Student Teaching Handbook

SPED Student Teaching Handbook

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Student Teacher

HANDBOOK

Department of Special Education

College of Education

St. Cloud State University

http://www.stcloudstate.edu/SPED/

Revised: December 2007

Department of Special Education..................................................................... 2

Mission and Vision................................................................................................. 2

Program Description................................................................................................ 2

Student Teaching.................................................................................................... 3

Special Education Portfolio....................................................................................... 3

Absences............................................................................................................... 7

Suggestions to Guide Teacher Candidates..................................................................... 7

Expectations for Cooperating Teachers........................................................................ 9

Expectations of University Supervisors....................................................................... 9

Professional Concerns Process................................................................................. 10

Potential Areas of Professional Concern.................................................................... 11

Student Response Form.......................................................................................... 14

Withdrawing from Student Teaching......................................................................... 15

Procedures for Termination...................................................................................... 15

Praxis I and Praxis II.............................................................................................. 16

Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers...................................................................... 17

Ethics for Educators of Persons with Exceptionalities Council for Exceptional Children 17

Resources............................................................................................................ 22

Department of Special Education

Mission and Vision

Mission

The primary mission of the Department of Special Education is to maximize human potential and to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities regardless of emotional needs.

In order to accomplish this mission, the faculty will dedicate themselves to:

prepare well-qualified personnel to function in public schools and community agencies to deliver educational services and increase opportunities for individuals with learning differences;
prepare students to pursue advanced academic study and to contribute to the body of professional knowledge through research and education;
program cooperatively with members of the college and university while reflecting the value of multicultural education, services, and experiences;
provide continuing educational experiences for those providing direct services to children; and
provide collaboration and consultation services to community agencies, clinics, state departments, and other organizations concerned with the delivery of services to children.

While the central focus of these efforts is with individuals who provide service to students with disabilities, it also includes general educational personnel, parents, paraprofessionals and related service personnel who provide services.

Vision

We share these responsibilities with the community at large and are responsible for the fruition of the department philosophy and goals; namely to prepare personnel who:

demonstrate skill in problem-solving and critical thinking, particularly in dealing with the mismatch and inconsistencies between environmental expectations and learning characteristics and needs;
accept normalization and inclusive education as standards;
view the individual within a world culture;
facilitate problem-solving through collaboration, teaming, and consultation; and
accept accountability for progressive change within a process of orientation.

Program Description

Students in the special education program at the undergraduate or graduate level may obtain K-12 licensure in one or more of the following disability categories:

Developmental Disabilities (DCD classrooms)
Learning Disabilities (LD)
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD)
Physical/Health Disabilities (P/HD) -- graduate students only

Prior to student teaching, students will have completed foundation courses in special education, individual differences, child development and special education teaching methodology. All required courses must be successfully completed prior to student teaching with the exception of the licensure-specific methods course.

Student Teaching

Undergraduate and graduate students without one year of contractual teaching experience must do their student teaching during the academic year. They may student teach fall or spring semester. They will be placed in two settings each for about eight weeks, to provide the breadth of experience needed for a K-12 teaching license.

Teacher candidates are expected to follow the guidelines and regulations of the host school district as well as those guidelines and regulations that have been established by the building principal and cooperating teacher. During the dates that a teacher candidate is assigned to a setting, she or he is expected to follow the same calendar as his or her cooperating teacher. In addition, the teacher candidate is expected to attend the parent/teacher/student conferences, inservice sessions, and extracurricular activities attended by the supervisory teacher.

Teacher candidates also attend mentor group meetings and take a licensure-specific methods. Teacher candidates should follow the university calendar regarding these classes.

For graduate students with at least one year of contractual teaching experience, student teaching may be completed during the summer. If the student is obtaining a LD license, she/he takes the methods course during the May intersession preceding student teaching. For licensure in DD, EBD, and P/HD the methods course is taken during the academic year.

Special Education Portfolio

The special education portfolio is intended to document the students’ competence regarding the special education licensure standards as spelled out by the Minnesota Board of Teaching and the Council for Exceptional Children. Each student who participates in student teaching is expected to complete and submit a portfolio by the end of the student teaching experience.

In addition to competence, the portfolio format provides direction to teacher candidates throughout their student teaching experience. It serves as a resource for career initiation, self-reflection and future professional development.

Teacher candidates may include two levels of documentation in their portfolios. The capstone experience of student teaching is the source of evidence that is collected directly from actual practice. For example, students may include an Evaluation Report (confidential information redacted) that reflects their use of evaluation instruments. St. Cloud State places a higher priority on these portfolio artifacts and expects that they represent the majority of the student’s final portfolio.

A second level of documentation comes from students’ completion of projects within their courses. These projects are designated as portfolio assignments and may be included in the final portfolio as additional documentation. The weighting of these assignments will be less than those completed in student teaching.

SCSU Special Education Supervisors recommend teacher candidates begin their experience by familiarizing themselves with the portfolio contents. It works well if teacher candidates share these requirements with cooperating teachers in an attempt to determine which requirements can be fulfilled in each setting. Further clarification of the portfolio will occur throughout mentor group meetings. Portfolios are typically shared with the university supervisor at the end of the student teaching semester.

The portfolio format included below is intended to provide some examples for teacher candidates to consider. It is not a criterion-based model for evaluation. Questions should be directed to SCSU supervisors.

Special Education Electronic Portfolio

Revised September 26, 2007

	File Name	Item/Standard	Description/Assignment
		Introduction
1.0	index.html	Home Page or Welcome Page	No personal pictures
1.1	in_bio.html	Biography	Part of student teaching application materials.
1.2	in_mission.html	Mission Statement	Primary purpose as a teacher
2.0	resume.html	Resume and References
2.1	res_recommend.html	Letter of Recommendation(s)	Letters from educational related experiences Jr., Sr. Block &/or std tch
2.2	res_eval.html	Evaluation Form(s)	Evaluations from Jr., Sr. Block &/or student teaching
2.3	res_bot.html	BOT Standards	EBD, LD, or DD
2.4	res_more.html	Add additional information here	Optional
3.0	centcon.html	Standard A-Central Concepts, Tools or Inquiry & History and Context
3.1	cent_phil.html	Philosophy of Education	Write a philosophy of education
3.2	cent_reflect.html	SPED Program Reflection Essay	Essay on how your understanding or SPED issues has changed from the time you entered the program
3.3	cent_serexp.html	Reflection on Service and Experience in SPED 203	Reflection paper describing your experience and knowledge working with a person w/ a disability
3.4	cent_more.html	Add additional information

	File Name	Item/Standard	Description/Assignment
4.0	assessment.html	Standard B-Referral, Assessment, Planning, and Placement Procedures
4.1	a_formassess.html	Formal Assessment Experience in Std Teaching	Summary interpretation of formal assessment devices administered
4.2	a_informassess.html	Criterion-Referenced and Checklist Type Instrument	Students will administer, score, and interpret an informal-direct, commercially-produced (generally criterion-referenced) assessment instrument
4.3	a_assesstsr.html	Evaluation Report of Formal Assessment	Summary interpretation of formal assessment devices administered
4.4	a_fba.html	Functional Behavioral Assessment Components	Observation (Class Project) Complete FBA (Std Teaching)
4.5	a_infoproc.html	Information Processing Project	Information Processing Evaluation and Summary
4.6	a_ecolog.html	Ecological Inventory Project	Evaluate the home and community environments in order to determine the skills the individual needs to work and recreate
4.7	a_iep.html	Individual Education Program (IEP)	Write an IEP according to Minnesota State guidelines
4.8	a__itp.html	ITP (Includes IIIP)
4.9a	a_eligdcdphd.html	Eligibility Determination Write-up for DCD and PHD	Write up an eligibility determination base on MN standards/criteria
4.9b	“	Eligibility Determination Write-up for LD and EBD
4.10	a_more.html	Additional Items	Optional

	File Name	Item/Standard	Description/Assignment
5.0	instruct.html	Standard C-Program Planning, Developmentally Appropriate Instruction, Progress Evaluation, and Program Effectiveness Monitoring
5.1	instr_gom.html	Progress Evaluation-Assessing Generalized Outcomes	Demonstrate the use of the progress evaluation approach to monitor achievement over time
5.2	instr_sgl.html	Group Lesson Planning	Write a reading lesson plan
5.2.1	Instr_lu.html	Literature Unit	Create a literature unit plan
5.3	Instr_lo.html	Lesson & Unit Organizer	Develop a science or social studies unit
5.4	instr_iss.html	Integration Support Strategies Project	Recommended- Lesson or Unit Organizer
5.5	instr_ls.html	Meta-Cognitive Strategies Instruction Project
5.6	instr_ski.html	Social Skills Planning and Curriculum Project
5.7	instr_lifeskills.html	Life Skills Planning and Curriculum Project	Assess a student in a domain or sub-domain of adaptive skills
5.8	instru_edaccom.html	Educational Accommodations Planning/Curriculum Project
5.9	instr_pbm.html	Positive Behavioral Support Plan (BIP)
5.10	instr_at.html	Assistive Technology Planning and Consideration Project	Summary report on a simulated IEP AT consideration process
5.11	instr_selfad.html	Informal Analysis of Student’s Self-Advocacy
5.12	instr_englang.html	English Receptive and Expressive Language Analysis
5.13	instr_more.html	Additional Items	Optional

	File Name		Item/Standard	Description/Assignment
6.0		teaming.html	Standard D-Positive, Collaborative Relationships with Families and Other Professionals
6.1		team_gecc.html	General Education Collaboration/Consultation Activity and Write-up
6.2		team_homecomm.html	Home-School Communication Plan
6.3		team_cwpara.html	Paraprofessional Supervision, Evaluation & Collaboration Plan
6.4		team_iep.html	Individual Education Program Conference	Certify attendance at an IEP meeting by your cooperating teacher letter and provide a reflection on the experience
6.5		team_more.html	Additional Items	Optional
7.0		additional.html	Additional-Resources and Strategies	Optional
7.1		ad_neat.html	Resources	Optional
7.2		ad_strategy.html	Strategies	Optional
7.3		ad_more.html	Additional Items	Optional

Absences

Absences are acceptable only under the following conditions. More than three such absences in a semester will cause your student teaching assignment to be extended to make up all the lost days. The student teaching experience can be canceled due to excessive tardiness or absences. All absences must be discussed with your university supervisor. Teacher candidates are not given “personal days”, and are expected to adhere to the school calendar.

In case of illness or bereavement Contact your cooperating teacher and university supervisor as soon as you know you will not be at school.

In case of emergency Contact your cooperating teacher, university supervisor as soon as possible.

In case of poor weather conditions Follow your building’s policies; check for closing or late start announcement on the radio, television or internet.

Holidays Follow the school’s calendar, not St Cloud State University’s

Inservice Attend all functions required for your cooperating teacher, including professional meetings

Attendance at the Professional Development Day conference at SCSU is required.

Your cooperating teacher and university supervisor should approve attendance at other conferences and meetings.

Suggestions to Guide Teacher Candidates

The following suggestions are made to help the teacher candidate. During the first days in the placement the teacher candidate will find it helpful to:

become familiar with administrators, faculty members, related services professionals, and other school personnel;
learn about the expectations of student behavior, standards for evaluating students’ behavior, and the particular disciplinary and behavior management system in place;
obtain a school handbook and other school bulletins which deal with school policies and regulations;
learn about school procedures such as attendance reports, nurse’s services, and lunchroom facilities;
become familiar with school schedules, homeroom activities, assemblies, and teachers’ duties;
learn the rules and regulations governing such activities as registration, fire drills, field trips, and excursions;

Teacher candidates need to establish a positive and cooperative working relationship with the cooperating teacher in order for the student teacher to develop effectiveness as a teacher.

Suggestions for the teacher candidate include:

learn as much as possible about the teaching situation;
initiate discussion with your cooperating teacher and determine a mutually agreed upon time to meet;
carefully observe the cooperating teacher;
carefully observe the students;
ask questions during conferences with the cooperating teacher;
remember that a positive attitude toward suggestions and feedback is best reflected in actions that follow the conference. Candidates may find it helpful to take notes;
remember that much success as a student teacher depends upon the ability to work effectively with the cooperating teacher and other professionals in the setting.

The teacher candidate should become acquainted with the students, preferably before assuming responsibility for teaching. The following suggestions may help establish rapport:

Learn the names of students. A seating chart may facilitate this.
Strive to gain an appreciation of cultural influences on individual students.
Meet students in a social atmosphere such as a school party, lunchroom, or other situations suggested by the cooperating teacher.
Strive to gain professional respect of students.
Strive to gain rapport with students.
Become informed about the specific learning and behavior expectations for individual and groups of students.

To increase effectiveness as a professional person, it is recommended that awareness and involvement in community activities while involved in the field experience should be encouraged. This awareness and involvement can result from:

studying the community and its cultural climate;
acquainting oneself with community organizations;
participating in community activities and organizations;
planning with the cooperating teacher to make the best use of available community resources.

Guidelines for developing professional awareness and responsibility can result from:

reading various professional books, periodicals, journals and bulletins, and state publications;
assembling a bibliography of professional books, magazines, and other resource material;
becoming acquainted with the nature and functions of national, state and local professional organizations;
attending state and local workshops, clinics, conferences, or other meetings at which professional practices and developments are discussed;
talking with many practicing teachers to understand that there are multiple perspectives on the same topic.

The teacher candidate may want to ask the following questions on the first day at the site:

What time is the teacher candidate expected to be in the building each day? What time can s/he leave?
What is the dress code?
How does the teacher candidate work with paraprofessionals?
What is the class make up?
Can files be reviewed? What is the process for obtaining them?
What kind of curricula and other materials are in the room?
How are other materials obtained?
What are the procedures for classroom management?
Why is the room arrange the way it is arranged?
When is a good time to meet every week?

Expectations of Cooperating Teachers

The cooperating teacher plays a major role in the education of the teacher candidate. Because of the significance attached to this supervisory role, it is necessary that the cooperating teacher be thoroughly familiar with a number of guidelines. The policies and procedures described in this handbook should provide assistance in this role. In addition, we invite your suggestions and comments for future revisions of this document. The teacher candidate’s background including a current resume and autobiography will be given to each cooperating teacher.

Throughout the teaching experience, the cooperating teacher and teacher candidate will function as a teaching team. This will include cooperative planning, teaching, and evaluating. The quality of the daily supervision is essential to a high quality student teaching performance. No other single factor is as important in the development of the total potential of a beginning teacher. During the early part of the experience, the cooperating teacher typically assumes the major responsibility for planning, teaching, and evaluating students while the teacher candidate thoughtfully observes.

The cooperating teacher is responsible for providing supervision and completing formal written observations on a teacher candidate as well as completing a final evaluation of each teacher candidate.

In their daily work with teacher candidates, cooperating teachers should:

meet at least once per week with the teacher candidate;
conduct three formal observations with written or verbal feedback;

help teacher candidates relate teaching theory to actual teaching in the classroom. Discuss with them the reasons for selection of methods and materials to be used;
try to assure understanding and application of the basic principles of learning;
monitor the development of teacher candidate’s lesson plans; discuss the plans, and offer suggestions prior to the teaching of the lesson; help teacher candidates evaluate lessons after they are taught; encourage independent thinking in planning, use of materials, motivation, and teaching approaches;
submit a final evaluation and/or letter of recommendation. Send these to EB A-211;
withhold criticisms during a lesson except in rare cases;
help develop consistent classroom control, which is conducive to learning. This should include promoting self-control, positive behavior management strategies and respect for others;
help promote a natural, working atmosphere in the classroom in which the teacher is poised and confident and the pupils are self-directed and free from tensions;
help teacher candidates meet the needs of the individual students;
emphasize the development of such attitudes as concern for others, willingness to do the best quality of work possible, willingness to help others, honesty and fair play, and appreciation for cultural, linguistic, and intellectual values;
assist teacher candidates in becoming familiar with various sets of cultural values that exist within the community and school. Also familiarize them with resources that exist to enhance learning especially for those students whose cultural experiences differ from those of the student teacher;
assist teacher candidates in realizing the need for continuous evaluation of their teaching techniques. This should affect their planning and improve the quality of classroom instruction.

Expectations of University Supervisors

The university supervisor:

will assess various special education settings in order to determine the best placements for meet the needs of the teacher candidate.
informs the cooperating teacher of any university expectations.
confers with the cooperating teacher about the teacher candidate.
provides necessary orientation for teacher candidates concerning their responsibilities.
visits the teacher candidate and cooperating teacher a minimum of three times per placement.
conducts and writes 2-3 formal observations, reporting on strengths and areas of improvement for the teacher candidate.
provides constructive feedback to the teacher candidate.
informs the teacher candidate whether his/her progress and performance is satisfactory/unsatisfactory following each observation.
meets with teacher candidates an average of one hour per week in mentor group.The university supervisor reads and responds to the teacher candidate’s journal.
is available to assist individual teacher candidates with personal and professional problems as they relate to their student teaching.
informs the teacher candidate of professional concerns and/or performance concerns arising anytime during the semester.
Is responsible for enacting termination procedures if necessary.
submits grades.

Professional Concerns Process

The Department of Special Education has developed a Professional Concerns process to assist in the evaluation and assessment of St. Cloud State University (SCSU) students in special education who are having difficulty negotiating their graduate or undergraduate program. This process is independent of other legal or academic processes taking place at SCSU.

1. Any SCSU faculty or staff member(s) who has a concern about a student should talk to the student to express their concern and try to formulate an informal plan to remedy the situation.

2. The faculty/staff person with a concern may check the Professional Concerns Process file in the Special Education Department office (EB-A211) to see if there is a record of earlier concerns with that student.

3. If the concern persists, the person with the concern writes a description of the concern and any steps that have been taken to remedy the situation on the Professional Concerns Form. The student then has the opportunity to read the information and submit a written response on the Professional Concerns Student Response Form. These materials are filed in the Professional Concerns Process file in the Special Education Department office.

4. If the concern continues, a remedial contract will be formulated by the SCSU student, the faculty or staff member(s), and site supervisors if appropriate. This contract must consist of specific objectives, progress assessment procedures, and a timeline for progress assessment. The contract should be signed by all parties who are involved with its development. The student must also sign a release form so that information pertaining to the contract can be shared with people outside the University who are affected by the contract, such as cooperating teachers, principals, counselors, etc. At the end of the timeline or upon completion of the contract, an assessment meeting will be conducted to review the contract and evaluate student documentation of completion of contract objectives. This meeting will include the faculty or staff member(s), the SCSU student, an advocate (if so desired by the student), and others involved with the contract.

Successful completion of the contract will result in the student being allowed to continue the program. Unsatisfactory completion of the contract may result in redoing or extending the contract, or removal from the program. The student also has the option of withdrawing voluntarily from the program. If the student does not withdraw, s/he will be terminated, and referred for University discipline if appropriate.

Note: All legal consequences and other related department, college, and university policies will continue to apply at all points.

Dissemination of Information on the Policy

Students may obtain a copy of the policy and relevant forms in the Special Education office (EB-A211). The information can also be found on the Special Education Department web page.

Potential Areas of Professional Concern

Category 1: Commitment to the Teaching Profession

1A. Has a commitment to education as a career. Expresses and demonstrates a desire to be a superior teacher.

1B. Conducts professional activities in a legal and ethical manner (including protecting student confidentiality). Maintains students health and safety.

1C. Demonstrates ongoing pursuit of professional growth by eliciting feedback and consulting professional resources.

1D. Demonstrates responsiveness to suggestion's for change by engaging in positive discussion with supervisor and implementing suggestions.

1E. Demonstrates ongoing professional development by reading and evaluating current research literature and participating in professional development activities.

Category 2: Awareness of Personal Responsibilities

2A. Demonstrates sensitivity to social expectations in varied environments. Adapts to school expectations for dress appearance, personal hygiene, and language level.

2B. Meets social standards of conduct, of interpersonal interaction, and discharges responsibilities without compromising personal integrity.

2C. Demonstrates industriousness by taking initiative in planning and carrying out teaching and related duties.

2D. Demonstrates resourcefulness by being flexible and adapting to unforeseen events. Is able to solve problems.

2E. Takes pride in her/his work and environment.

Category 3: Personality Characteristics

3A. Relates in a poised, confident, and professional manner.

3B. Interacts and relates with others with confidence. Initiates conversation, contributes to or leads discussion, speaks before a group, or takes a leadership role.

3C. Participates cooperatively in group enterprises, contributes constructively, disagrees courteously, avoids sarcasm, makes constructive suggestions, takes suggestions, accepts constructive criticism, and modifies behavior appropriately.

Category 4: Responsibility Characteristics

4A. Meets university, field experience, resident teaching, and program deadlines and time commitments.

4B. Anticipates needs and problems and plans ahead. Adapts to institutional or professional standards and policies.

4C. Is on time for class, field experiences and resident teaching assignments, and appointments. Submits assignments and completes requirements on time. Meets program deadlines. Arranges ahead of time for unavoidable delays or absences. Solicits exceptions for only very special and legitimate circumstances.

4D. Acknowledges her/his own responsibility and culpability, does not attempt to transfer fault or blame to others or rationalize inadequate or missing performance.

Category 5: Communication Skills

5A. Uses appropriate verbal and nonverbal communications with children, faculty, teachers and staff in schools.

5B. Demonstrate proficiency in oral communication through standard grammatical usage when appropriate. Expresses self concisely. Uses correct professional terminology. Uses gender-fair, person first language. Does not over use colloquialisms or clichés. Adjusts language to the formality of the situation.

5C. Demonstrates proficiency in written communication through standard grammatical usage when appropriate. Expresses self concisely. Uses correct professional terminology. Uses gender-fair, person first and language. Does not over use colloquialisms or clichés. Adjusts language to the formality of the situation.

Category 6: Social Relationships

6A. Complies with rules and seeks change using established channels. Reports problems to appropriate persons.

6B. Relates easily and appropriately to students and others responsible to her/him. Provides leadership or direction and listens to and incorporates ideas of others when appropriate.

6C. Is cooperative with faculty, staff and students during collaborative work and discussions.

6D. Avoids negative and/or disrespectful comments and attitudes directed at faculty, staff and students. Avoids incidents of physical and/or verbal intimidation or discrimination towards faculty, staff, and students.

6E. Does not verbally, physically, or sexually assault others.

6F. Reports all cases or suspected cases of abuse and/or neglect to the appropriate agency.

6G. Demonstrates fairness, sensitivity, empathy, and openness.

6H. Is aware and respectful of the effect of culture on establishing and maintaining relationships.

Category 7: Physical Characteristics

7A. Has good health and physical characteristics, motor coordination needed to effectively and independently carry out the duties for which the candidate is being prepared.

7B. Is free of any chronic illness that causes frequent or persistent absences.

7C. Has, with correction, adequate visual and auditory acuity to perform teaching and managerial duties required of teachers.

7D. Has fluent and articulate speech capabilities which enable others to understand her/his oral communication. Can project voice to be heard in all areas of the classroom.

Student Response Form

Special Education Department

St. Cloud State University

Name:

Date:

Faculty/Staff expressing concern:

Course Number:

AREA(S) OF CONCERN: (to be filled out by faculty/staff person with the concern)

STUDENT RESPONSE:

Withdrawing from Student Teaching

A teacher candidate who voluntarily withdraws from student teaching must contact the Office of Clinical Experiences, the university supervisor, cooperating teacher, and any other university personnel whom s/he deems necessary. It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to withdraw from the courses in accordance with university policies. It is also the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether university policy provides a partial or full refund of tuition and fees. If appropriate, the teacher candidate also needs to contact the Financial Aid office to notify them of the withdrawal.

In the case of a voluntary withdrawal on the part of the teacher candidate, the university supervisor will write a report describing, in detail, the circumstances of the withdrawal. It will be placed in the teacher candidate’s student teaching file. The file will be held in the Special Education office for 10 years.

Even if the last day to with draw has passed, the teacher candidate, with the approval of the university supervisor, may receive credit for the time that was spent in the schools. The university supervisor will determine whether the student teaching credits can be converted to SPED 499 credits (for undergraduates) or SPED 600, (for graduate students) credits. However, if the teacher candidate wants to withdraw because it is not likely s/he will successfully complete the student teaching experience, the university supervisor may assign a grade of U (unsatisfactory) or give the teacher candidate an Incomplete. In situations such as this, the student teaching credits cannot be converted to SPED 499 or SPED 600 credits.

Procedures for Termination

Unsatisfactory performance during student teaching may include problems in any of the following categories:

Deficiencies in teaching skills.

Deficiencies in knowledge of academic subject matter.

Deficiencies in interpersonal relationships.

Personal problems that hinder professional accomplishment.

Chronic tardiness and/or absences.

Existence of the problem and its degree of severity will be determined by the university supervisor and cooperating teacher. The university supervisor can bring in other university faculty to observe the teacher candidate and/or consult with the university supervisor regarding the teacher candidate.

After the conference, the university supervisor will write an Action Plan or contract. It will include a description of the concerns, the steps to be taken to remediate the situation, and a timeline for the completion of the steps and resources needed. This contract will be given to the teacher candidate, along with an explanation of its contents. The teacher candidate must sign the Action Plan. If the teacher candidate refuses to sign the Plan s/he will not be allowed to student teach.

After the university supervisor and cooperating teacher have determine the scope and severity of the problem, the university supervisor will advise the student about the nature of the problem and the process to be followed to remedy the situation. Next, the university supervisor will set up a conference with the teacher candidate, university supervisor, and the cooperating teacher unless the cooperating teacher requests not to be present. Other appropriate school personnel may be a part of the conference.

At this conference the problem will be described, as well as the steps and timeline the student should follow to remediate the situation. Also, the decision to terminate or continue the teacher candidate’s student teaching should be conveyed to all at the conference by the university supervisor. The teacher candidate may be removed from the student teaching site immediately if the school so desires this action. If the teacher candidate is removed from the site, but still has materials that belong to the school, s/he will bring these materials to the university supervisor, who will then deliver them to the school. The teacher candidate must not return to the student teaching site or contact the cooperating teacher in any manner.

The university supervisor will contact the Office of Clinical Experiences as soon as the decision to terminate student teaching has been made.

The amount of academic credit the teacher candidate will be granted is discussed. A passing or incomplete grade will not be given for student teaching courses in situations where the student teaching experience has been terminated. If approved by the university supervisor, the student teaching credits can be dropped and replaced by SPED 499 credits that can be used toward graduation.

Requests to reenter student teaching must be initiated with the teacher candidate sending a letter to a committee comprised of at least four Special Education student teaching supervisors. The letter must include evidence that the problem that led to the termination has been remedied, and the steps in the Action Plan or contract have been completed. Reentry cannot take place sooner than one year after the date of termination, nor until all the steps of the Action Plan have been successfully completed.

When, and if, the teacher candidate reenters student teaching, s/he will be under an Action Plan or contract. The teacher candidate may be expected to successfully complete the entire student teaching semester to be eligible for licensure.

Praxis I and Praxis II

Background

Legislation enacted in 1985 required the Minnesota Board of Teaching to adopt examinations for assessing skills in reading, writing and mathematics for teachers licensed under Board authority and to adopt rules for implementing an ongoing administration of the tests. In addition, Minnesota Statute 122A.09(e) requires the Minnesota Board of Teaching also to adopt general pedagogy and content tests for teacher licensure. Effective S3eptember, 2001, all candidates applying for their first Minnesota teaching license will also be required to complete the adopted examinations in general professional knowledge and specific content fields.

Undergraduates

Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST)

Praxis II Content Exam- (Education of Exceptional Core: 0353) & Pedagogy (Principles of Learning and Teaching: 0522)

Graduate students without a teaching license (initial license) Take Praxis I & II
Graduate students (regular education teachers) with a teaching license and adding a special education license take the Praxis II: Education of Exceptional Core: 0353.
Graduate students (special education teachers) with a teaching license adding a different SPED area: No exams necessary.

Praxis Resources

Minnesota Department of Education The Praxis Series

1500 Highway 36 West Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Roseville, MN 55113-4266 P. O. Box 6051

651-582-8691 Princeton, MN 08541-6051

Website: www.education.state.mn.us Phone: 609-771-7395

Website: www.ets.org/praxis/

Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers

Subpart 1. Scope. Each teacher, upon entering the teaching profession, assumes a number of obligations, one of which is to adhere to a set of principles, which defines professional conduct. These principles are reflected in the following code of ethics, which sets forth to the education profession and the public it serves standards of professional conduct and procedures for implementation.

This code shall apply to all persons licensed according to rules established by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.

Subpart 2. Standards of Professional Conduct. The standards of professional conduct are as follows:

A teacher shall provide professional educational services in a nondiscriminatory manner.
A teacher shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to health and safety.
In accordance with state and federal laws, a teacher shall disclose confidential information about individuals only when a compelling professional purpose is served or when required by law.
A teacher shall take reasonable disciplinary action in exercising the authority to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning.
A teacher shall not use professional relationships with students, parents, and colleagues to private advantage.
A teacher shall delegate authority for teaching responsibilities only to licensed personnel.
A teacher shall not deliberately suppress or distort subject matter.
A teacher shall not knowingly falsify or misrepresent records or facts relating to that teacher's own qualifications or to other teachers' qualifications.
A teacher shall not knowingly make false or malicious statements about students or colleague.

Ethics for Educators of Persons with Exceptionalities Council for Exceptional Children

We declare the following principles to be the Code of Ethics for educators of persons with exceptionalities. Members of the special education profession are responsible for upholding and advancing these principles. Members of The Council for Exceptional Children agree to judge and be judged by them in accordance with the spirit and provisions of this Code.

A. Special education professionals are committed to developing the highest educational and quality of life potential of individuals with exceptionalities.

B. Special education professionals promote and maintain a high level of competence and integrity in practicing their profession.

C. Special education professionals engage in professional activities which benefit individuals with exceptionalities, their families, other colleagues, students, or research subjects.

D. Special education professionals exercise objective professional judgment in the practice of their profession.

E. Special education professionals strive to advance their knowledge and skills regarding the education of individuals with exceptionalities.

F. Special education professionals work within the standards and policies of their profession.

G. Special education professionals seek to uphold and improve where necessary the laws, regulations, and policies governing the delivery of special education and related services and the practice of their profession.

H. Special education professionals do not condone or participate in unethical or illegal acts, nor violate professional standards adopted by the Delegate Assembly of CEC.

Instructional Responsibilities

Special education personnel are committed to the application of professional expertise to ensure the provision of quality education for all individuals with exceptionalities. Professionals strive to:

1. Identify and use instructional methods and curricula that are appropriate to their area of professional practice and effective in meeting the individual needs of persons with exceptionalities.

2. Participate in the selection and use of appropriate instructional materials, equipment, supplies, and other resources needed in the effective practice of their profession.

3. Create safe and effective learning environments which contribute to fulfillment of needs, stimulation of learning, and self-concept.

4. Maintain class size and case loads which are conducive to meeting the individual instructional needs of individuals with exceptionalities.

5. Use assessment instruments and procedures that do not discriminate against persons with exceptionalities on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, political practices, family or social background, sexual orientation, or exceptionality.

6. Base grading, promotion, graduation, and/or movement out of the program on the individual goals and objectives for individuals with exceptionalities.

7. Provide accurate program data to administrators, colleagues, and parents, based on efficient and objective record keeping practices, for the purpose of decision making.

8. Maintain confidentiality of information except when information is released under specific conditions of written consent and statutory confidentiality requirements.

Management of Behavior

Special education professionals participate with other professionals and with parents in an interdisciplinary effort in the management of behavior. Professionals:

1. Apply only those disciplinary methods and behavioral procedures which they have been instructed to use and which do not undermine the dignity of the individual or the basic human rights of persons with exceptionalities, such as corporal punishment.

2. Clearly specify the goals and objectives for behavior management practices in the persons' with exceptionalities Individualized Education Program.

3. Conform to policies, statutes, and rules established by state/provincial and local agencies relating to judicious application of disciplinary methods and behavioral procedures.

4. Take adequate measures to discourage, prevent, and intervene when a colleague's behavior is perceived as being detrimental to exceptional students.

5. Refrain from aversive techniques unless repeated trials of other methods have failed and only after consultation with parents and appropriate agency officials.

Procedures

1. Adequate instruction and supervision shall be provided to professionals before they are required to perform support services for which they have not been prepared previously.

2. Professionals may administer medication, where state/provincial policies do not preclude such action, if qualified to do so or if written instructions are on file which state the purpose of the medication, the conditions under which it may be administered, possible side effects, the physician's name and phone number, and the professional liability if a mistake is made. The professional will not be required to administer medication.

3. Professionals note and report to those concerned whenever changes in behavior occur in conjunction with the administration of medication or at any other time.

Relationships

Professionals seek to develop relationships with parents based on mutual respect for their roles in achieving benefits for the exceptional person. Special education professionals:

1. Develop effective communication with parents, avoiding technical terminology, using the primary language of the home, and other modes of communication when appropriate.

2. Seek and use parents' knowledge and expertise in planning, conducting, and evaluating special education and related services for persons with exceptionalities.

3. Maintain communications between parents and professionals with appropriate respect for privacy and confidentiality.

4. Extend opportunities for parent education utilizing accurate information and professional methods.

5. Inform parents of the educational rights of their children and of any proposed or actual practices which violate those rights.

6. Recognize and respect cultural diversities which exist in families with persons with exceptionalities.

7. Recognize that the relationship of home and community environmental conditions affects the behavior and outlook of the exceptional person.

Advocacy

Special education professionals serve as advocates for exceptional students by speaking, writing, and acting in a variety of situations on their behalf. They:

1. Continually seek to improve government provisions for the education of persons with exceptionalities while ensuring that public statements by professionals as individuals are not construed to represent official policy statements of the agency that employs them.

2. Work cooperatively with and encourage other professionals to improve the provision of special education and related services to persons with exceptionalities.

3. Document and objectively report to one's supervisors or administrators inadequacies in resources and promote appropriate corrective action.

4. Monitor for inappropriate placements in special education and intervene at appropriate levels to correct the condition when such inappropriate placements exist.

5. Follow local, state/provincial, and federal laws and regulations which mandate a free appropriate public education to exceptional students and the protection of the rights of persons with exceptionalities to equal opportunities in our society.

Professional Employment Certification and Qualification

Professionals ensure that only persons deemed qualified by having met state/provincial minimum standards are employed as teachers, administrators, and related service providers for individuals with exceptionalities.

Employment

1. Professionals do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, political practices, family or social background, sexual orientation, or exceptionality.

2. Professionals represent themselves in an ethical and legal manner in regard to their training and experience when seeking new employment.

3. Professionals give notice consistent with local education agency policies when intending to leave employment.

4. Professionals adhere to the conditions of a contract or terms of an appointment in the setting where they practice.

5. Professionals released from employment are entitled to a written explanation of the reasons for termination and to fair and impartial due process procedures.

6. Special education professionals share equitably the opportunities and benefits (salary, working conditions, facilities, and other resources) of other professionals in the school system.

7. Professionals seek assistance, including the services of other professionals, in instances where personal problems threaten to interfere with their job performance.

8. Professionals respond objectively when requested to evaluate applicants seeking employment.

9. Professionals have the right and responsibility to resolve professional problems by utilizing established procedures, including grievance procedures, when appropriate.

Assignment and Role

1. Professionals should receive clear written communication of all duties and responsibilities, including those which are prescribed as conditions of their employment.

2. Professionals promote educational quality and intra- and interprofessional cooperation through active participation in the planning, policy development, management, and evaluation of the special education program and the education program at large so that programs remain responsive to the changing needs of persons with exceptionalities.

3. Professionals practice only in areas of exceptionality, at age levels, and in program models for which they are prepared by their training and/or experience.

4. Adequate supervision of and support for special education professionals is provided by other professionals qualified by their training and experience in the area of concern.

5. The administration and supervision of special education professionals provides for clear lines of accountability.

6. The unavailability of substitute teachers or support personnel, including aides, does not result in the denial of special education services to a greater degree than to that of other educational programs.

Professional Development

1. Special education professionals systematically advance their knowledge and skills in order to maintain a high level of competence and response to the changing needs of persons with exceptionalities by pursuing a program of continuing education including but not limited to participation in such activities as in-service training, professional conferences/workshops, professional meetings, continuing education courses, and the reading of professional literature.

2. Professionals participate in the objective and systematic evaluation of themselves, colleagues, services, and programs for the purpose of continuous improvement of professional performance.

3. Professionals in administrative positions support and facilitate professional development.

Professionals in Relation to the Profession

1. Special education professionals assume responsibility for participating in professional organizations and adherence to the standards and codes of ethics of those organizations.

2. Special education professionals have a responsibility to provide varied and exemplary supervised field experiences for persons in undergraduate and graduate preparation programs.

3. Special education professionals refrain from using professional relationships with students and parents for personal advantage.

4. Special education professionals take an active position in the regulation of the profession through use of appropriate procedures for bringing about changes.

5. Special education professionals initiate, support, and/or participate in research related to the education of persons with exceptionalities with the aim of improving the quality of educational services, increasing the accountability of programs, and generally benefiting persons with exceptionalities. They (a) adopt procedures that protect the rights and welfare of subjects participating in the research; (b) interpret and publish research results with accuracy and a high quality of scholarship; (c) support a cessation of the use of any research procedure, which may result in undesirable consequences for the participant; and exercise all possible precautions to prevent misapplication or misutilization of a research effort, by self or others.

Professionals in Relation to Other Professionals

Special education professionals function as members of interdisciplinary teams, and the reputation of the profession resides with them. They:

1. Recognize and acknowledge the competencies and expertise of members representing other disciplines as well as those of members in their own disciplines.

2. Strive to develop positive attitudes among other professionals toward persons with exceptionalities, representing them with an objective regard for their possibilities and their limitations as persons in a democratic society.

3. Cooperate with other agencies involved in serving persons with exceptionalities through such activities as the planning and coordination of information exchanges, service delivery, evaluation, and training, so that duplication or loss in quality of services may not occur.

4. Provide consultation and assistance, where appropriate, to both regular and special educators as well as other school personnel serving persons with exceptionalities.

5. Provide consultation and assistance, where appropriate, to professionals in non-school settings serving persons with exceptionalities.

6. Maintain effective interpersonal relations with colleagues and other professionals, helping them to develop and maintain positive and accurate perceptions about the special education profession.

Resources

Resource	Web Address
Special Education Department	http:// www.stcloudstate.edu/SPED/
Career Services (SCSU)	http://condor.stcloudstate.edu/~careersv/

Teachers_Teachers.COM	http://www.teachers-teachers.com/minnesota

Minnesota Personnel Licensing	http://education.state.mn.us/html/intro_licensure.htm

Darla Calverley Assistant Registrar: Handles licensure applications for SCSU.	Phone: (320) 308-4037 Email: ddcalverley@stcloudstate.edu

Teacher Licensing Information	http://www.stcloudstate.edu/registrar/
	Click on “Teacher Licensing” and you will find updated checklists and information on how to apply for a first-time license or how to apply for an addition to a current license.

St. Cloud State University