Personal Days

Personal (PD) days are provided for each field experience.  In Internship I, 2 personal days will be included in the scheduled field experience.  During the Internship II experience, candidates may count 3 personal days as part of the internship.

In order to utilize a personal day, candidates must provide a written request to both the mentor teacher, university supervisor, and the Office of Clinical and Field Experience as soon as possible before the requested personal day.  If an intern is scheduled to teach during a requested PD day, the candidate should prepare substitute plans similar to the requirement when their mentor is absent. The personal day should be recorded on the time record form as a field experience day. PD may not be used in place of internship program requirements such as Career Prep Day.  PD may also not be used consecutively.  Neither may they be used prior to, or immediately following, a holiday or break.  (NOTE: Coordinators may take into consideration extenuating circumstances, e.g., bereavement or illness.)

Make-Up Days

Except for personal days, any time an intern is absent from the classroom during the scheduled days of the field experience is to be made up within the semester. Make-up days are completed after the conclusion of the scheduled field experience but may not be completed in lieu of scheduled class meetings or exam times. Interns should complete the Make-Up Day Approval Form in this handbook in order to request necessary make-up days after the final Internship date. The University Supervisor and the Field Experience Coordinator in the Office of Clinical and Field Experience will address any issues with achieving the required number of days on an individual basis.

School Closings

In the event synchronous days occur on scheduled internship days, the key to determining if it counts as a day in your internship is whether you participate in the instruction.  To do so, you must be able to log on and participate.  If you are actively involved in the synchronous instruction, then it is necessary to document your activities on your time sheet for that day, and the day will count toward a day of internship, just as it counts as a day of instruction for your mentor.

In the event of asynchronous instruction, the determination again rests with your participation.  If you are involved in planning and preparing the activities that will be uploaded for student use, uploading those materials, and so on, then your participation needs to be documented clearly on your time sheet.  If you are not involved in that process and you cannot document your instructional activities directly related to that day’s work, then the day needs to be made up.

It is recommended that interns and mentors plan as soon as possible in the internship regarding access to Schoology and/or other programs utilized in providing instruction on these days.

When schools are closed and there is no means for instruction whatsoever for a school district to teach, then the internship calendar will be adjusted accordingly and communication that applies specifically to all interns in that county will be sent as soon as possible. 

School Procedures

Candidates will follow the same school regulations and fulfill the same duties and responsibilities as teachers. It is recommended that you request your school’s Teacher Handbook for explanations and recommendations on the policies, behaviors, and responsibilities established for all teaching staff.  Candidates must request mentor approval to use school materials and must follow all school procedures for duty assignments, copying, laminating, etc. Candidates should plan to provide all consumable materials for their lessons.

Candidates are not to leave the school grounds during the teacher duty day. The duty day is defined as the arrival and departure times for all teachers at that school and these times are published in the Teacher Handbook.

Attendance: Absences/Tardiness/Early Departure 

Candidates will adhere to their mentor teacher’s daily schedule and routine. Candidates should also plan to attend all meetings and on-site professional development opportunities at their school. All field placement visitors, (e.g., assistants and interns) are guests in the schools and must follow the appropriate sign-in procedures each day. Falsifying a record is a major violation and can result in termination from the placement and possibly the program. If a candidate must leave early, due to illness or an unavoidable circumstance, the candidate must have direct approval from the Mentor Teacher. Candidates MUST also notify the university supervisor and the Office of Clinical and Field Experience, using the same contact procedures as in the case of absence or tardiness (see below). An accumulation of four total missed hours will be made up as a half day.  An accumulation of between four hours and seven and one-half hours will be made up as a full day.

If absent, tardy, or needing to leave early, the intern is to notify the following people by a phone call or text:

1. The Mentor Teacher and Principal /Designee– Before the start of the school day
2. The Office of Clinical and Field Experience– Contact Ms. Arnold at 301-687-3087 before 9:00 a.m.
3. The University Supervisor – before 9:00 a.m. but ASAP if the Supervisor is scheduled to conduct an observation on that day.

Candidates are strongly encouraged not to miss days during the field experiences.

If there are repeated absences, tardiness, or early departures, candidates will meet with appropriate university coordinators and school representatives to resolve issues. A candidate may be removed from the internship if absence/tardiness procedures are not followed, for repeated tardiness, or for unexcused absences.

Substituting

If a candidate is willing to do so, he/she may be used as a substitute teacher in a critical need situation. A critical need situation is defined as a time when all other available options in the school have been considered. In a critical need situation, a candidate covering as a substitute teacher will be paid for either a half-day or a full day. The candidate will not be paid by the hour. The candidate must have completed substitute training in the county for which they interning if they are to be paid. If the candidate is not willing to serve as a substitute teacher, he/she cannot be forced to do so. The candidate should not be scheduled as a substitute teacher. For example, if Mr. X. knows he will be out for the day, he should not schedule a candidate to substitute for him. A candidate covering as a substitute teacher will only be eligible to cover the classes that are part of his/her internship. The cooperating professional will be the educator who has to cover for another teacher.

NOTE - The following is a notification directly copied from the WCPS internship application: Student teachers or interns are not permitted to substitute teach during their placement hours or cover the classroom for their mentor teacher.

Professional Dispositions

One of the critical aspects of success in the field is professional dispositions for teaching. Candidates should act in a professional manner at all times, in both the university classroom and in the school environment during the field experiences. Candidates must arrive and depart the assigned school on time, following the same schedule as the regular members of the teaching staff, and 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 learning environment, or collaborating with others on professional agendas. Candidates should display professionally acceptable verbal and non-verbal behaviors at all times. Candidates demonstrate a commitment to the internship experience through positive attitudes and respectful interactions with administrators, school staff and personnel, parents, his/her mentor teacher and students. If a candidate’s professional dispositions are deemed unacceptable by the principal, mentor, or university representatives, the necessary procedures for improvement will be followed. If improvement is not shown, a candidate could be removed from the placement and would fail the field experience. The assistant/intern, mentor teacher, and university supervisor will evaluate professional dispositions and responsibilities during each field experience. The forms and additional information regarding this evaluation are located in this handbook.

Dress Code

Frostburg State University encourages teaching and learning environments that are welcoming and inclusive for all educators. We believe that all teacher education candidates should be seen, heard, and valued as individuals. During all field experiences, candidates must dress professionally when present at school.

Candidates are expected to adhere to the district dress code and the program-established dress code, which may exceed the district expectations. 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 be well-groomed.  Each day is a job interview for an intern, so candidates are strongly encouraged to make a good impression with their appearance every day.

At the same time, we acknowledge that each of our partner schools and districts in which our candidates are placed represents specific cultures and that there is the existence of both explicit dress codes and “hidden rules” for appearance that may differ from the university environment and expectations. We encourage candidates to develop an awareness and understanding of the culture of their placements and to consider these aspects when making choices about their attire and appearance in the professional setting. 

Candidates’ attire should reflect a seriousness and commitment to the business of education. Professional attire could include but is not limited to shirt and tie, collared shirt, blouse, pants, skirt, or dress (knee length or longer). Comfortable, clean, and safe footwear would be appropriate. Flip-flops are not allowed. In general, clothing should not be too casual, too loose/tight, or too revealing. Casual attire (sweatpants, yoga pants, leggings, etc.) would not be appropriate for teaching. Your professional dress should reflect your role as a teacher, your intentions as an educator, and the culture of your school. Candidates may dress appropriately for special events and spirit days.

Transportation

Transportation to and from the field experience is the responsibility of each candidate. Field experience instructors and coordinators can assist students in locating other candidates who might be able to provide transportation. Candidates who have access to a car are encouraged to participate in carpools. Candidates who are being transported by peers should be courteous and respectful (timeliness, compensation for gas, etc.) Placements close to campus may be requested by those candidates who do not have transportation, but the availability of these placements is not guaranteed.

Confidentiality

Candidates must follow accepted practices for confidentiality of student information, of both a formal and informal nature. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), schools and teachers are required to protect the privacy rights of students. Candidates may not be allowed to view student records and should protect any information provided to them concerning a student’s educational record. Candidates are also obligated to hold information gained through their classroom and school interactions with students in confidence. They should not speak about school matters, including information about students, teachers, or administrators, inside or outside of the school environment. Any discussion with parents about student performance and behavior should be confined to formal conference settings. Since sensitive information about students, faculty, and staff is part of the school environment, candidates must act with discretion (exercising prudence and self-restraint in speech and behavior) and tact (skill or judgment in difficult or delicate situations).

Candidates as Mandated Reporters

As an educator working in classrooms with students, all assistants and interns are considered mandatory reporters for child abuse by the State of Maryland. In order to make a report, proof of abuse or neglect is not required. Incidents are to be reported to a mentor teacher and school administrators as soon as they are suspected. If a candidate suspects a case of child abuse or neglect, he or she should report the evidence to the mentor teacher and university supervisor. The next steps in the reporting process would follow school/district policies for mandatory reports. If a mandatory reporter knowingly fails to report suspected abuse of a child, this person may be subject to professional sanctions by licensing boards or in the case of an assistant/intern, difficulties in obtaining certification. Anyone who makes a “good faith” report is immune from civil liability and criminal penalty.

Release for Photos, Videos, and Student Work

Candidates are encouraged to collect classroom artifacts of their teaching, through photos, videos, and student work samples. These materials would be shared in course assignments, class presentations and candidate portfolio development and interviews. While schools and districts typically require parents to provide releases for student images, candidates will also be required during each field experience to gain parent permission to use these types of materials. Only first names of students are used, and other identifying information deleted in order to maintain student confidentiality. For each field experience, candidates should send home a copy of the form with each student and must maintain a record of those students for whom a release was or was not provided. The university release form for Internship I is located in this handbook.  For Internship II, the edTPA release form is required.

Social Media

Candidates must be extremely cautious with social media use when completing field experiences. Classroom experiences should not be described, nor should pictures from classroom experiences be posted to a candidate’s social media accounts or shared with others through personal social media outlets. Candidates are strongly encouraged to set all social media accounts to “private” during their field experiences, even though individuals should be aware that nothing on the internet is completely private. Candidates should consider outside audiences, such as students, parents, and prospective employers, when posting pictures, making comments, and crafting status updates even with protected settings. During field experiences, candidates should not “friend” or communicate with students, mentors, or parents on social media. Candidates must also follow the placement district’s policies on social media use.

Electronic Devices

Candidates should not use cell phones, tablets, or other electronic communication devices during instructional time in the field, unless for a specific instructional purpose (photos, lesson videos, calculator, voice recording, remote, etc.). No phone calls, texting, or social media communication should occur during the instructional day. Candidates may provide the school’s phone number as a contact in case of an emergency. Issues with inappropriate electronic communication device use will be treated as a professional disposition concern.

Campus/Outside Activities

In order to obtain the most benefit from the professional semester, the candidate should limit all outside activities, including participation in demanding extra-curricular activities. Ideally, candidates would minimize outside employment during the internship semester(s). Employment should not interfere with internship, coursework, and other program responsibilities.

Issues/Concerns with Mentors or Supervisors

If you have an issue with your mentor or supervisor, it is important to attempt to resolve the issue through a discussion with him/her. If the issue persists, or you do not feel that you can discuss the issue with him/her, please complete the FSU Intern’s Issues/Concerns form and schedule an appointment with the Coordinator of the Office of Clinical and Field Experiences.

Intern/Mentor Relationship

The professional relationship between a mentor and intern is a critical aspect of the field experience. The nature of this relationship can have a lasting impact on the intern as he/she transitions toward independence in the classroom and to assuming all the duties and responsibilities as a classroom teacher. This is also a rich experience for the mentor, as he/she guides and inducts a new colleague into the profession. It is important for both parties to realize that it takes time and effort to develop this type of meaningful working relationship. Specific practices and activities can help to establish and maintain this critical connection:

• Take time to get to know each other outside of the daily pressure of the classroom.
• Set clear goals and develop a mutual understanding of expectations for everyone.
• Keep lines of communication open by planning daily opportunities to talk, listen, reflect, plan, and address questions.
• Work as a team to share classroom responsibilities and share a focus on student learning.
• Adopt a positive attitude, as shown through words and actions.
• Be respectful of each other as people and professionals.
• Be flexible and open minded when receiving and providing constructive feedback.

Mentor and Intern Joint Interview

During the first days of the field experience, the mentor and intern should set aside a short period of time to learn about each other, outside of the pressures of the school day. In this conversation, each person takes turns sharing his/her answer to each question:

• What is your prior experience?
• How does teaching excite and challenge you?
• How would you describe your teaching style?
• What do you hope to learn or gain from the mentor/intern experience this semester?
• How would you describe your life outside of the school/classroom?
• What other things should I know about you?

Time Record

The candidate is required to keep a record of time spent in the schools. Candidates should limit time recorded to the teacher duty day and should record their time use at the end of each internship day. The Mentor Teacher and University supervisor will verify the number of days completed for the experience. The signatures of both the mentor teacher and university supervisor on the Internship Summary page will authenticate this record. The following activities should be documented on the time record.

1. Observation: Time when the assistant/intern is watching another person who is in charge of activities for the students. For example, Observed Math lesson – 45 minutes.
2. Non-instructional time: Time when the assistant/intern is not in charge of activities with students. For example, lunch running copies, checking papers while in school. The time is described and time recorded. For example, Lunch – 30 minutes.
3. Teaching time: Time when the assistant/intern is in charge of the classroom, small groups of students, or tutoring individual students. For example, Teaching circle time – 20 minutes.

Use a number two pencil to record times on the timesheet pages or see the template available on the department web page to create a typed record. Insert a number for each completed day to aid with determining the total number of full days completed in the experience.

Internship Summary

The Internship Summary sheet is a permanent record of the field experience days completed and must have the required signatures. All signatures should be in blue ink. All completed time sheets are to be included in the Field Experience Notebook and a link to the completed notebook should be submitted in Taskstream at the end of the experience.