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Professionalism  |  Transportation  |  Time Commitment  |  Placement Procedure  |  Assignments

PROFESSIONALISM

As you visit school sites for fieldwork, you are a representative of the PLNU School of Education. As such, our professional expectations for you are high. You should be clearly distinguishable from the students in the school.

Professionalism Standards

  • Maintain a respectful demeanor and attitude toward host teacher and paraprofessionals

  • Discuss with host teacher the purpose and intention of fieldwork. Be explicit about what you need to do (observe, interact with students, and/or teach a lesson) during your visits

  • Create an observation schedule with your host teacher and follow it carefully

  • Refrain from the use of your cell phone in the classroom

  • Refrain from eating, drinking or chewing gum in the classroom

Dress Guidelines

Business-casual dress is expected. Dress for success! SOE polo shirts are available in Evans 101 for $15.

The following attire is NOT acceptable:

  • Shorts, t-shirts or sweatshirts (except on designated Spirit Days)

  • Workout clothing (P.E. clothing is acceptable only during active participation in P.E. classes)

  • Beach clothing or flip-flops

  • Clothing with holes or cut off edges

  • Denim jeans or skirts (except on field trips, if necessary)

  • Piercings/tattoos (in general, it is advisable to remove facial piercings and cover tattoos)

Please take good care of our school partnerships by being polite, prompt and responsible to the hours you have committed to spend there. This is a give-and-take relationship: at the same time that the teacher is giving you a venue to complete your assignments, you can also feel free to be helpful in the classroom and give any extra time you desire to that school site.

TRANSPORTATION

You must provide your own transportation. Transportation for candidates to fieldwork placements is NOT provided by PLNU.

TIME COMMITMENT

Candidates are required to complete 20 hours of field participation for each fieldwork course. You may not complete any field assignment for more than five hours per day.

All field experiences must be completed within the semester for which the fieldwork course is registered. By registering for the fieldwork course, you are acknowledging that you will be able to complete the required observations during the semester. If you have conflicting commitments, you will be expected to drop the course or shift your schedule so that the observations can be completed. Failure to complete the required observation hours during the semester will result in a grade of IP (in progress).

All fieldwork forms are due on the last day of the semester. Failure to submit any or all of the necessary forms by the deadline will result in a grade of IP (in progress).

PLACEMENT PROCEDURE

The fieldwork placement for each course is determined by standards set by both PLNU and the state of California. For this reason, it is the Field Experience Coordinator’s responsibility to direct each of your placements. While we do our best to take your placement requests into consideration, there are many factors at play, and ultimately the school districts have the final say in all placements.

Please note that the PLNU Field Experience Coordinator assigns you to a school site. The school site personnel assign you to a classroom.

Prior to Placement

  • You will be able to express any placement preferences via the Fieldwork Application you submit prior to each semester

  • You are prohibited from beginning field experiences until all prerequisites have been submitted to the Field Experience Coordinator

  • Failure to submit all prerequisites will result in being dropped from the course(s) that contain fieldwork

  • You will receive all communication regarding placements through your PLNU gmail account

Upon Receiving a Placement

  • You are to contact the school immediately upon receiving your fieldwork placement to receive your classroom placement

  • You are responsible for creating a field experience schedule (including days and times) with your host teacher

  • If you are unable to make contact with the school, let your Field Experience Coordinator know

ASSIGNMENTS

You will have course assignments associated with your fieldwork. Those assignments may include:

  • Observing for specific classroom elements and reflecting on those in writing

  • ​Working with an individual or a group of students in math

  • Working with an individual or a group of students in reading

  • Working with an individual who is an English Learner or a group of English Learners

Know your assignments so you know how to spend your time in the classroom. Share your assignments with the host teacher right away so he/she can support your efforts. If your fieldwork requires you to work specifically with an English Learner, Special Needs student, or a particular area of content, politely let your host teacher know immediately in case an adjustment must be made.