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Internship Handbook Primary/Elementary and Music

Winter 2020

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Preface

This manual is intended as a guide for the roles and responsibilities of the people

involved in Memorial University’s Faculty of Education Undergraduate Education

Internship Program. All individuals are unique and the roles of each will vary

according to their position. The relationships should be collegial and be guided by

trust, respect, empathy, genuineness and equity. Activities should be carried out

cooperatively by sharing information, skills and knowledge.

The Faculty of Education at Memorial University welcomes each member of the

team that will guide interns through their internship and prepare them for the role

of teacher. Everyone’s involvement is critical to the success these individuals will

experience during their introduction to the world of teaching.

All individuals involved in the internship program are mentors for the intern who is

attempting to define himself/ herself as a teacher. Mentoring has the potential to

benefit both interns and classroom teachers. It helps interns confront challenges in

the classroom. Through collegial conversations and consistent support from

teachers, they improve their teaching practice. The mentoring experience may also

provide professional development for the classroom teacher. The purpose of

mentoring is to provide interns with the support they need to gain self-confidence,

provide models of effective practice and assistance in lesson planning, encourage

the use of various instructional strategies, model effective classroom management

techniques and guide the student teacher in developing a personal teaching style.

The information contained in this booklet is not intended to be exclusive but is,

instead, a guide to support the intern. It provides an overview of the roles and

responsibilities of the various individuals involved. As a partner in the teacher

education process, team members are asked to use their professional discretion to

extend or supplement the information presented in this booklet with their own

experience and research.

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Table of Contents

1. Winter Semester 2020 Internship Diary of Dates ..................................................4

2. Teaching Internship Program ..................................................................................5

3. The University – School Partnership ..................................................................... 6-9

- Responsibilities of Co-operating Teacher (Page 6)

- Responsibilities of the Intern (Page 7)

**NEW – Social Media Use (Page 8)

- Responsibilities of University (On-Line) Supervisor (Page 8)**UPDATED

- Responsibilities of the Principal (Page 9)

4. Internship Program and Expectations ................................................................. 10-13

- The Program (Page 10)

- Transition to Teaching (Page 10)

- Intern Workload (Page 11)

- Supervisory Responsibilities (Page 12)

- Journal (Page 12)

- Intern Attendance Policy (Page 12) **UPDATED

- Absence of Co-operating Teacher (Page 13)

5. Evaluation ........................................................................................................... 14-16

- Co-operating Teacher’s Evaluation of Intern (Page 14)

- Procedure and deadlines for submission of evaluation (Page 15)

- Teacher Concerns with Intern Performance (Page 15)

- References for the Intern (Page 15)

- Guidelines for the Assignment of Internship Grades (Page 16)

6. Final Grade Review Procedure ........................................................................... 17-18

7. Appendix “A” – Internship Journal…………………………………………….19-23

8. Resources…………………………………………………………………………..24

9. Contact Information – Faculty of Education ....................................................... ….25

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Winter Semester 2020

Internship Diary

Monday, January 6 Internships commence. Interns report to their assigned

schools.

Tuesday, January 7 University Supervisors commence orientation meetings

Week of January 6 D2L postings from on-line supervisors for interns

commence.

Friday, January 31 Interns receive first co-operating teacher internship

evaluation report.

Friday, February 28 Interns receive second co-operating teacher internship

evaluation report.

Mid-February Supervisor observation of lesson

Week of March 30 Final Internship Meeting

Thursday, April 9 Interns receive third (final) co-operating teacher internship

evaluation report.

Friday, April 9 Internship ends.

Thursday, April 9 Deadline for the submission of grades from co-operating

teachers to the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education

via fax. Please refer to the evaluation section of the

Handbook for complete details.

Note: Internship dates may vary with individual school placement.

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Teaching Internship Program General Information All candidates for the B.Ed. (Primary/Elementary), Conjoint B. Ed. Music and Second Degree B.

Ed Music are required to complete a 15 credit hour internship. This internship consists of a

supervised placement in a school setting for a period of approximately 13 weeks (one semester). Rationale for the Internship

The internship is a critical component of the Bachelor of Education programs at Memorial

University of Newfoundland. It provides an opportunity for interns to begin to appreciate and

understand the responsibilities of teachers. Objectives

The internship provides interns with opportunities to:

integrate theory and practice;

refine skills in utilizing various instructional strategies and resources to meet the

individual needs of all students;

develop and practice effective classroom management skills;

develop and practice the skills of a reflective practitioner;

develop an individual teaching style;

develop critical knowledge of curriculum outcomes and effective teaching

techniques within various grade levels and content areas for implementation of outcomes;

develop a philosophy of education and recognize its relationship to educational principles

in professional practice;

experience the working relationship that exists between teachers and administrators as

colleagues and their relationship with the broader school community.

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The University-School Partnership A partnership between the Faculty of Education and schools is essential to ensure the success of

the internship. This partnership includes interns, co-operating teachers, school principals, other

school professional staff, the school district, the university supervisor, and the Faculty of

Education. Responsibilities of the Co-operating Teacher Co-operating teachers introduce interns to the realities and responsibilities of teaching in a

complex world. They guide, coach, support, and challenge interns to offer the best professional

knowledge and service to their interns. The co-operating teacher has a profound effect and

impact on the personal and professional development of a teacher candidate. This occurs through

the nature of the relationship between the co-operating teacher and the intern and through the

teaching and learning processes that occur throughout the internship. The co-operating teacher is responsible for:

preparing students to accept the intern as a professional teacher;

introducing the intern to other school personnel and clarifying their roles;

familiarizing interns with curriculum outcomes, guides, texts and resources;

sharing with the intern an outline of the long-range goals and the organization of the

grade or course;

modelling various instructional strategies, and suggesting alternative possibilities for

teaching and learning;

assisting and encouraging the intern to develop resources to enhance their teaching;

demonstrating good teaching and helping the intern to analyse and understand why it is

good teaching;

including the intern in planning, assessment and other work with students;

guiding the intern to evaluate lessons, projects, quizzes, etc;

assisting the intern in the critical-reflective analysis of the relationship between theory

and practice with the intent of improving practice;

facilitating the development of independence of the intern;

gradually transferring responsibility for daily operation of the classroom to the intern;

conferring with the intern about performance and expectations;

providing the opportunity for the intern to observe various teachers in different

grades/subject areas during the internship;

demonstrating a variety of classroom management techniques;

providing daily feedback to the intern on his/her progress;

conferring regularly with university supervisor regarding the intern’s progress;

conferring with the Field Services Office regarding the intern’s progress as necessary;

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preparing the scheduled reports of the intern progress and discussing these reports with

the intern, unless other arrangements made by the Field Services Office;

evaluating the intern (Pass/Fail) for the school component of the internship (see diary and

evaluation sections).

As they are completed, submitting progress and final reports to the Internship

Supervisor and the Field Services Office. When submitting to the Field Services

Office please scan and email to Sheri Roberts at sherir@mun.ca. These reports

must be signed by both the co-operating teacher and the intern. Responsibilities of the Intern The intern is a guest in the school and in the classroom of the co-operating teacher(s) and accepts

the responsibilities associated with the role of a teacher. The intern is responsible for:

following the professional Code of Ethics for teaching;

becoming familiar with the educational program and physical plan of the host school;

making contact with the co-operating teacher prior to the start of the internship;

displaying professional appearance in dress and etiquette;

acquainting the co-operating teacher with his/her professional background, interests, and

ambitions;

accepting and fulfilling all professional duties assigned by the co-operating teacher and

school administration;

participating in co-curricular activities;

developing lesson plans using specific learning outcomes;

developing lesson plans that meet the needs of diverse learners and implementing varied

teaching and assessment strategies;

assessing student learning and maintaining records of student growth;

employing teaching strategies that are varied, appropriate, and engaging;

selecting and adapting teaching strategies to provide for the range of student abilities,

learning styles, and particular needs (enrichment, reinforcement, etc.);

displaying competence in teachable subject areas;

developing a professional approach to classroom management;

engaging in critical-reflective analysis of his/her own teaching practice for the purpose of

improvement;

responding to constructive criticism in a reflective and positive manner;

attending professional development session(s) provided by the Faculty of Education

and/or the school;

engaging in collaborative work with other teachers;

participating in the Brightspace on-line forum with other interns and the university

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supervisor, and completing the requirements associated with this component of the

internship within the stated timelines;

maintaining confidentiality with respect to student information given by or about students. This

includes information derived from student performance, student records, meetings or other

sources.

interns without on-site supervision will be required to submit a video or provide an

opportunity for live streaming of their teaching

**Social Media**

Most interns are assigned to schools within the Newfoundland and Labrador English

School District (NLESD) and will be governed by NLESD policies. One such NLESD

policy states that the use of technology is “for the purpose of enhancing teaching and

learning”. Therefore, when you are in class and in the role of a professional, the use of

one’s personal device for checking messages or sending texts would not be

considered an appropriate use of technology. Furthermore, each school in the NLESD

has developed an “Acceptable Use of Technology” policy and interns should check the

school website or with the school’s administrative team for access to this policy. Interns

assigned to schools within another school district should check both the applicable

district and school specific policies regarding the use of Social Media.

Below is the link to the NLESD policies, please familiarize yourself with Acceptable Use

of Technology and Social Media Use. As well, please take the time to view the attached

video regarding Social Media use, jointly created by the NLESD and the NLTA.

NLESD Policies

Social Media for Teachers

Responsibilities of the University Supervisor

The supervisor is responsible for helping interns become reflective practitioners; that is,

professionals who are engaged in critical, yet reflective analysis of their teaching. Supervisors

will maintain the Brightspace on-line forum with an assigned group of interns and conduct at

least two meetings with the interns at their school. Supervisors will monitor and respond to the

intern’s journal entries. The supervisor is responsible for:

Orientation meeting with the intern, administrators and co-operating teachers of schools

hosting interns to discuss the objectives and expectations of the internship model;

ensuring the intern is teaching in applicable teachable areas;

providing a direct link between the university and the school;

getting to know the intern and the intern’s general background;

monitoring workload of interns;

supporting the work of administrators and co-operating teachers;

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observing the intern in the classroom setting and discussing the intern’s performance in

the classroom; interns without on-site supervision will be required to submit a video

or provide an opportunity for live streaming of their teaching

maintaining regular contact with intern and co-operating teacher through phone calls,

regular emails and Skype, Brightspace;

mentoring interns in on-line sessions;

reading the interns’ online journals and providing feedback;

encouraging the intern to try new approaches, new methods and implement innovative

and creative teaching strategies;

suggesting current research and literature that supports the professional growth of the

intern;

conferring with the co-operating teacher regarding the intern’s progress including during

reporting periods (4, 8 and 12 weeks) ***upon completion of each report, co-operating

teachers will be directed to send a copy to the internship supervisor, as well as the

Field Service Office;

encouraging the intern to share his or her journal entries with the co-operating teacher;

notifying the Admissions and Field Services Office of student absences, inappropriate

journal responses, lack of journal responses or any difficulties in the classroom;

maintaining electronic copies of intern’s reflective journal responses;

confirming the intern has completed the on-line component of the internship;

Final internship meeting in which a summary report is to be discussed using the following

as a guide:

- comment on the reflective journals with respect to punctuality, writing style, critical and

analytical thinking and connecting theory and practice; comment on school visits and

classroom observations with respect to lesson planning, delivery, student engagement and

teaching and learning; comment on the intern with respect to their potential as a teacher,

noting their strengths and areas that might require improvement.

submission of summary reports to the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education c/o, Sheri

Roberts (sherir@mun.ca)

Responsibilities of the Principal

The principal serves as the co-ordinator of the internship program at the school level and acts as

the communication link between the Field Services Office and the school. The principal also

provides leadership in the school setting for the internship program through professional support

for co-operating teachers and interns. The principal is responsible for:

welcoming the interns to the school and introducing them to school personnel;

ensure intern is teaching in applicable teachable areas;

communicating to co-operating teachers the expectations and requirements of the

internship program;

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providing orientation for the intern about the policies, procedures, school culture,

goals, and philosophy of the school;

familiarizing the intern with the breadth and scope of the school program,

school/community relationships and characteristics of the student body;

ensuring that interns are involved in school experiences such as professional

development activities;

making arrangements for interns to meet with and become familiar with the work of

specialist teachers and non-teaching staff members;

maintaining communication links with the Field Services Office;

promoting the partnership between the Faculty of Education at Memorial University

and the school to provide field placements for interns;

being aware of the progress of the intern;

informing the Field Services Office if, in the assessment of the principal and the co-

operating teacher, the intern is not making satisfactory progress;

providing feedback to the Faculty of Education about the internship.

Internship Program and Expectations

The Program

It should be understood that the intern is not expected to possess all requisite teaching

competencies at the beginning of his/her school placement. The internship is expected to provide

an opportunity for growth and development towards the efficient use of current teaching skills

and strategies. To facilitate growth, observations of interns should clearly describe those skills

obtained by an intern and those needing future attention. Experiences within the program should

be varied. The interns may work with more than one teacher, work in more than one area, and be

familiar with the functions of specific personnel, such as principal, librarian, guidance

counsellors, special education teachers and others. Opportunities for experimentation with

different strategies, or new approaches, may be provided. Transition to Teaching

The intern may spend as much as the first week engaged in classroom observational activities.

The observational dimension should be regarded as an active process of seeking answers to

questions. These questions may be raised by either the intern or the co-operating teacher. The

intern will be a better observer if specific objectives are stated and observations are recorded.

Interns will want to observe the students, the school, relationships, and procedures.

The following points are provided as a guide to be used by interns for making observations:

the classroom as a learning environment;

teacher planning;

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introducing a learning activity;

application of motivational techniques;

use questioning skills;

application of teaching methodologies;

distribution and pattern of student participation;

selection and organization of subject matter;

use of interesting supplementary materials;

provision for individual and group work;

attention to individual differences and learning styles;

attention to formative and summative evaluation;

classroom rules and procedures.

Following this initial period of observation, the proportion of time spent in observation slowly

diminishes as the intern assumes more teaching responsibility. While individual differences in

intern readiness are taken into consideration, the intern is expected to shift from observation to

active teaching when the co-operating teacher feels the intern is ready. Normally, interns will be

ready to assume teaching responsibilities after having spent a week in the school. However,

some interns may require a longer period of observation.

It is important that the first teaching experiences be carefully planned with the co-operating

teacher in order to ensure that the intern experiences teaching success early in the internship.

Initial teaching activities may include helping individual students, conducting a lesson with a

small group, taking responsibility for part of a lesson, or, in some cases, teaching a complete

lesson to the class.

Intern Workload

To a large extent, the amount of teaching the intern is able to do will determine the amount of

professional learning that occurs. The teaching load should be gradually increased to at least 50

per cent of the co-operating teacher’s teaching load at the midpoint of the internship experience.

The intern will assume full responsibility for a major portion of the co-operating teacher’s

workload in the final four weeks of the internship. The following model should be used as a

guide to determine the intern’s workload:

Week 1 - Observation Week 2 - Transition from observation to actual teaching Week 4 – 20-30% percent teaching responsibilities Week 8 – 40-60% percent teaching responsibilities Final 2 weeks – 70-80% teaching responsibilities

Percentage of actual teaching expected for the Primary/Elementary intern

A regular classroom teacher, on average, teaches about 90% of a regular school day when

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Physical Education, Music, etc. and preparation time is taken into consideration. Therefore, if an

intern is responsible for 70 – 75% of the workload of a classroom teacher, he /she would have

teaching responsibilities for approximately 65% of the teacher workload while completing their

internship in the school setting.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Ultimately, the responsibility for the class to which the intern is assigned is that of the co-

operating teacher. When a co-operating teacher assigns his/her intern responsibility for class

instruction, the teacher should be present to observe the teaching and provide the intern

with feedback and direction. In the case of an extracurricular activity, the staff member

assigned to an activity is always fully responsible for the students.

Journal

The purpose of the internship journal is to help students reflect on their experiences and record

their understanding and interpretation of those experiences. The journal is intended to help

interns connect theory and practice, making the internship meaningful and useful in their

development as teachers. It will also help the intern recognize and reflect on the complexity of

teaching and learning, allowing them to assess their individual strengths. Completion of the on-

line journal is compulsory and is undertaken as part of Memorial University’s Brightspace

online forum.

Intern Attendance Policy

As per the Memorial University, Academic Calendar, Primary/Elementary interns are required

to complete a 65 day Extended Internship. This attendance policy is necessary to ensure that

interns are awarded 15 credit hours by Memorial University and that they meet Newfoundland

and Labrador Teacher Certification requirements. Interns are expected to follow their school

schedule and not the university’s schedule as it pertains to holidays and assume the same

responsibility for attendance as regular school staff. With the exception of illness or bereavement

and sessions organized by the Faculty of Education or School District, interns are not permitted

to leave school early or take days off. If an intern is to be absent for any reason other than those

previously described, a request must be made in writing to the Internship Advisory Committee

(c/o Sheri Roberts, Field Services Office or email: sherir@mun.ca).

In the event of absences due to illness or other legitimate reasons, an intern is expected to notify

the co-operating teacher before classes begin for the day. A medical note is required for an

absence of more than three consecutive days. The co-operating teacher should inform the Field

Services Office, Faculty of Education, if the total number of absences becomes a concern. Those

absences include unplanned school closures such as storms, furnace problems, etc. The Field

Services Office, in consultation with the co-operating teacher will determine if the internship is

to be extended to make up for missed time.

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Absence of the Co-operating teacher

In the event of any absence of the co-operating teacher, the school must assume supervisory

responsibility of the classroom (i.e., through a regular substitute teacher or through departmental

supervision). During this time the intern should continue teaching, if possible, the classes that he

/she had been previously teaching.

In the case of an absence that will exceed four consecutive days, or the sudden unavailability of

the co-operating teacher for the remainder of the internship, the Field Services Office, Faculty of

Education, should be contacted immediately

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Evaluation

Both formative and summative evaluation by co-operating teachers should be in evidence during

the internship. Formative evaluations occur daily within the professional development process.

When co-operating teachers and others who work collaboratively with the intern to discuss the

intern’s performance in the classroom, they are engaged formatively. This is also the way to

describe the four and eight week assessments. These assessments are data driven, for the purpose

of setting goals and objectives for the next period or the remainder of the internship. Internship is

a time when interns are developing an analytical approach to teaching and need to be encouraged

constantly to assess themselves, problem solve and plan for improvement. As part of the

formative evaluation, interns are be encouraged to share ideas with others and be open to ideas

and suggestions from others. Summative evaluations are measures of performance made at the

end of the internship evaluation and are recorded as a part of the final report.

Evaluation of intern performance is conducted through the use of university-approved evaluation

procedures. Evaluation forms are provided by the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education to

the participating schools for the co-operating teachers. The co-operating teacher will assign the

intern a grade of Pass or Fail. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs is responsible for

submitting the final grade for the intern to the Office of the Registrar.

Co-operating Teacher’s Evaluation of Intern

The co-operating teacher is responsible for the evaluation of the intern’s in-school experience

during the teaching internship and as such he/she is required to maintain an evaluation file for the

intern. If an intern is assigned two co-operating teachers concurrently, the teachers may elect to

complete joint or separate reports. The documentation from the co-operating teacher (s) required

for the intern’s evaluation file includes:

any notes/documentation as deemed appropriate (e.g., medical notes)

4 week (first) signed internship report form

8 week (second) signed internship report form

Final signed internship report and grade form

All reports must be signed by the co-operating teach and the intern to verify that the

intern has read and understood them

It is the responsibility of the co-operating teacher to ensure each progress report and the final

report are submitted on time. There should be no surprises in the final report for the interns.

This can be ensured by the completion of the 4 and 8-week internship reports. Interns should be

assessed as beginning teachers not as practicing experienced teachers.

The co-operating teacher should retain a photocopy of each report.

Interns must receive a copy of all forms that require their signature and a copy must be

submitted to the Field Services Office c/o Sheri Roberts, via fax (709-864-2001) or email

sherir@mun.ca.

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**Refusal by the intern to sign a report does not negate the evaluation given by the co-operating

teacher (s). For information regarding the procedure for final grade review, please see pg. 17 in

this document.

Procedure and deadlines for submission of evaluation

Scheduled completion dates for the report/grade forms and for submitting the evaluation files are

outlined in the Diary of this Handbook.

To meet the Office of the Registrar deadline for mark submission, the grade form should be

faxed by the deadline noted in the Diary of Dates at the beginning of the Handbook.

*Electronic copies of the progress reports will be sent to principals at the beginning of the

school year.

NOTE: If there are concerns that the intern may not successfully complete the internship, the

Field Services Office must be contacted immediately and reports submitted on scheduled due

dates.

Teacher Concerns with Intern Performance

The nature of the intern’s difficulties, specific suggestions for improvement and a time frame for

him/her to put the suggestions into effect should be documented on an internship report form.

Use of the ‘other’ category on the internship report form allows for this to be done at any time

outside of the designated evaluation intervals, if necessary. A recommendation of ‘continue with

reservation’ can be used and the principal of the school should contact the Field Services Office.

If there is no noticeable improvement in the intern’s performance, it may be necessary to

discontinue the internship on the recommendation of the co-operating teacher and principal in

consultation with the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education. References for the Intern

Interns may, if they wish, use their Final Internship Report Form from the co-operating teacher

when applying for teaching positions that require a written teaching reference. Interns should

retain a copy of their report forms as they are stored at the Faculty of Education for a one-year

period only.

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Guidelines for the Assignment of Internship Grades

Co-operating Teacher Guidelines: PASS indicates that there is evidence of good to excellent overall performance in:

the application of personal and professional qualities (including communication skills); planning for instruction; demonstrating knowledge of the pedagogical process; the application of effective classroom management techniques; reflection on and analysis of classroom teaching.

FAIL indicates unacceptable performance and must be based on evidence of:

weakness in one or more personal and professional qualities (including a significant weakness in communication skills);

poor or unsatisfactory planning displayed in the teaching assignment; a limited or weak knowledge of the pedagogical process; poor or unsatisfactory application of effective classroom management techniques; little or no demonstration of reflection and analysis apparent in teaching.

INCOMPLETE

Co-operating teachers who wish to consider assigning an incomplete grade should contact the

Field Services Office, Faculty of Education to discuss.

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Final Grade Review Procedure

Within two weeks of the receipt of the final internship grade, interns have the right to request a

review of the mark assigned to the in-school component of the internship. This review shall

follow the process, outlined below, as established by the Internship Advisory Committee.

General

1. Each teaching intern will be assigned two committees:

a. Supervisory Committee consisting of the school principal (or designate) and a

Faculty of Education supervisor.

b. Internship Grade Review Committee consisting of one school district senior

administrator (e.g. Assistant Director) and one Faculty of Education Senior

Administrator (e.g. Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs).

2. Grade Review of the school component will not impact on or be impacted by the

on-line component.

Evaluation

1. The co-operating teacher must notify the teaching intern and Supervisory Committee

of any serious concerns as soon as they arise. These concerns must be documented

on an Internship Report Form that is to be copied to the intern and submitted

immediately to both the Supervisory Committee and to the Field Services Office,

Faculty of Education.

2. The Co-operating teacher must prepare the scheduled reports of the intern’s progress

and discuss these reports with the intern as scheduled by the Faculty of Education.

a. An evaluation resulting in a designation of Continue with Reservation will

result in immediate referral to the Supervisory Committee who will work with

the co-operating teacher and teaching intern to develop and implement a

directive control plan for improvement. This plan must have clearly

established goals to be accomplished by the teaching intern to achieve a

passing grade together with supports that are to be provided (including, but

not limited to observations and evaluations by members of the Supervisory

Committee or designates) and timelines for follow-up and review.

b. An evaluation designation of Be Discontinued and/or a Final Grade of FAIL

should not normally be assigned without prior notice to the student and

normally will occur following an interim report of continue with reservation

and the engagement of the Supervisory Committee. (This does not apply to

outright dismissal for cause by the CEO/Director of Education or Dean of

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Education as would be applied to any school board employee and/or student

of Memorial University).

c. A final grade of FAIL will be assigned by the co-operating teacher only after

consultation with the Supervisory Committee.

Grade Review

In the event that a student intern believes that the Final Evaluation as assigned by the co-

operating teacher is not justified, the student has a right to seek an informal resolution by

following the procedures outlined below:

Level 1: Within two weeks of the receipt of the final internship grade the student

must submit, to the Supervisory Committee, a personal letter outlining the

reasons they feel they have met the expectations of the internship.

Action: The Supervisory Committee will thoroughly investigate matters related to

the request for grade review, ensuring that all parties associated have been

consulted and appropriate documents reviewed. The Supervisory

Committee will respond to the student with a decision, in writing, within a

two week period.

Level 2: If the student is not satisfied with the final decision of the Supervisory

Committee, they can, within two weeks of receipt of the decision, submit

a personal letter to the Internship Grade Review Committee, outlining the

reasons they feel the Supervisory Committee has erred.

Action: The Internship Grade Review Committee will thoroughly investigate

matters related to the request for grade review, ensuring that all parties

associated have been consulted and appropriate documents reviewed. The

Internship Grade Review Committee will respond to the student with a

final decision, in writing, within a two week period.

In order to facilitate a thorough review of internship grade, interns will be required to:

a. Submit paper copies of their lesson/unit plans that they have prepared and taught with the

co-operating teacher. The co-operating teacher will need to verify that the lesson/unit

plan has been implemented prior to it being submitted to the Faculty of Education

Supervisor.

b. Make available to the co-operating teacher a file that contains copies of the lesson/unit

plans that have been submitted.

c. The intern may also be required to demonstrate to the Supervisory Committee their

competence in teaching a lesson/unit of work.

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Appendix “A”

INTERNSHIP JOURNAL

Education 401X

(Primary/Elementary)

Education 403X (Music Education)

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Winter 2020

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Introduction

Reflection and analysis of personal experiences are important in the transition of an intern from a

pre-service mode to that of a practicing teacher. Much can be learned by reflecting (i.e., thinking

and writing) about the experiences, activities and tasks interns engage in as part of their school

placement experience. Participation in the internship journal is a compulsory activity which is

intended to provide you with an opportunity to reflect on these events, analyze them and record

your reflections.

The internship journal is a component of an online collaborative and supportive learning

community where interns demonstrate their professional knowledge and recognize its

relationship to classroom practice. Interns will reflect on pedagogically significant issues and

share their thoughts with their co-operating teacher, other interns and their university supervisor.

At the commencement of their school placement, interns are expected to peruse this document

and the Handbook to become cognizant of the responsibilities associated with the internship.

After the initial journal entry, interns are expected to prepare themselves for the four major

journal entries by engaging in discussions with school personnel, attending different school-

based meetings, attending professional development sessions, observing classroom and specialist

teachers in action, collaborating with colleagues, dialoguing with other interns, and generally

learning about the challenges and rewards of being a teacher. This type of exposure to the school

environment will allow interns to explore the concepts presented in the journal and be able to

discuss them with their colleagues.

The Faculty of Education strives to offer the same internship model for all candidates in the

program, whether those students are interning within the province of Newfoundland and

Labrador or at other locations where the internship is offered. Sometimes, however, geography

may cause some minor differences to occur. In an effort to standardize the internship practice

and delivery and to establish a common framework, the journal as presented here will be used by

all interns.

Journal entry guidelines

When writing your Journal, consider the following points:

• write in a manner that is scholarly and be aware that colleagues, university

supervisors and co-operating teachers will be reading your journal;

• narratives should demonstrate a coherent development of argument, ideas, and

concepts;

• pay attention to technical quality, organization and coherence, clarity of prose,

spelling, grammar, punctuation and attention to detail;

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• evidence of critical reflection should be apparent, i.e., you should use your

experiences as a student at MUN and the experiences of your internship to

respond to the questions posed;

• review all journal topics at the beginning of the internship to be aware of the

issues to be discussed and the expectations set forth;

• read relevant articles posted in the e-resources library at:

http://www.mun.ca/educ/undergrad/internship/inter_e_resources.php;

• entries should be sufficient in length to adequately relate your ideas, the four main

journals should each be a minimum of 500 words in length; and,

• submit your journals by the assigned due date.

Journal entry 1 - Goal setting and school placement

Set goals for yourself that you wish to accomplish during your internship. It is important to

establish a reasonable number of goals that are attainable. List three or four goals and describe

how you hope to achieve them. At least one of your goals should be a personal goal. You will re-

consider these later in your internship. Your goals should meet the criteria for SMART goals:

S = Specific,

M = Measurable

A = Attainable

R = Realistic

T = Timely

All schools are similar in many ways; however, there are often significant differences. Your

internship placement is a unique setting, possibly because of the following items:

- school type (e.g. primary, secondary, enrolment, teaching staff, single stream,

multi-graded, communities served, etc.);

- community (e.g. rural, urban, population)

- grade/subject placement (grade level(s), teaching areas); and,

- co-operating teacher’s experience and educational background.

Reflect on your expectations for this internship and write three or four goals you hope to

accomplish. Also, discuss your school and placement, in term of the points listed above.

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Journal entry 2 - Personal reflection on issues, concepts, or events of intern’s choice

Teachers assume many roles within the school and encounter many situations and events as they

carry out their duties. The “Internship Journal” topics attempt to capture your reflections on a

number of current issues in education that you may face as an intern working in the classroom.

However, the set of Journal topics included for your consideration is not exhaustive and is not

intended to address all of the day-to-day situations that you may experience. To that end, we

would like you to select two issues, concepts, or occurrences that you would like to discuss. This

may include, but is not limited to, attendance, student behavior, parental involvement, school

policies, extracurricular programs, inclusion, breakfast and lunch programs, professional

development, curricular issues, etc.

You will be expected to post a minimum of two topics to the Brightspace discussion

forum

You will post at least six responses in total to the postings of other interns

The purpose of this assignment is to initiate a rich and meaningful dialogue among the interns in

this section of the course. Your internship supervisor will monitor the discussion forum regularly

and may enter the discussion as well.

Reflect on your day to day observations and identify an issue, concept, or occurrence of your

choice and discuss how it impacts on you as a classroom teacher, your beliefs and practices and

ask for feedback from your fellow interns. Also, respond to six postings in the Brightspace

Forum from other interns. Your postings for this entry should be approximately 200 words.

Note: Your online supervisors may arrange you in small groups so that the discussions become

more meaningful.

Journal entry 3 - Effective teaching

Effective teaching is a difficult concept to define but researchers do acknowledge that the

characteristics, behaviors and personal traits of effective teachers play a pivotal role in helping to

determine what effective teaching is. The following is a partial list of commonly cited behaviors

of what effective teachers do. Effective teachers:

use a variety of well-informed skills and methods at their disposal to meet the needs of

their students and the demands of the curriculum;

believe in their ability to work with students and to help them learn;

understand that the act of teaching is complex and they are constantly reflecting on ways

to improve their practice even though they realize that there are no simple answers to the

problems they may encounter;

maintain a professional image in the classroom;

use reinforcement, praise and criticism wisely;

challenge their students to reach their potential.

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Recent research in our own Faculty of Education by Delaney (2007) examined Newfoundland

and Labrador high school students’ perceptions of the characteristics of effective teachers.

Students involved in that study determined that the top 5 characteristics of effective teachers

were: humorous, knowledgeable, organized, respectful and patient.

Reflect on your time as an intern and also as a student in the K-12 school system and discuss

your perceptions of what constitutes an effective teacher. What were their characteristics,

behaviors and/or personal traits that, in your opinion, made them effective teachers?

Journal entry 4 - Inclusive education

The Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes, "Now is the Time: The Next

Chapter in Education in Newfoundland and Labrador" was recently released. Chapter 1 deals

with exclusively with Inclusive Education. The complete report can be found at:

http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/task_force/report.pdf

In your class identify one student with unique learning needs and observe how his/her needs are

being met. Observe the reaction of classmates to this student and his/her interaction with them.

Meet with the teacher to discuss the program plan and share your observations with them. Avail

of opportunities to attend program planning meetings for this (or another student) and reflect on

your observations. Explore how you would access information to understand this student’s

functioning and where you could access planning ideas for him/her.

After reading chapter 1, reflect on your observations, discussing the inherent challenges and

rewards that inclusive practice brings to the classroom teacher.

Journal entry 5 - Goal review and final comments

Review the goals you set for your internship in your first journal entry. Discuss your success in

the achievement of these goals. Also, write a statement about the internship experience and how

it has shaped your development as a teacher and whether or not it has reaffirmed your career

choice of becoming a teacher.

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Resources

NLTA (www.nlta.nl.ca)

NLTA Code of Ethics (http://files.nlta.nl.ca/wp-content/uploads/public/documents/abcbook.pdf)

Classroom Management (http://teachers.net/gazette/JUN00/covera.html)

Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI) (http://www.cdli.ca/)

Faculty of Education ( http://www.mun.ca/ed/home/)

Department of Education, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

(http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/ )

Teacher Certification (http://www.mun.ca/educ/undergrad/certification.php)

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Contact Information

Faculty of Education, Field Services Office

The Field Services Office, Faculty of Education, co-ordinates the internship program and is

responsible for its administration.

Academic Program Administrator: Sheri Roberts, email: sherir@mun.ca Tel: (709) 864-8599

Fax: (709) 864-2001/2526.

Mailing address:

The Field Services Office

Undergraduate Programs

Faculty of Education

Memorial University of Newfoundland

G.A. Hickman Building

E2025

St. John’s, NL, Canada

A1B 3X8 *Revised December 2019