Preparing for Practicum: Licensure for Special Education Teachers

1. Preparing for Practicum • Licenses • Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, Pre K – 8 • Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, 5 – 12 • Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities, Pre K – 12

2. The Practicum • Full year school-based experience • In conjunction with a school-based Supervising Practitioner • Observations conducted by Simmons Supervisor • Simmons College exceeds the requirements of the DESE

3. Site Approval • Simmons College approves sites for Practicum • Practicum Student (Intern) must have access to students with Moderate or Severe Disabilities – according to license sought • Complete the Practicum Form for site approval

4. Practicum Student (Intern) • Must pass the required MTEL exams prior to practicum • MAY be able to use current work situation for practicum • School system will confirm intern’s references, documentation and C.O.R.I.

5. Supervising Practitioner • School-based teacher • Holds same license that intern is seeking • When not holding same license a waiver review must be conducted • Copy of license on file at Simmons (SS # removed) • Conducts observations of intern (ideally as frequently as Simmons Supervisor) • Provides oral and written feedback to intern • Meets with intern and Simmons Supervisor throughout the practicum experience • Signs necessary forms • Provides summative narrative report or letter at completion of practicum

6. Waiver • Copy of license (SS # removed) • Copy of résumé

7. Simmons Supervisor • Trained and veteran educator • Conducts required observations • Maintains licensure endorsement file of intern • Provides oral and written feedback to intern • Meets with intern and supervising practitioner throughout the practicum experience • Provides summative narrative report or letter at completion of practicum

8. Seminar • Accompanies practicum experience • Opportunity for discussion of practicum-based experiences • Brings together the practical and theoretical • Meets 13 times across the two semesters

9. Responsibilities of the Intern(before Practicum begins) • Determine Practicum Site • Seek assistance from Simmons for site or • Use work site • Identify Supervising Practitioner • Complete Practicum Form • Complete Pre-Practicum Experience Log

10. Pre-Practicum Experience Log • Early field-based experiences in a variety of settings • Integrated into courses prior to practicum • Minimum two experiences • If not done prior to practicum – may be done in tandem with practicum • If done in tandem, a field-site report must be written

11. Forms for Practicum • Pre-Practicum Form • Practicum Form • Practicum Experience Log • Practicum Experience Log Cover Sheet • Media Consent Form • Audio/Video Recording Form • Site Visit Form • Pre-Service Performance Assessment (PPA) • With license-specific questions • PPA Cover Sheet • http://my.simmons.edu/academics/education/education/

12. Log (required by regulation) • Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (Pre K – 8) • 300 hours in inclusive setting or • 75 in inclusive setting and 225 in separate or substantially separate setting • Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (5 - 12) • 150 hours in inclusive setting or • 75 in inclusive setting and 75 in separate or substantially separate setting

13. Log - continued • Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities (Pre K – 12) • 300 hours • At least 75 hours in inclusive general education classroom and at least 150 hours in a setting with students with severe disabilities; the remaining 75 hours may be in either setting

14. Audio-Video Recording • Once each semester • Verify media consent for all students appearing in recording • Record your own teaching • Review recording and your write-up with supervising practitioner • Submit write-up to Supervisor • Possibly discussed at a 3-way conference

15. Site Visit Form • Used only when site visits done in tandem with practicum experience • Otherwise complete Pre-Practicum Form

16. Pre-Service Performance Assessment (PPA) • Documentation of Evidence for Standards for Licensure • Standards A – E • License Specific Questions

17. What to do now? • Establish your practicum site • Verify inclusion location (if different from practicum site) • Contact your Simmons advisor for practicum location assistance • Establish Supervising Practitioner • Complete Practicum Form • Submit to Simmons Supervisor no later than May 29, 2009

18. Courses to Register for Fall • Practicum • Moderate Pre K – 8 – SPND 435 • Moderate 5 – 12 – SPND 440 • Severe – SPND 467 • Seminar • Moderate (both) – SPND 487 • Severe – SPND 487

19. Courses to Register for Spring • Practicum • Moderate Pre K – 8 – SPND 438 • Moderate 5 – 12 – SPND 439 • Severe – SPND 468 • Seminar • Moderate (both) – SPND 488 • Severe – SPND 488

20. What section to register for? • On Campus • Section 01 for all courses • Section 02 for severe seminar only • Landmark – Section 15 • Melmark New England – Section 30 (B) • Accept – Section 10 • South Coast – Section 08 • NECC – Section 05 or 06 – Verify with Chris Evans

21. Questions? • Contact: • Jane Hardin – Moderate On-Campus, Accept, South Coast • jane.hardin@simmons.edu • Allan Blume – Severe On-Campus, Melmark New England, Landmark • allan.blume@simmons.edu • Chris Evans – New England Center for Children • christine.evans@simmons.edu