College of Education and
Human Sciences

Elementary licensure candidates enrolled in the Integrated Block take all the following courses together the semester prior to student teaching:

Methods
Mathematics
Social Studies
Science
Literacy
Field experience in a K-8 setting

Purpose:

A key goal of Block III is to integrate methods courses at the university level and to provide preservice teachers the opportunity to be involved in an elementary classroom where they also can experience an interdisciplinary environment. An aim is to provide students with a realistic field experience and to assist them in making connections between theory and practice in the classroom.

Responsibilities during Block III:

Preservice teachers will be assigned in pairs to work with a master teacher in the schools. Working with the cooperating teacher they will develop and teach a thematic unit to fit with the teacher's/grade level curriculum. Students will spend approximately five hours a week in the field throughout the semester. Early in the term they will teach an individual math lesson, science lesson, and social studies lesson. In the middle of the term they will teach or assist the mentor teacher with literacy lessons and other lessons as appropriate. At the end of the term, preservice teachers will teach a one week thematic unit that incorporates subject matter from all disciplines. University students will teach 6 lessons for their unit. Block III students are also required to complete a service learning project that is connected to the classroom. While the integrated block is heavy for both cooperating teachers and students, it is also more rewarding because of the dialogue among all participants and the focus on thematic projects.

Cooperating teachers will be involved in midterm and final evaluations of the lab experience and assist in providing feedback about the teaching of the various lessons and the thematic unit.

Additional tasks for preservice teachers have included the following:

• preparing one bulletin board: student-focused or interactive;
• working with individual and small groups of students;
• being involved in special duties: e.g. recess duty, lunchroom duty, after school activities;
• assisting in classroom set-up and preparation of materials;
• assisting in planning and implementing field trips, special activities, etc.;
• attending meetings (PTA, school board, instructional in-service);
• attending at least one professional activity (e.g., MEA conference, Five Valleys ' Reading );
• creating a service learning project with the elementary students in their classroom.

Other Information:

University students are required to spend a minimum of 75 hours in the classroom (approximately 5-10 hours a week). Of those 75 hours, preservice teachers will spend a minimum of twenty hours teaching lessons with their partners. Teaching includes working with small groups, assisting with centers, and, of course, teaching lessons. In order to know the students and classroom setting well, pre-service teachers should schedule at least two class visits per week in the schools. University students also may choose to do a service learning project in their assigned classroom, with teacher approval. For this project, preservice teachers will plan and execute an organized service activity that will meet identified needs within the community. This project should address curriculum standards and the present curriculum.