Teacher Candidate Procedures for Clinical Experience

Remember you are representing yourself, Boyce, and our Lord throughout this experience!

Before you begin your placement:

  1. Review the Teacher Education Clinical Experience Handbook.
  2. Set up your LiveText account. If you do not have LiveText, follow the instructions here. You cannot begin clinical experience without a LiveText account. This account is $139.00 and will last for seven years.
  3. Set up your account with the Kentucky Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB) so you can track your clinical experience hours in the Kentucky Field Experience Tracking System (KFETS). KFETS is needed for State Certification students only. This account is free to all students and does not expire.
  4. Apply for membership with Christian Educators Association International (CEAI). This membership is $35 annually. Please do not pay for this membership through the CEAI online system. All memberships are renewed through the TEP and will be charged to your student account. You can apply for membership by completing this application and returning it to the Boyce Teacher Education Office (Whitsitt 119).
  5. Complete the Professional Code of Ethics Commitment form and return to the Boyce Teacher Education Office.

Completing Background Checks:

All students who are in clinical experience are required to complete two background checks:

  1. Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Volunteer Records Check: the cost for this background check is $10.00 plus tax and lasts for five years.
  2. Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Check: the cost for this background check is $10.00 plus tax and lasts for five years.

Once you have completed both background checks, you should contact the Boyce Clinical Experience and Placements Coordinator at boycetep@sbts.edu.

Those who are pursuing Clinical Experience II (Student Teaching) are also required to complete a student teaching background check and a medical examination with Tuberculosis testing. The background check is run through The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Campus Police and the medical examination can be completed through any clinic using the required form linked below.

When you receive your placement:

  1. Contact your cooperating teacher to schedule a first visit:
    — Introduce yourself and schedule a time to visit the classroom.
    — Include your name and phone number for a return call if the cooperating teacher needs to contact you.
    — Inquire about policies and procedures you should observe when visiting, especially with regard to checking in and out of school.
  2. Keep all appointments and arrive at school promptly each time you visit.
  3. Notify the cooperating teacher immediately if you need to change a visit.
  4. Notify the Boyce Clinical Experience and Placements Coordinator (CEPC) if you do NOT hear from the cooperating teacher within one week after the initial email. She will help you get in contact with your cooperating teacher or will find you a new placement if necessary.
  5. Ensure that you have reviewed the following information and procedures, and be prepared to communicate that information to your cooperating teacher. If you do not know this, please speak with your course professor and the CEPC before your first visit.
    — Review the Clinical Experience Handbook.
    — Be aware of the Cooperating Teacher Resources page of the Boyce TEP website and know how to direct your cooperating teacher there.
    — Know what the requirements are for you and your cooperating teacher that are specific to the course for which your placement is assigned and be able to communicate those guidelines to your cooperating teacher.

First visit to the school/classroom:

  1. Introduce yourself to the office staff and principal (if available).
  2. Give the cooperating teacher the letter from Dr. Tucker.
  3. View the clinical experience video with your cooperating teacher. All cooperating teachers
  4. Help your cooperating teacher(s) familiarize themselves with the Cooperating Teacher Resources page of the TEP website. Ensure they know where to find LiveText information, key assessment rubrics, the clinical experience handbook, and the contact information at the bottom of the page if they have any questions or concerns.
  5. Discuss the subject(s) you will be working with the cooperating teacher on and ask for the times and days this subject is taught in the classroom. Set your schedule with your cooperating teacher.
  6. Explain what your requirements are for this placement (How many hours? How many lessons you must teach?) Explain to your cooperating teacher that you want to be active in the classroom and not just observe).
  7. Discuss with your cooperating teacher about LiveText and how they will evaluate your performance and also approve your hours. (You might need to show them how to do this and can use the resources on the Cooperating Teacher page to help you do so).
  8. Ask about classroom and school policies and express appreciation to the cooperating teacher for agreeing to work with you. They make sacrifices and work hard to accommodate your time in their classroom. Ensure that they know you are thankful for them welcoming you.
  9. Complete two copies of the Confirmation of First Visit form (the cooperating teacher must sign this) and return this to your course instructor to give proof of the visit. One should be returned to the Boyce TEP Offices and the other should be given to your cooperating teacher. You must complete two forms for each Boyce College class with clinical experience, even if you have the same cooperating teacher for multiple courses. 

Throughout the placement:

  1. Share your expectations and class requirements with the cooperating teacher and seek input
  2. Direct any concerns about your clinical experience to your course instructor or Dr. Tucker in a confidential setting
  3. Remain objective in your evaluation of the experience, reserving negative criticism
  4. Maintain a professional demeanor at all times and adhere to school guidelines ESPECIALLY regarding dress
  5. Complete a Clinical Experience Observation Form EACH time you visit the school. These forms should correspond with your time in LiveText and can be uploaded to the “Attachments” section of every placement.
  6. Upload your clinical experiences hours to LiveText & KFETS. You can use the Log of Clinical Experience Hours as a back-up resource if you want to keep an additional written record of your time in the classroom. Please note: this log does not replace your observation forms.
  7. Express your appreciation in an email or card to the cooperating teacher at the end of the placement as he/she has volunteered time and talent to provide you a good experience.

If your course requires you to teach a lesson(s) or unit:

  1. Communicate this requirement with your cooperating teacher and discuss the objectives your lesson should meet.
  2. Research and complete the Lesson Plan (See Lesson Plan Template). Your lesson plan will be scored by your cooperating teacher and your course professor.
  3. If you are teaching a Unit, use the TWS Fillable Unit as a template. If you are looking for fillable documents for individual tasks, you can access those through the Teacher Education Resources page.
  4. You must meet with your cooperating teacher at least two days prior to teaching the lesson to discuss your lesson plan and make any needed changes (Your cooperating teacher will need to sign the bottom of your lesson plan with the date you meet for documentation).
  5. Teach the lesson, implementing the appropriate co-teaching strategy. Your lesson will be assessed by your cooperating teacher and your course professor if applicable).
  6. Complete the Lesson Analysis within two days of teaching the lesson. Your lesson analysis will be scored by your cooperating teacher and course professor.
  7. Upload your lesson plan, all assessments, handouts, and lesson analysis to LiveText in the “Attachments” section.

Completion of your placement:

  1. Ensure that all your information in LiveText and KFETS is complete. You will receive an Incomplete for the course if this information is not completed by the assigned due date.
    — Are all of your hours logged in LiveText and KFETS?
    — Has your cooperating teacher approved all of your hours in your LiveText Time Log and completed all LiveText assessments assigned to them?
    — Have you uploaded all observation forms and completed the Evaluation of Cooperating Teacher that you have been assigned in LiveText?
  2. Complete your Overall Field Experience Reflection for each course for which you completed clinical experience and upload it to your course assignments section of LiveText.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your course instructor or the program chair, Dr. Melissa Tucker, directly.