A.  Admission
            Formal admission occurs after the Candidate successfully completes the Professional Development School (PDS) Entrance Interview and all grades are verified.  The Entrance Interview usually takes place during May (for the Fall Semester), and during December (for the Spring Semester).  Grades are verified by August and by January.  The candidate is required to have a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and a GPA of 2.5 in the major with no grade less than C in block I courses.  Candidate also needs the successful completion of ELED 307 (Block I Fieldwork).

B.  Placement Procedures for Internship I
            1.  The PreK-8 Placement Coordinator and school and district representatives, tentatively assign the candidate in a suitable PDS placement for internship.  Factors to be considered are the grade level needed by the students, available mentor teachers, and PDS needs and availability.  The candidate provides information about personal circumstances that might impact the placement, but no guarantee can be made that the information will determine intern placement.  Frostburg does have PDS schools in Hagerstown and Frederick.

           2.  Placements are made to meet certification requirements.  ELEM/ECE majors are placed in Pre-K/K, in primary grades (1, 2, or 3), and intermediate grades (4, 5, or 6) over the course of Block I, Internship I, and Internship II experiences.  ELEM majors are placed at grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or middle school (6, 7, or 8), depending on the candidate.  Candidates requesting a middle school placement must take EDUC 445: Middle School Curriculum, prior to Internship II.

            3.  All preliminary contacts of the schools and the mentor teachers are made by the PreK-8 Placement Coordinator in the Office of Clinical and Field Experiences.

            4.  A Placement Informational Meeting will be held prior to the Internship I semester, to notify the candidate of his/her assignment, and to orient the candidate to his/her intern responsibilities.  Each candidate is required to make a pre-practice visit to his/her assigned PDS.  Pre-practice visit cards are signed by the mentor teacher and submitted to the Office of Clinical and Field Experiences before the end of the semester.

            5.  An Orientation Meeting is held at the beginning of the Internship I semester.  At this orientation, the handbook guidelines will be reviewed and the ELED 494 Internship I assignments are explained. An additional review will be conducted at a seminar immediately prior to the Internship I experience.

C. Induction Experience/Preparation Days

            In the fall semester, the candidate begins his/her internship experience with an Induction Experience.  The Induction Experience consists of several days with the mentor before school begins and the first days of school with students. This allows the candidate an opportunity to experience the roles and responsibilities of the classroom teacher at the start of the school year.  In the spring semester, each candidate will complete preparation days early in the semester. The purpose of these days is to allow each candidate to meet his/her mentor and students and to become familiar with the school and classroom environments. The candidate is asked to document their experience on their time sheets and complete any course or internship assignments associated with the induction/preparation days.

D.  Number of Internship Days
          The minimum number of internship days is thirty (30) during Internship I. Candidates are expected to start on the assigned day and end on the assigned day in order to meet the 30 day minimum*. Each candidate is to have an extended experience in Professional Development Schools.  The focus is on student achievement, research, collaboration, and professional growth.  The goal of a PDS internship is to provide a total school-wide experience for the teacher candidate.  Intern remains in the assigned PDS for Internship II, a 70 day experience.  Some ECE/ELEM majors are moved to other PDS schools within their cluster because of the limited number of Pre-K /Kindergarten placements.  The total days of internship from Internship I and Internship II is one hundred (100) days.

* Internship days counted for the minimum of 30 days do not include the Pre-Practice Visit or Induction/Preparation Days. While these days are documented on the time sheets, they are not scheduled as part of the required minimum of 30 days.

E.  Professional Dispositions

            The candidate is expected to demonstrate professional dispositions at all times. Candidates must arrive and depart the assigned school at the same hour that regular members of the teaching staff arrive and depart.  The candidate is to complete a full day of activities related to the instructional program.  If not teaching a class, an intern should be observing the mentor teacher, assisting the mentor teacher as needed, working on development of the curriculum or environment, or collaborating with others on professional agendas. Candidates demonstrate a commitment to the internship experience should display a positive attitude and should communicate well with administrators, school staff and personnel, parents, his/her mentor teacher and students.

F. Dress Code

            During the Internship experience, candidates are expected to dress professionally when present at school and to adhere to the school/district dress code. In general, candidates’ attire should reflect a seriousness and commitment to the business of education. Clothing should not be too casual, too loose/tight or revealing. Candidates should dress appropriately for their teaching situation, with attire that allows for easy movement, comfort and does not distract from the learning environment. Candidates should avoid wearing jeans and flip-flops to school, unless deemed appropriate for school events.  All male interns are required to wear a shirt and tie.

G.  Absences

            If absent, the intern is to notify the following people by phone:
                1.  The Mentor Teacher and Principal – Before the start of the school day.
                2.  The Placement Coordinator – before 9:00 a.m. at  301-687-3087.
                3.  University Supervisor – before 9:00 a.m.
Candidates are strongly encouraged not to miss days during the Internship. If there are repeated absences during the internship, candidates will need to meet with appropriate University coordinators and school representatives in order to resolve the absence problem.  A candidate may be removed from the internship if absence procedures are not followed or for repeated unexcused absences.

            Remember Intern I candidates must complete a minimum of 30 days.

H. Make Up Days

            Make up days are required if the intern falls below the required minimum.  . If, for any reason, the assigned 30 full days of internship can not be met within the allotted time, it is the candidate’s responsibility to arrange and complete any required makeup days, mutually agreed upon with the Mentor Teacher, School Administrators and University Supervisor. Problems with achieving the required number of days, beyond individual make up days at the end of the semester, will be handled on an individual basis with the university supervisor and the placement coordinator in consultation with the mentor teacher.

I. Teaching and Professional Performance Evaluation Conference:

            Candidates will be evaluated on teaching and professional performance by the Mentor Teacher and University Supervisor at the end of the internship, using the Intern Performance Rating Form (See Appendix).  Formal and informal observations made by the mentor and supervisor are used to make the assessment. If candidates are not meeting requirements in teaching performance or in professional behavior the following procedures are followed:

If an intern isn’t meeting requirements in teaching performance during the Internship I:

1. The mentor and the intern meet to discuss the problem and make a list of intern expectations during the following 5 days. The supervisor may be invited to the meeting but must at least receive a copy of the list of expectations.

2.  If the problem persists during the following week, the mentor, supervisor, and intern meet to review the goals and to clarify all questions. The PDS site coordinator and the PDS Network Coordinator/ Office of Clinical and Field Experiences are contacted and informed of the problem. Then a formal contract delineating goals is written and signed by the intern, supervisor, and mentor teacher. The contract language, length of term, and timeline for improvement will depend on the circumstances and the severity of the problem. Contracts may be revisited periodically as needed. A copy of the contract is given to the mentor, the supervisor, the candidate, and the PDS site coordinator.

3.  The supervisor will formally observe the intern within 5 days.  At least one other person will formally observe the intern (another supervisor, the site coordinator, another teacher, and/or the principal) within this time period. These observations are may be unannounced.  Each observer writes a formal evaluation addressing the goals cited in the written contract.  A copy of the evaluation is given to the intern and the mentor.

4. Within 2 weeks of #2 the mentor, supervisor, and intern meet to assess the intern’s progress.  If there is documented improvement at this point, a new contract may be generated and the process begins again.

If there is no improvement and/or stipulations in the contract are not followed, this fact must be documented and copies with intern’s, mentor’s, and supervisor’s signatures are given to the signers and the PDS site coordinator and the Network PDS Coordinator/Office of Clinical and Field Experiences. The supervisor and mentor write a letter telling the intern s/he is not meeting expectations and may not pass Internship I.  The supervisor, mentor, and PDS site coordinator meet to discuss the situation and a decision about the next step in the process is made. Based on the judgment of the supervisor, mentor teacher, and PDS site coordinator, the intern may be removed from the internship placement or other appropriate actions taken. If the intern is removed from the internship this action results in a failing grade in internship.

If an intern isn’t meeting requirements for professional behavior during Internship I:

1. The school has the right to remove the intern immediately. This decision can be made by the principal, mentor teacher, or the PDS site coordinator.

If the problem has not resulted in immediate removal from the school, the following procedure is to be followed:

1. The mentor and the intern meet to discuss the problem and make a list of the professional behaviors expected from the intern. The supervisor may be invited to the meeting but must at least receive a copy of the list of expected behaviors. A copy of the list is sent to the PDS site coordinator.

2. If the professional behavior does not improve immediately and continue consistently, the mentor teacher informs the supervisor who will then arrange a meeting with the PDS Network coordinator, the principal, the mentor, the site coordinator, and the intern to discuss the problem. The intern may be removed from the internship placement. If the intern is removed from the internship, this action results in a failing grade in internship I.

J.  Coursework During Internship I

            Block II classes do not meet during the 6 week Internship I experience.  These courses meet the required time for a 3 credit course by extending the length of classes during the first part of the semester.  Also, some Friday seminar classes are utilized as course time. Candidates are expected to complete field-related course assignments during the Internship I experience. The requirements for these assignments will be provided by course instructors.

 

K.  Involvement in Campus Activities, etc.

            In order to obtain the most benefit from the professional semester, the intern is requested to limit all outside activities.  The intern is expected to devote full time to his/her teaching and not to participate in demanding extra-curricular events while interning without the consent of the PDS Field Placement Coordinator and the University Supervisor.  Ideally, outside employment should be minimized during the interning semester(s).

L. University Breaks and School Vacations

            The intern follows the university calendar and is entitled to the same vacation periods reflected in that calendar.  Interns may make special arrangements when differences exist between the university calendar and the intern’s school calendar, with permission from the PDS Field Placement Coordinator, the University Supervisor, and the Mentor Teacher.  Written requests are signed by both the Mentor Teacher and the University Supervisor and submitted to the PDS Field Placement Coordinator in the Office of Clinical and Field Experiences.

M.  Credential File

            The credential file is to be opened during this semester, and the ongoing maintenance of the candidate’s credential file is the responsibility of the candidate.  There is a $20.00 fee for this service.  To establish the credential file, the candidate should contact:

            Dr. Robbie Cordle, Director

            Office of Career Services

            101 Braddock Road

            Frostburg, MD  21532

            301-687-4403

The Office of Career Services can also support candidates in crafting a resume and developing interview skills.

N.  Portfolio

            By the end of Internship II, each intern will complete a portfolio documenting the six unit outcomes (Dedicated Professional, Instructional Leader, Continuous Assessor, Collaborative Bridge-Builder, Educational Advocate, and Reflective Decision-Maker), and present the portfolio for assessment at the end of the Intern II semester.  Assessors are Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty, Educational Professions faculty, and Public School faculty. 

            Intern I’s are encouraged to begin collecting documentation to demonstrate their work in each of the unit outcomes.  Of particular importance under each unit outcome is data showing the intern’s impact upon student learning.  More information about the portfolio will be given during Internship I.