Partner Teachers & Field Experiences

Field Experience Overview

Field experiences are a critical aspect of teacher education.  It is during the time in the field that Pre-service Teachers will be given the opportunity to apply the learning from their EDUC theory courses as they experience the complexity of life in schools generally, and in their assigned placements more specifically.  Each Field Experience will allow the Pre-service Teachers to deepen their understandings of what it means to be a teacher while incrementally increasing their responsibility in the field. 

There are four Field Experiences in which Pre-service Teachers will take part during the course of the Bachelor of Education Degree, one in each semester. 

A Quick Comparison of our Field Experiences

  • We are recruiting supportive Schools for Field Experience I - 2 weeks in October - Observational
  • We are recruiting supportive Teachers for Field Experience II - 4 weeks in March & April - First teaching experience
  • We are recruiting supportive Teachers for Field Experience III/IV - 14 weeks in November-December and February-April - Final year pre-service teachers building to teach 80-100%

Field Experience I

Course: EDUC 440: Field Experience I - Life in Schools
Description: Field Experience I is an observation and assisting round designed to help Pre-service Teachers refocus their perception from student to that of teacher. 
The Preservice Teacher will observe life in schools at both the elementary and secondary levels.  There is no Partner Teacher, instead, Preservice Teachers observe the school as a whole under the guidance of the School Liaison and the Field Experience Instructor.
Dates: Monday, October 7, 2024 - Friday, October 18, 2024
Placement Length: 2-weeks
Student Profile: First year, first Education term.
Teaching expectations: None. The focus of Field Experience I is to document the lives and cultures of students, teachers and schools using ethnographic field notes. Pre-service Teachers will be expected to assist as much as possible, at the discretion of the Partner Teacher.
Recruitment Status: We are seeking interested Partner Schools for this opportunity. We recruit schools each Spring to host our Field I pre-service teachers. Students are placed as cohorts to observe the school as a whole under the guidance of the Field Experience Liaison. In general, no individual Partner Teachers are assigned or required.

Field Experience I: Life in Schools (EDUC 440)

This practicum is the first glimpse into our wonderful profession where students have the opportunity to develop strong observational skills, ask deeper questions about life in schools and whenever possible and at the discretion of teachers, assist the classroom teacher.

Field Experience I is for two weeks occurring in the Fall of semester 1.  The Preservice Teacher will observe life in schools at both the elementary and secondary levels.  There is no Partner Teacher, instead, Preservice Teachers observe the school as a whole under the guidance of the School Liaison and the Field Experience Instructor.

  • 2 weeks in the Fall, first EDUC term
  • Students work in groups
  • Structured as ethnographic research inquiry into the culture of schools
  • Deeply integrated into two courses (EDUC 430 and EDUC 435)
  • Course description

Course Outline:

  • To better understand the Field Course structure, we invite you to review the EDUC 465: Field Experience I Course Outline
  • To view all our course outlines, visit here.

School Policies:

  • A Field Instructor will be attached to your school and work closely to ensure all school policies are followed by preservice teachers.
  • Placements in rural and remote locations will generally be individual placements, or as pairs if possible

Amount of Teaching:

The focus of Field Experience I is to document the lives and cultures of students, teachers and schools using ethnographic field notes.  Preservice Teachers will be expected to assist as much as possible, at the discretion of the Partner Teacher.

Outcomes:

By the end of Field Experience I it is expected that Preservice Teachers will have met the following:

  1. The development of strong observational skills that will allow for deeper questions about teaching, learning and life in schools. From these questions, Preservice Teachers will begin to form theories based on on-campus discussions and readings in order to make appropriate suggestions.
     
  2. Throughout the course of Field Experience I, it is expected that Preservice Teachers will be involved with students as often as possible and will involve themselves in discussions with staff members regarding questions that have arisen about life in schools.
     
  3. Forming professional relationships is one of the foundational aspects of good teaching. Evidence of attempts to form professional relationships and to demonstrate exemplary professionalism should be at the heart of the work being done by Preservice Teachers in both schools.

Evaluation:

For Field Experience I, there is no evaluation requirement for the school partners.   

Field Experience II

Course: Field Experience II: Individual Learning in Classrooms (EDUC 465).
Description: Pre-service Teachers begin executing teaching experiences with the express goal of examining their effectiveness with a small or select group of students in a collaborative environment with their Partner Teacher and other Pre-service Teachers. 
Dates*: Monday, March 17, 2025 - Friday, April 25, 2025
*Start and end dates will depend on the timing and duration of school breaks. 
Placement Length: 4-week placement.
Student Profile: Year 1 students - Pre-service teachers second B.Ed. term – first time teaching in the classroom. Pairs of pre-service teachers are placed with a single Partner Teacher. Note: we are happy to accommodate any requests to place just one pre-service teacher.
Teaching expectations: Assignments include planning and implementing a series of lessons, gradually building to 1/3 teaching time, under the mentorship of the Partner Teacher.
Recruitment Status: We are seeking interested Partner Teachers for this opportunity.

Field Experience II: Individual Learning in Classrooms  (EDUC 465)

  • 4-week placement within March & April, to accommodate Spring Break and Teachers’ Convention
  • Ideally, they are placed in pairs. However we are happy to accommodate any requests to place just one student.

Course details and focus:

The Pre-service Teacher will examine the complex dimensions of individual learning in classrooms with a particular emphasis on the collaborative nature of the teaching profession. 

  • Inquiry theme is individual learners and learning
  • Focus is on working with individuals and small groups
  • Assignments include planning and implementing a series of learning experiences for a small group of learners, and team-teaching with individuals and small groups of learners, with a mentor teacher’s guidance
  • Course description

Course Outline:

  • To better understand the Field Course structure, we invite you to review the EDUC 465: Field Experience II Course Outline
  • To view all our course outlines, visit here.

Amount of Teaching:

  • Pre-service Teachers will teach 1/3 or approximately one class per day by the end of week 2 (at Partner Teacher’s discretion). 
  • Pre-service Teachers will also be responsible for written lesson plans for all lessons taught including formative assessment.

Field Experience Design:

The Pre-service Teacher(s), with the support of the Partner Teacher, may employ just one or two of the following options or they may move between the three options as required:

  1. Individual/Small Group Instruction. Plan a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons for individuals and small groups of learners under the Partner Teacher’s mentorship.  This experience will allow Pre-service Teachers to delve more deeply into the examination of who the learners are and their unique needs.  Each lesson will require a written lesson plan that asks what do I want the learners to know and what will I accept as evidence that the lesson has been successful?
     
  2. Team Teaching Instruction. Collaboratively prepare a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons to be taught in a large class setting as part of a team teaching opportunity.  Pre-service Teachers will be responsible for delivering a portion of the lesson, which has been collaboratively developed and will also be responsible for assisting with those elements of the lesson for which they are not directly responsible.  The Pre-service Teacher will still be asked to collaboratively plan and participate in a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons, each requiring a written lesson plan that asks, what do I want the learners to know and what will I accept as evidence that the lesson has been successful? 
     
  3. Whole Class Instruction. Prepare a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons to be taught in a large class setting under the Partner Teacher’s direction.  In order to examine the complexities of differentiation, Pre-Service Teachers will develop a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons, each requiring a written lesson plan that asks what do I want the learners to know and what will I accept as evidence that the lesson has been successful? 

Evaluation:

The Partner Teacher will prepare a narrative assessment which will be a formal, but formative, written assessment of the Pre-service Teacher’s strengths and areas for growth.  The assessment should be based on the competencies identified for EDUC 465.

School Policies:

  • We are committed to ensuring our preservice teachers follow all school and school district policies and processes.
  • A Field Instructor will be attached to your school and work closely to ensure all school policies are followed by pre-service teachers.

Field Experience III & IV

Courses: Field Experience III: Principles of Social and Cultural Engagement (EDUC 540) and Field Experience IV: Extended Teaching and Curriculum Expertise  (EDUC 560). 
Note: Final year pre-service teacher placed with the same Partner Teacher in Field Experience III & IV
Description: Fall - Pre-service Teachers to take on added teaching responsibilities as they begin working on both curriculum and teaching expertise. Winter - Pre-service Teachers with ample experience to both practice the art and science of teaching while still benefiting from the constructive feedback that comes from working with a skilled Partner Teacher.
Dates*: Field Experience III - Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - Friday, December 13, 2024; Field Experience IV - Thursday, February 13, 2025 - Friday, April 25, 2025
*Start and end dates will depend on the timing and duration of school breaks. 
Placement length: 14-week placement (6-week placement in the Fall, 8-week placement in the Winter).
Student Profile: Final Year students - Pre-service teachers entering their final year.
Teaching expectations:
Field Experience III: Under the Partner Teacher’s mentorship, pre-service teachers will extend their understanding of planning, assessment, and engagement. By the fourth week of Field Experience III Pre-service Teachers will be teaching 50% to 75% of the day.
Field Experience IV:  Under the Partner Teacher’s mentorship, pre-service teachers will consolidate their understanding of all aspects of teacher practice and engagement in school life. By the end of the fourth week of Field Experience IV, the Pre-service Teacher will be expected to take responsibility for the instructional load and will be teaching 80% to 100% of the day.
Recruitment Status: We are seeking interested Partner Teachers for this opportunity.

Field Experience III: Principles of Social and Cultural Engagement  (EDUC 540)

  • 6 week placement
  • Final year pre-service teacher
  • November & December
  • One pre-service teacher is individually paired with the same mentor teacher (or team-teaching pair of partner teachers) for Field Experience III & IV

Course details & focus:

  • Focus is on complex dimensions of learning and teaching in context of whole program
  • Students will have a graduated process of assuming teaching responsibly up to 75% by the end of their field experience, with emphasis on diversity
  • Under partner teachers’ mentorship, the student extends their understanding of planning, assessment, and self assessment
  • Course description

Course Outline:

  • To better understand the Field Course structure, we invite you to review the EDUC 540: Field Experience III Course Outline
  • To view all our course outlines, visit here.

Amount of Teaching:

  • By the fourth week of Field Experience III Pre-service Teachers will be teaching 50-75% of the day.

Field Experience Design:

  • Field Experience III asks Pre-service Teachers to prepare a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons to be taught in a large class setting under the Partner Teacher’s direction. Pre-service Teachers will develop a series of curriculum learning engagements/lessons, each requiring a written lesson plan that asks, in particular, what do I want the learners to know and what will I accept as evidence that the lesson has been successful?  This will allow Pre-service Teachers to experience the complexities of differentiation and to examine the unique needs of learners in the larger class setting.  

Evaluation:

  • For each Field Experience III and IV, the Partner Teacher will prepare a narrative assessment which will be a formal, but formative, written assessment of the Pre-service Teacher’s strengths and areas for growth.  The assessment should be based on the competencies identified for EDUC 540 and 560.

School Policies:

  • We are committed to ensuring our preservice teachers follow all school and school district policies and processes.
  • A Field Instructor will be attached to your school and work closely to ensure all school policies are followed by pre-service teachers.

Field Experience IV: Extended Teaching and Curriculum Expertise  (EDUC 560)

  • 8 week placement
  • February to April
    • This is an 8-week placement within February-April, to accommodate Spring Break and Teachers’ Convention
  • One pre-service teacher is individually paired with the same mentor teacher (or team-teaching pair of partner teachers) for Field Experience III & IV

Course details & focus:

  • The Pre-service Teacher will deeply examine curriculum, planning and assessment to engage diverse learners in whole class settings. 
  • Course description

Course Outline:

  • To better understand the Field Course structure, we invite you to review the EDUC 560: Field Experience IV course Outline
  • To view all our course outlines, visit here.

Amount of Teaching:

  • By the end of the fourth week of Field Experience IV, the Pre-service Teacher will be expected to take responsibility for the instructional load and will be teaching 80% to 100% of the day.

Field Experience Design:

  • Field Experience IV follows the same design as Field Experience III with the goal of increasing independence on the part of the Pre-service Teacher, while still receiving feedback that will allow for improvement and professional growth.

School Policies:

  • We are committed to ensuring our preservice teachers follow all school and school district policies and processes.
  • A Field Instructor will be attached to your school and work closely to ensure all school policies are followed by pre-service teachers.

Evaluation:

  • For each Field Experience III and IV, the Partner Teacher will prepare a narrative assessment which will be a formal, but formative, written assessment of the Pre-service Teacher’s strengths and areas for growth.  The assessment should be based on the competencies identified for EDUC 540 and 560.

Quick Comparison of our Field Experiences

 Field Experience I 
(EDUC 440)
Field Experience II 
(EDUC 465)
 Field Experience III
(EDUC 540)
 Field Experience IV
(EDUC 560)
Recruiting
Partner Teachers
No - School HostsYesYesYes
Length of Placement2 weeks4 weeks6 weeks8 weeks
DatesOct. 7-18, 2024Mar. 17 - Apr. 25, 2025*Oct. 28 - Dec. 13, 2024*Feb. 13 - Apr. 25, 2025 *
Pre-service teacher
ratio to
Partner Teachers
Group (approx. 10
pre-service teachers)
2:1 **1:1***1:1***
Pre-service
teaching
expectations
Observation onlyBy week 3:
One: 33% of the day
Pair: 66% of day
By week 4:
50-75% of the day
By week 5:
80-100% of the day
Special
considerations
Cohorts are hosted
by the school
First teaching experienceFinal year pre-service teacher placed
with the same Partner Teacher
in Field Experience III & IV
Final year pre-service teacher placed
with the same Partner Teacher
in Field Experience III & IV

* Start and end dates will depend on the timing and duration of school breaks. 

** Ideally a pair (2) of pre-service teachers are matched with 1 partner teacher. We are happy to accommodate requests for one pre-service teacher to match with a Partner Teacher.

*** Team-teachers welcome! 

Connect with the UPE Field Experience Team