Online Master’s in Elementary Education: PreK-4th Grade

There are four types of field experiences in K-12 classrooms required for certification embedded throughout the program:

• Observing: EDEX 542, 544, 568, EDUC 520, 565, Methods
• Participating & Assisting: EDEX 542, 544, 568, EDUC 520, 565, Methods
• Pre-Student Teaching: 30 Hours for Each Required Methods Course
• Graduate Student Teaching: Capstone Experience 14-16 weeks (full-time)

You should not take it upon yourself to arrange any field experience on your own, however, you can list your desired school district on all field placement applications. Once you submit all required clearances and the appropriate Observation or Field Placement Application (listing a preferred district), a Field Experience Coordinator from Drexel's School of Education's Field Placement Office (FPO) will make every effort to arrange a school-based, appropriate field placement related to your area of certification in a location reasonably close to where you live or work, providing that the requested school meets PA State requirements. The FPO must receive a confirmation for all field experiences from the School District's Field Placement office prior to allowing students to enter into any school classroom.

For Graduate Student Teaching, you're required to spend a total of 14-16 weeks, full-time, under the supervision of a certified cooperating teacher and university supervisor. At a minimum, 6 weeks of student teaching must be located within a PA public or charter school. Once Drexel's FPO locates an acceptable site, you'll work with the school's principal, university supervisor, and certified cooperating teacher regarding meeting the course's objectives/goals. You'll videotape yourself teaching and periodically send tapes to the Field Experience Coordinator for evaluation. In addition, you'll be required to complete the required hours of regular in-class observations and fieldwork in most core Pedagogy courses.

Drexel students are also able to complete student teaching at Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS.)

Clearances

Drexel University policy requires that School of Education Faculty, Staff, and Students who may come into contact with minors, either through field-based supervision or research experience in school settings, to obtain and present to the Field Placement Office (FPO) the following clearances prior to entering a PK-12 school setting.

Some schools and/or school districts may require clearances on file to be valid through the end of a field experience within a year of date of issuance. Non-PA students may need to obtain additional clearances for their state of residency prior to engaging in a field experience.

Although the process may seem lengthy, it is extremely important when considering the safety and welfare of PK-12 school children. Schools and districts take clearance policies very seriously. A candidate may not enter a PK-12 building for purposes of conducting a field experience without the proper clearance information.

Please submit all clearance items electronically via with the subject SOEclearances@drexel.edu heading: "Clearance Submission" followed by your full name.

Specifically, students conducting field experiences within PA State borders are required to obtain and submit:

• FBI Federal Criminal History Record (Act 114)
  Use Service Code 1KG6RT for Colleges/Universities Teacher Education Program. Information about how to obtain your FBI clearance is available at the PA Department of Education. Upon registering for the fingerprint check, you will be assigned an unique Universal Enrollment ID (UEID). Please email your UEID to Drexel's Clearance Office at SOEclearances@drexel.edu so that we may access your FBI clearance electronically. Be sure to process this clearance through the PA Department of Education and not another government agency requiring a FBI Clearance, e.g., Department of Public Welfare or Department of Banking.
• Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Training (Act 126)
  Teacher candidates must complete the mandated reporter training and forward a copy of the certificate to the FPO. The online training can be found at the PA Child Welfare Resource Center.
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Records Check (Act 34)
  Request your record through the PA Access To Criminal History (PATCH) system and forward it to the FPO.
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151)
  Information related to background checks/clearances can be found at PA Child Welfare. The clearance document is to be forwarded to the FPO.
• Arrest / Conviction Report and Certification Form (Act 24)
  Teacher candidates must complete and forward the PDE-6004 form to the FPO to have on file. Please note that individual schools may also request a candidate to sign a form for their files. Forms can be found at the PA Department of Education.

Although Background Checks and Clearances are viable for five (5) years from date of issuance for Drexel students who remain continuously enrolled, some school districts and schools require the Background Checks and Clearances to be valid within the year of their dates of issuance. It is your responsibility to maintain updated clearances in such situations. Also, some districts and schools may also require proof of a clear Tuberculin skin test.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the FPO at StuTeach@drexel.edu.

International Students

If you wish to complete the field experience requirement outside of the United States, you must contact the School of Education's Field Placement Office to be aware of the international deadline and procedures to submit your field placement application. All field experiences must be completed in a U.S. accredited school, or an approved international school whereby English is the language spoken in all classrooms, and the school is following PA Department of Education and US Department of Education guidelines. You should not choose field placements which include working with students with special needs or students whose first language is not English.

Typically, students living overseas student teach in a U.S. affiliated school, such as on an Army base, under the guidance of a U.S. fully certified teacher at the grade level and subject appropriate for the intended area of certification. The cooperating teacher needs to be certified in the U.S. with a minimum of 3 years teaching experience in the area of certification being pursued. All international field placements will be arranged by the School of Education's Field Placement Coordinator.

• All PA certification candidates living overseas must submit the original PDE required Health form signed by a US Licensed Physician or US Licensed Physician's Assistant prior to completing the TIMS certification application.
• PreK-4 students can only take the PECT exams in the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico or Virgin Islands.

Any student (U.S. Citizen or otherwise) living overseas or planning to move overseas should contact their advisor to discuss their situation prior to enrolling in the program or completing courses and certification requirements.