible for assignment of grades. Most supervisors, however, will request input and seek recommendation from the cooperating practitioner concerning a student's grade.

7. Participation in School Activities
   Student teachers are expected to keep "teachers' hours" in their assigned schools. During the time the student teacher is assigned to a classroom, the expectation is that the student teacher will participate in the full spectrum of professional activities. These activities may include, but are not limited to, attending faculty meetings and professional development opportunities; observing special education team evaluation meetings; participating in the parent conference process, attending showcase/project fairs (science, geography, etc.) and other Prek-12 student activities. Understanding that student teaching is the final experience in the initial teacher preparation program, the college and the K-12 professional community have a responsibility to ensure that every student teacher is provided with a full range of professional experiences to best prepare him/her for the role of classroom teacher.
8. Substitute Teaching
   If the cooperating practitioner will be out of the classroom, the school district is expected to provide an appropriate substitute teacher for the classroom, the same as they would if the student teacher were not assigned to that room. The student teacher will be expected to provide the same level of instruction in collaboration with the district substitute teacher as would have happened if the cooperating practitioner were present. A student teacher may be asked to be the substitute teacher in the classroom to which he/she is assigned no earlier than four weeks into an assignment. The student teacher must have demonstrated to the college supervisor the ability to function effectively in managing a classroom. The college supervisor must approve all substitute teaching requests for student teachers. The total substituting days must not exceed two days per quarter placement and four days per semester placement. This policy is not intended to contradict or supersede any local bargaining agreement clause that may be in effect.
9. Safety Guidelines (Universal Precautions)
   The School of Education is aware that teachers come in close contact with children on a daily basis. The following safety guidelines, as proposed by the United States Public Health Service for the handling of blood and bodily fluid of all persons, not just those previously known to have HIV infection, shall be followed by all Salem State College students.

Universal Precautions

Universal Precautions is an aggressive, standardized approach designed by the Centers for Disease Control to help prevent the spread of AIDS, hepatitis B (HBV), and other bloodborne diseases. Viruses that cause bloodborne diseases are spread by contact with blood and certain other body fluids. Universal Precautions are methods based on the simple fact that there is no way to be sure a person is not infected with AIDS, hepatitis B, and other bloodborne disease, so it is safest to handle everyone's blood and body fluids as if they are infected.

Universal Precautions Cover:

• blood
• spinal fluid
• peritoneal fluid
• saliva from dental work
• vaginal secretions
• joint or synovial fluid
• pleural fluid
• semen
• blood products
• amniotic fluids

Universal Precautions Do Not Cover*

• saliva
• tears
• feces
• sputum
• sweat
• nasal secretions
• urine
• vomitus

*unless you can see blood in them

The Basic Methods

• Avoid contact with blood and body fluids, if possible.
• When you cannot avoid contact, protect yourself. Latex gloves are recommended, but they are not always available. Rubber gloves and plastic bags are helpful in providing some protection. Whenever possible, have the person control their own bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound with paper towels, tissues or other clean disposable towels.
• If blood or body fluids get on your skin, wash with soap and water immediately.
• Discard or decontaminate anything that has had direct contact with blood or body fluids. Know the specific facility policies on proper disinfecting and disposal of contaminated objects. When disposing of any paper items with visible blood on them, protect yourself and others by disposing them in plastic bags, tying the trash bag, and placing it inside another trash bag. To clean up blood on objects or on the floor, lay paper towels on it to absorb as much as possible. Then disinfect with bleach.
• Learn about post-exposure follow-up and the importance of reporting possible exposure incidences between children.

Following these simple guidelines will be helpful in protecting you and others. When an emergency arises, it is important to be able to help, and to do so without fear.

Be Aware and Protect Yourself!

Student teachers should contact the school nurse in your district regarding specific universal precautions and school system polices.

10. Job Action
    You are assigned to classrooms in the public schools to complete the practicum experiences required in your certification program at Salem State College. You are not an employee of the district. Therefore, you should not participate in a job action. If a job action occurs at your practicum site, you are to notify your college supervisor and report to the School of Education Office on the third floor of the Sullivan Building on North Campus for further instructions.
11. Compensation to Cooperating Practitioners: Vouchers
    One full tuition credit voucher will be awarded for each student placed for a full semester of student teaching. A full voucher is issued, therefore, for each full-semester student placement regardless of the number of assignments a student may have. For an eight-week assignment, a half voucher is issued. Tuition credit vouchers are awarded directly to the cooperating practitioner at the end of the semester in which he/she mentored a Salem State College student practitioner.

    Course vouchers are valid for the tuition only of one graduate or continuing education course. All course fees associated with the class selected are the responsibility of the person using the voucher. Vouchers must be presented with registration materials to the Registrar’s Office at Salem State College.

    Compensation to Cooperating Practitioners: PDPs
    In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, section 38G, all educators licensed in Massachusetts are subject to re-licensure requirements. To acknowledge the importance of their role as a mentor to a pre-service student teacher, the Massachusetts Department of Education allows for the awarding of professional development points to cooperating teachers. The Office of Licensure and Field Placement following the completion of the student teaching semester will issue Professional Development Certificates for cooperating teachers.