Field Experiences

的 教育研究 department embodies the 火博体育大学 value of theory in 实践. 学生 in EDS courses often have the opportunity to observe educational 实践s in action and 实践 pedagogical theory in classrooms.

Many students experience their first field placement in the department’s lab school: 的 Early Childhood Center (ECC). 在ED200 Child Development and Learning, students have the opportunity to complete a 1-credit service learning component 在ECC. 在ED231 Children’s Literature, many students complete a read-aloud assignment with the children 在ECC. In the first course in the methods sequence, ED233 Emergent Literacy, EDS majors complete a 2-hour per week lab component 在ECC. 在这个时候 the program, EDS majors begin to model their teaching after the experienced ECC teachers and to develop a reflective stance in their emerging teaching 实践.

All EDS majors complete field placements in local elementary schools in the Saratoga Springs City School District and surrounding districts. For example, in ED213 的 Exceptional Child in the Elementary School, students complete observational hours in local classrooms to develop an understanding of the educational experience of students with special needs. In connection to their methods coursework (ED334 Integrated Curriculum and Instruction, ED335 Teaching Reading in the Elementary School和ED336 Teaching Elementary Mathematics), EDS majors complete 2-day per week field placements in local classrooms. 这样的机会 allows students to observe and 实践 what they learn in their college classes the very next day in their elementary school placement classrooms.

EDS majors’ culminating experience is student teaching. Student teaching is a full-time semester spent in elementary classrooms (lower and upper elementary placements). 学生 work collaboratively with a cooperating teacher 5-days a week to take on increasing instructional responsibility. Each placement concludes with a “solo week” where the student teacher takes on all planning and instruction for the elementary students. 专业 are supported by a college supervisor who visits, observes, and consults with student teachers throughout their placement experience. In addition, students participate in a weekly seminar meeting on campus where EDS faculty work with the cohort to apply theory to 实践 and continue to develop a reflective stance toward teaching.