CLINICAL I + SEMINAR

Clinical I is a 120 hour, pre-capstone clinical experience, to help prepare the candidate for their student teaching experience. During Clinical I, candidates will observe the classroom teacher, tutor individual children, supervise, and teach students in small and large group settings, and assist the teacher in appropriate teaching/ learning experiences. In addition to the classroom experience, the student will demonstrate proficiency of planning, writing, and implementing lesson plans tied to PDE learning standards and develop skills in classroom organization and management techniques. In the seminar component of Clinical I, candidates learn to identify with and conduct themselves as members of profession, with an emphasis on familiarizing candidates with the current practices/topics in the field, areas of professionalism, and family/community collaboration partnerships. Candidates will be encouraged to engage and interact with instructor and peers to discuss their field experiences, practical problems in the classroom, and reflect on how their classroom encounters relate to early development and learning theory, subject matter content, pedagogy, assessment, as well as their current coursework and overall education program goals. Candidates are expected to be active participants in assigned readings, questioning, and other discussions/ debates.