COOPERATING TEACHERS - CLICK HERE FOR THE FIELD EXPERIENCE COOPERATING TEACHERS TOOLBOX

The Field Experience Program (FEP) is an integral part of the Educator Preparation Education Program at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. It provides candidates with opportunities to become familiar with and participate in a variety of instructional settings. From one semester to the next, candidates are provided with opportunities to become more actively involved in classroom settings. As they gain more knowledge of learners, content, and methodology, they participate in a set of sequential and systematic experiences that enable them to connect the knowledge and skills acquired in campus-based coursework with what they observe and do in public school settings.

The FEP is designed to provide a continuum of experiences that enables candidates acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to their growth as professionals. Candidates are expected to complete a minimum of 200 hours of field experiences prior to the internship. Each semester candidates will complete a minimum of 60-70 hours in a school setting, as they move from simply observing, participating, tutoring students and teaching their first class lesson during Block 1, to teaching multiple small group and whole class lessons during Blocks 2 and 3 experiences and finally assuming full responsibility for the classroom during their student teaching.

Each level of field experiences addresses competencies integral to the UAH Teacher as Leader model. As candidates progress through the program and become more actively engaged in instructional responsibilities during each level of field experiences, they will be expected to demonstrate novice, then intermediate, and finally expert abilities in each competency area.

Candidates enrolled in Block 1 field experiences will focus primarily on Diversity and Professionalism. During Block 1, students are typically assigned to a Huntsville City School to focus on an "urban" school setting. Candidates enrolled in Blocks 2 and 3 field experiences will focus on developing as Content and Pedagogy; they will refine their competencies in the area of Diversity. During Block 2, students are typically assigned to a "rural" school setting within Madison County while during Block 3 they are assigned to a "suburban" school within the Madison City School system. Candidates enrolled in the internship—will demonstrate their abilities in all competencies as a high level. At all levels, candidates will demonstrate increasing competency in the areas of Communications, Critical Thinking, and Professionalism.

Field experiences are an integral component of the course requirements and curricula. Failure to successfully complete field experiences will result in incomplete grades and/or course failure and will delay and/or prevent the candidate's admission to the Educator Preparation Program or the internship. All Class B and Alt-A students must have a cleared Background Clearance before being allowed to start field experiences.

UAH Undergraduate Field Experience Information

UAH MAT (Alt-A) Field Experience Information

Field experiences for Advanced Class A programs (M.Ed.) are embedded within the candidates employment setting. If the candidate does not work in an educational setting, UAH will work with the student to secure field experience classrooms.