Field experience is required for all education candidates at Charleston Southern University. Candidates must complete a minimum of 100 hours of observation before student teaching. The goals of field experience include personal and professional growth, observing teaching processes, and verifying a desire to teach. Candidates are introduced to teaching through structured observations and interviews. They gain experience assisting teachers and leading instruction. Candidates must follow dress codes, evaluation procedures, and other policies to participate in field experiences.

1. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
UNIVERSITY
Field Experience Orientation

2. FIELD EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
 All South Carolina candidates must complete at
minimum of 100 hours of field experience prior to
clinical practice (student teaching)
 Each education program at CSU has a specific
number of practicum hours to be completed prior to
clinical practice

3. GOALS OF A FIELD EXPERIENCE
 Personal and professional growth
 Observe and experience the process of teaching
 Verify the desire to become a teacher
 Develop professional dispositions to become a
teacher

4. INTRODUCTION TO FIELD EXPERIENCES
 Field experiences provide the opportunity for
candidates to continue to develop their knowledge,
skills, and dispositions in the real world of classrooms as
they work with diverse learners in a variety of settings
appropriate to the content and level of their program of
study. Field experiences are integrated into courses to
represent a variety of early and ongoing school-based
opportunities in which candidates observe, reflect,
assist, tutor, manage, instruct, and assess learning in
the PreK-12 classrooms.

5.  Field Experiences
 Largely through structured observations and
interviews candidates are introduced to or initiated in
the knowledge base of theory and practice during
practicum experiences. Candidates put knowledge into
practice by assisting in school faculty-directed
instructional situations with individuals, small groups, and
whole group instruction.

6. Structured Field Experiences
 Candidates put knowledge into practice by participating in
specially designated instructional situations under careful supervision
with individuals, small groups, and whole group instruction.
Candidates engage in subsequent reflection and self-assessment.
Candidates apply knowledge and demonstrate performance
growth in periodically scheduled teaching situations where they
plan, implement, analyze, and modify instructional practices directed
toward identified student needs.

7. Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)
 Clinical Practice is defined as providing candidates with an intensive
and extensive culminating student teaching experience. Candidates are
immersed in the learning community and are provided opportunities to
further develop and demonstrate their competence in the professional
role for which they are preparing. The lengthy clinical experience, which
is linked with the senior methods practicum, gives candidates an opportunity
to practice both competent and caring behaviors toward a group of diverse
learners. During clinical practice, candidates work with their school faculty
member to develop a long-range plan and unit work sample, based on the
individual needs of students, which helps to develop insights toward both
caring and competency.

8. RESPONSIBILITIES OF CANDIDATES
Candidates participating in field
experiences must comply with all of
the academic regulations outlined in
the Field Experience Handbook, and
satisfy all course requirements
outlined in syllabi. It is the candidate’s
responsibility to read and abide by the
policies of the University and the
public schools.

9. COURTESY
 Be courteous and provide the most accessible point of
contact, cell phone, email, parent’s home number, so
that School Faculty can easily find you. Be sure that
your email address and/or voice mail message is
professional and worthy of a future teacher. Crude,
silly, or unprofessional email addresses or voice mail
recordings send the wrong message and one that can
harm your reputation as a new teacher.
 Upon entering the building candidates must always
report in the office and sign in and wear CSU ID to
facilitate the sign-in process. Candidates are reminded
that they are guests of the school/school district and
should conduct themselves as such at all times.

10. DRESS CODE FOR FIELD EXPERIENCES AND
CLINICAL PRACTICE
Statement of Policy
In order to provide a professional atmosphere that enhances learning, instills
discipline, prevents disruption, avoids safety hazards, sets an example for
candidates and improves candidate behavior, Charleston Southern University's
School of Education requires all of our future teachers to dress in a professional
manner.
Candidates in the School of Education represent the Christian Mission of
Charleston Southern University. Therefore, their professional appearance
should be consistent with modest, appropriate dress, and grooming
including appropriate necklines. This includes no visible tattoos and no
piercing other than one or two on the ear. Dress for future teachers should
cover the mid-riff and skirts should be at a length consistent with the dress
codes of the public school teachers’

11. DRESS CODE FOR FIELD EXPERIENCES AND
CLINICAL PRACTICE CONTINUED
 Statement of Purpose
The School of Education expects candidates to dress
appropriately to model success. Adhering to the
established dress code will aid in:
 presenting a professional appearance to the
schools' faculty/staff, students, parents and
community,
 establishing and maintaining an effective learning
environment,
 establishing a candidate as an authority figure, and
 instilling a sense of integrity with each student and
school faculty member

12. DRESS CODE FOR FIELD EXPERIENCES AND
CLINICAL PRACTICE CONTINUED
 Requirements
 Men
 Dress shirts, sport shirts with collars, polo shirts
and sweaters may be worn
 Dress or casual slacks may be worn. Shorts may
be worn if working with the athletic department.
 Shoes worn may be casual, business, boat shoes,
sport shoes, or dress sandals
 Shirts will be tucked in as appropriate

13. REQUIREMENTS
 Women
 Slacks, skirts of modest length, dresses, jumpers,
Capri or cropped pants may be worn. Shorts may
be worn if working with the athletic department.
 Sweaters, polo shirts, shirts or tops with or without
collars are acceptable
 Shoes worn may be casual, business, dress
sandal, open toe heels or flats

14. INAPPROPRIATE DRESS
 Inappropriate dress or personal grooming includes, but is
not limited to:
 Denim jeans of all colors (except for specified spirit days as
determined by the school)
 Leggings, tights (except under skirts, dresses, jumpers
 Warm up pants or suits or overalls
 Sweat shirts/tee-shirts (except for specified spirit days as
designated by the school)
 Clothing or accessories with slogans that are suggestive of
drugs, alcohol, sex, or obscenities
 Provocative clothing (thin straps, tube tops, low necklines,
strapless, too tight, too short, midriff revealing, etc)
 Display of controversial tattoos and body piercings that are
disruptive to the teaching/learning process
 On spirit days and teacher workdays, candidates should
follow the lead of their school faculty.

15. MAKE CONTACT
 Make every effort to contact School Faculty as soon
as you receive your assignment.
 Please do not wait until the end of the semester to
make arrangements for observations.
 School Faculty have every right to decline a
practicum student who waits until the last minute to
fulfill requirements.
 Remember the end of the semester is usually a
very busy time for School Faculty.
 Do not try to cram all of your practicum hours in 3
or 4 days.

16. EVALUATION
 Your School Faculty will evaluate you with our
online evaluation instrument in LiveText.
 The Director of Field Services and Assessment
will send the LiveText link to your School Faculty
via email. The evaluations will be given to your
education professor.
 Ifyour assignment should change, please be sure
to notify the Director of Field Services and
Assessment, so the evaluation links are sent to
the proper teacher.

17. FIELD EXPERIENCE E-PORTFOLIO
 Allteacher candidates will need to purchase
LiveText from the bookstore in order to
create your Field Experience E-Portfolio.
 Once you login, create your e-portfolio in
LiveText by choosing a CSU portfolio and
the template that describes your major. Title
your portfolio with your name.
 You will add all of the required artifacts in the
classes listed on the left column.
 Remember to click edit to add or change any
submissions.

18. AGREEMENT
 Please click on the link below to verify that you
have seen this PowerPoint and understand the
policies and procedures for completing your field
experience.
http://c1.livetext.com/misk5/formz/public/54750/H2GU
fd4on2

19. QUESTIONS CONCERNING
PLACEMENTS AND FIELD
EXPERIENCES
Please contact:
Brenda G Marques
Director of Field Services and Assessment
863-7542
bmarques@csuniv.edu