Each teacher candidate will have their own individual journey during clinical practice based on the specific degree program that they are completing and the various endorsement(s) that they are seeking to obtain after graduation.
There are two types of placements during the semester:
Each semester, the last day of Clinical Practice for teacher candidates varies. The last day is noted in Canvas, as well as within the Anthology Portfolio (formerly Anthology Portfolio) Placement. The date is based on when most of the school districts start back to school. If the district where you are placed starts later than others, you will simply need to count the weeks and set the established last day based on your program. The end date will need to be adjusted for absences (illnesses, etc.) that exceed a total 3 days during the experience.
For those obtaining a supplemental endorsement such as the Reading/Writing Endorsement or English as a Second Language (ESL), no additional clinical practice is required. It is expected that knowledge related to the supplemental endorsement will be infused into the daily execution of teaching responsibilities.
For those seeking a PK-12 or K-12 field endorsement, clinical practice must be completed at both levels (elementary and secondary). The experience is the regular 16 weeks in length, but at the “half-way” point, you will switch from one level to the next. The order does not have to be elementary first and then secondary. It can be based on the desires of the school district and cooperating teachers. If it is more convenient to switch placement levels at an established break in the school calendar (such as a Fall or Spring break or the end of a quarter) and this is not exactly at eight weeks, that is completely fine to have slightly “unbalanced” amounts of time between the two levels. The amount of time at each level should be adequate to allow you to build confidence and demonstrate mastery of teaching skills for that particular grade range of students.
For these 18-week extended experiences, once again the time does not have to be evenly split. For most candidates completing an extended placement, the transition from one classroom to the other will follow what is best for the school and for both cooperating teachers.
In addition, please note that the number of credit hours you register for in WildcatsOnline is not the same thing as the number of weeks you are to be in clinical practice. This is a common misconception