All field experience placements are made by the Office of Field Experience in collaboration with P-12 schools.
Pre-Admission Teaching Practicum
Students observe and assist a classroom teacher for a minimum of 40 hours. This practicum is designed for all education students prior to their admission into the College of Education's Professional Teacher Preparation Program. It is designed to give candidates the opportunity to see a classroom from a teacher's perspective and to begin interacting with students in real PK-12 classrooms.
Resources & Responsibilities for completing forms during pre-admission to the BHSU College of Education Educator Preparation Program (EPP):
- EDFN 295 Clinical Educator Handbook
- Practicum Hours Log
- Request for Experiential Substitution Form
- Professional Dispositions Assessments
Resources & Responsibilities for completing forms during pre-admission to the BHSU College of Education Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Program:
Resources & Responsibilities for completing forms during pre-admission to the BHSU College of Education Educator Preparation Program (EPP):
- ECE 328L Clinical Educator Handbook
- Practicum Hours Log
- Request for Experiential Substitution Form
- Professional Dispositions Assessments
Pre-Student Teaching Practicum
All education major candidates take this practicum in the semester immediately prior to the student teaching semester. The course consist of various contact hours (depending on the candidate's teaching major) and has increased requirements including the planning and teaching of lessons under the guidance of the clinical educator/cooperating teacher. During this practicum, students experience real classroom conditions and continue to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in preparation for student teaching.
Resources & Responsibilities for the first semester [METHODS BLOCK] of the one-year residency program for ELED Pre-Student Teaching Practicum:
- ELED 495 Practicum - Student Handbook
- ELED 495 Practicum - Clinical Educator Handbook
- Complete a Graduation Check (if not already completed)
- PRAXIS Content Knowledge exam (if not already taken)
- South Dakota & BHSU Praxis Score Requirements
- Leave of Absence: to be used for all absences (professional, sick, and personal)
- Lesson Plan Format: to be used for all formal observations
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA): this form needs to be completed by yourself, your clinical educator, and a BHSU core faculty to be submitted online.
- Intern Interview with Clinical Educator: as soon as you know your placement for Student Teaching, complete the interview form for each major with the respective Clinical Educator.
Resources & Responsibilities for completing the Early Childhood Education Pre-Student Teaching Practicum:
- ECE 495 & ECE 795 Pre-Student Teaching Student Handbook
- ECE 495 & ECE 795 Clinical Educator Handbook
- Take PRAXIS Content Knowledge exam (if not taken already)
- South Dakota & BHSU Praxis Score Requirements
- Request for Experiential Substitution Form
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA)
- Intern Interview with Clinical Educator: as soon as you know your placement for Student Teaching, complete the interview form for each majorwith the respective Clinical Educator.
Resources & Responsibilities for completing the Secondary Education Pre-Student Teaching Practicum:
- SEED 495 Pre-Student Teaching Practicum Handbook
- SEED 495 Clinical Educator Handbook
- Complete a Graduation Check (if not already completed)
- Take PRAXIS Content Knowledge exam (if not already taken)
- South Dakota & BHSU Praxis Score Requirements
- Attend Sign-Up Meeting for Student Teaching (information posted at Field Experience Office)
- Lesson Plan Format: to be used for all formal observations
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA)
- Intern Interview with Clinical Educator: as soon as you know your placement for Student Teaching, complete the interview form for each major with the respective Clinical Educator.
Resources & Responsibilities for completing the Special Education Pre-Student Teaching Practicum:
- SPED 495/695 Clinical Educator Handbook 2025
- Request for Experiential Substitution Form
- South Dakota & BHSU Praxis Score Requirements
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA)
- Intern Interview with Clinical Educator: as soon as you know your placement for Student Teaching, complete the interview form for each major with the respective Clinical Educator
Resources & Responsibilities for completing the Project SECOND Pre-Student Teaching Practicum:
- ED 695 Student and Clinical Educator Handbook
- Complete a Graduation Check (if not already completed)
- Take PRAXIS Content Knowledge exam (if not already taken)
- South Dakota & BHSU Praxis Score Requirements
- Attend Sign-Up Meeting for Student Teaching (information posted at Field Experience Office)
- Lesson Plan Format: to be used for all formal observations
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA)
- Intern Interview with Clinical Educator: as soon as you know your placement for Student Teaching, complete the interview form for each major with the respective Clinical Educator.
Student Teaching Internship
This is an experience lasting a minimum of 16 weeks in PK-12 classroom during which the student teacher works under the direct supervision of a master teacher. During this experience the student teacher gradually assumes full responsibility for the classroom. Students majoring in elementary or secondary education complete this experience in a single classroom. Students in K-12 majors and students with two majors complete this experience in two different classrooms at two different levels (elementary, middle, or high school).
Responsibilities of the Clinical Educator
Student Teaching Internship Handbook
At the beginning of the internship:
- Initial visit - meet with the university supervisor and intern to review the handbook, responsibilities, co-teaching strategies, website, and plan the schedule of visits.
- Attend Clinical Educator Orientation
During the internship:
- Diversity 4.d.2 Form: classroom data collected to ensure interns have experiences in diverse settings
- Weekly Conference Form: for identifying strengths and areas to solidify; these forms are also sent to the Office of Field Experiences and may be used for conferencing during observation debriefings and cross-referenced with leave forms
- Formative Evaluation of Intern Form: Details on when to evaluate the candidates are specific to each phase of the internship.
See guidance in the Student Teaching Internship Handbook.
- For a 16-week placement
- Two evaluations during phase two
- Two evaluations during phase three
- For a 10-week placement
- Three evaluations during the 10 weeks as follow
- One evaluation during phase two
- Two evaluations during phase three
- Three evaluations during the 10 weeks as follow
- For an 8-week placement
- Two evaluations for each placement
- One evaluation during phase two
- One evaluation during phase three
- Two evaluations for each placement
- Additional as needed
- For a 16-week placement
By the end of the internship:
- Review and sign the Professional Growth Plan
- Professional Dispositions Assessment (PDA)
- Internship Final Appraisal Form: this is the summative evaluation of overall achievement by the Intern based on required formative observations. This is the only document to be shared with school district as reference if requested
- Internship Recommended Final Grade Report – will be signed by all
Other documents and forms:
- Lesson Plan Format
- Leave of Absence
- Plan of Assistance Form: to be approved by the Director of Field Experiences with the collaboration of the University Supervisor - if needed
Responsibilities of the University Supervisor
Student Teaching Internship Handbook
At the beginning of the internship:
- Attend Orientation Meeting & meet with intern(s)
- Initial visit - Meet with the clinical educator and intern to discuss the Co-Teaching Strategies, the Field Experience Website, and plan the observation schedule. (University Supervisor completes this form online)
During the internship:
- Formative Evaluation of Intern Form: Details on when to evaluate the candidates are specific to each phase of the internship.
See guidance in the Student Teaching Internship Handbook.
- For a 16-week placement
- Two evaluations during phase two
- Two evaluations during phase three
- For a 10-week placement and international placements
- Three evaluations during the 10 weeks as follow
- One evaluation during phase two
- Two evaluations during phase three
- Three evaluations during the 10 weeks as follow
- For an 8 week placement
- Two evaluations for each placement
- One evaluation during phase two
- One evaluation during phase three
- Two evaluations for each placement
- Additional as needed
- For a 16-week placement
By the end of the internship:
- Review and sign the Professional Growth Plan
- Internship Recommended Final Grade Report – will be signed by all
- Professional Dispositions Assessment (PDA)
Other documents and forms:
- Lesson Plan Format
- Leave of Absence
- Plan of Assistance Form: to be approved by the Director of Field Experiences with the collaboration of the University Supervisor - if needed
Responsibilities of the Student Intern
Student Teaching Internship Handbook
At the beginning of the internship:
- Attend Orientation Meeting
- Initial Interview with Clinical Educator
- Self Report: Diversity of Faculty/Clinical Educators (4.b)
- Self Report: Diversity of University Peers (4.c)
- After your initial visit with the Clinical Educator and University Supervisor, your supervisor completes the form online (page 34)
During the internship:
- Leave of Absence: to be used for all absences (professional, sick, and personal)
- Weekly Conference Form: for identifying strengths and areas to solidify; these forms are also sent to the Office of Field Experiences and may be used for conferencing during observation debriefings and cross-referenced with leave forms [Student Weekly Conference Tracking Form]
- Lesson Plan Format: to be used for all required formative observations
- You will be evaluated by the University Supervisor and Clinical Educator
- 4 each for interns in a 16-week placement
- 3 each for interns in a 10-week placement
- 2 each for interns in an 8-week placement
- Additional evaluations as needed
By the end of the internship:
- Professional Dispositions Assessment Form (PDA) self-evaluation
- Diversity 4.d.1
- Evaluation of the Clinical Educator (one for each placement)
- Evaluation of the University Supervisor (one for each supervisor)
- Professional Growth Plan - will be signed by all
- Internship Recommended Final Grade Report – will be signed by all
- Exit Survey
- Attend the Exit Meeting
College of Education Admission
Provisional Admission to the Professional Teacher Preparation Program
Any candidate applying to the Professional Teacher Preparation Program may be granted a provisional admission for one semester to complete all requirements for full admission. Candidates with GPA’s below 2.6 will not be granted provisional admission. Provisional admission is determined by the Office of Field Experiences.
Program Requirements for Full Admission
The submission of this packet constitutes your request for full admission to the BHSU College of Education’s Professional Teacher Preparation Program. Before beginning your student teaching internship, you must be fully admitted to the program. Your request will be reviewed based on receipt of this fully completed application packet, including your advisor/program coordinator’s signature on the Plan of Study page, and the following documentation:
- Completed Professional Licensure Location before applying.
- Minimum 2.70 GPA both cumulatively and in all required coursework for your teaching major (BHSU SOE Policy 2.1:2.1.2)
- Minimum grade of C* in the following coursework:
- ENGL 101 & 201 (Composition I & II)
- SPCM 101 (Fundamentals of Speech)
- PSYC 101 (General Psychology)
- MATH (Any Gen Ed Math – Elementary Education Majors ONLY)
- EDFN 338 (Foundations of American Education)
- EPSY 302 (Educational Psychology)
- EDFN 295 (Pre-Admission Practicum) or Composite ECE/SPED major only will replace EDFN 295 with ECE 328 (Observation & Participation) after July 1, 2012
- Current professional resume
- Discuss your DegreeWorks status with your advisor & faculty mentor.
- Minimum of three (3) mandatory Professional Dispositions Assessments (PDAs), required
for all programs
- self-evaluation (completed during EDFN 295 practicum)
- EDFN 295/ECE 328 clinical faculty - approved transfer and experiential substitution will add a PDA from a second BHSU faculty member instead of the clinical faculty for EDFN 295/ECE 328.
- BHSU faculty member (completed during EDFN 295 practicum)
- A recent picture for your file.
- Complete application to the College of Education
University Certification Officer | Field Experiences Director
Jonas 203C
Box #Unit 9038
