Practicum is a semester long class that has two components: a fieldwork component and a seminar component. In the fieldwork component, students are assigned to work in a suburban or an urban school setting under the supervision of a cooperating teacher for a minimum of 45 hours.

Practicum provides the student with the opportunity to become familiar with the role of the teacher and the dynamics of the classroom and will include the teaching of two brief lessons. Through observation and practice, students gain an understanding of instructional planning, teaching strategies, educational technology, classroom management, and how NJCCCS are implemented in the classroom. In the seminar component, students have the opportunity to discuss and evaluate with their peers the classroom interaction which they have observed, as well as the interrelationships of teaching/learning theory and practice. Practicum helps students learn (1) classroom observation and lesson planning skills; (2) ways to design, implement, and assess individual, small group, and whole class activities; and (3) how to explore their individual instructional strengths in preparation for the student teaching experience.

Practicum is always assigned the two semesters prior to student teaching. In order to be eligible to take Practicum courses, students must officially be a TPP student and have turned in a completed Student Teaching Application.

Practicum Placements: When students apply for student teaching, they are automatically assigned their Practicum semesters. The Teacher Preparation Program seeks out all practicum placements. Under no circumstances are students to solicit their own placements.

Students will find out their practicum placements on the first night of class during the Fall and Spring semesters, and via email the during the first week of the Summer and Winterim semesters, prior to the first night of class.

It is sometimes the case that a student finds out their practicum placement prior to class. This is not the norm and students should not feel anxious if they do not know their placement before class begins.

During the Summer and Winterim semesters, students are required to attend their Practicum placement for 9 full school days. All students need to make arrangements EARLY for child care and other personal concerns or obligations during the period of Practicum. Remember: Your practica experience will demand that you observe the arrival time of the school in which you are placed. You may need to sign in earlier than you had anticipated; you may also need to remain 1/2 to 1 hour beyond the student dismissal time. We cannot accommodate requests for special conditions or reassignment. Once placed, you are required to be available for professional service.

GUIDELINES FOR THE PRACTICUM STUDENT

The Practicum Student is placed with a cooperating teacher in the classroom setting. Students should utilize course work knowledge up to this point, the expertise of the cooperating teacher, and the actual classroom experience to gain knowledge and new skills needed to become successful teachers. Practicum is an opportunity for students to observe and evaluate various values and beliefs about the profession as well as engage in the activities of the classroom.

Students are expected to behave in a professional manner. They are considered junior members of the staff. They are expected to strive to make a positive impact on students and faculty, to be prompt and dependable, and to demonstrate the qualities of a professional teacher.

The purpose of a practicum course is to permit students to observe and participate in a classroom while under the full-time supervision of a classroom teacher. Students are expected to dress and behave in a professional manner. They are expected to strive to make a positive impact on students and faculty, to be prompt and dependable, and to demonstrate the burgeoning qualities of a pre-service teacher. Students are guests in the school and should act accordingly. During this semester, practicum students will be able to:

• observe a variety of teaching strategies and actual student learning;
• teach two lessons;
• facilitate tutoring and small group work as determined by cooperating teacher;
• investigate lesson planning and curriculum decision making;
• assist the teacher in various designated classroom activities;
• look at the ways education is influenced by external factors, including socio-economic status, politics, and bureaucracies.

PRACTICUM STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Once notified of his or her practicum placement, the practicum student should:

1. Contact cooperating teacher and set up a schedule.
2. Become familiar with the school system's calendar; the school's policy for signing in and out; parking; the cooperating teacher's daily schedule; the instructional materials used in the classroom; the policies that the cooperating teacher will want you to follow in relation to classroom procedures; the school's administrative structure; the school district and school policy handbook; the physical layout of the school site; and the community.

Documenting Hours: Students must keep a record of hours in the classroom. This log, provided by your practicum instructor, should demonstrate that, by the end of your practicum experience, you have completed the minimum of 45 hours. If you must be absent from school during your scheduled time, you must notify your cooperating teacher as soon as possible.

GUIDELINES FOR THE COOPERATING TEACHER
The Cooperating Teacher is a highly qualified teacher who demonstrates expertise in the classroom, is skilled in interpersonal relationships, and is interested in guiding the Practicum student. The cooperating teacher has one of the most critical roles in the teacher education process by taking in a student and affirming a commitment to promoting the profession. Field experiences are designed to provide teacher preparation students with an opportunity to observe and assist in the professional activities of a teacher.

During the practicum experience, the cooperating teacher acclimates the student to the school environment. It is the cooperating teacher who helps the student feel at ease and accepted by the class, and encourages the student to observe classroom management techniques in addition to key teacher and student behaviors. During this experience, we ask the cooperating teacher to explain the philosophy of the school, department, and program. The student and cooperating teacher should also discuss and plan work responsibilities the student can anticipate during the experience.

COOPERATING TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES
The cooperating teacher should:

1. Prepare your class(es) for the arrival of the practicum student.
2. Acquaint the practicum student with the layout of the school and school routines such as parking, signing in and out of the school building, and health facilities.
3. Share and discuss how you design lesson plans, and reasons for choice of methods, materials and activities you use.
4. Model effective teaching techniques, including how to provide instruction for individual student differences.
5. Allow the student to teach two lessons. We kindly ask that you assist him/her in preparing successful lessons, by discussing how you would like him/her to prepare the lesson, selection of appropriate materials (including audio, visual, and computer-based technology), and the form and content of his/her lesson plans prior to the actual lesson.
6. Introduce the practicum student to other staff and faculty.
7. Explain the classroom management plan, including routines, seating arrangements, student incentives, rules and consequences, general school forms; other standard forms or procedures, hall passes, etc.
8. Explain how the practicum student should contact you and the school if he/she must be absent.
9. Address the following issues as they arise, such as behaviors of individual children in the classroom, behavior dynamics within groups, special needs of individual children, how to motivate individual groups within the class, effective classroom management, and organizational skills.
10. Please do not leave the practicum student alone in the classroom. Student Evaluation: The cooperating teacher will be provided an evaluation form to fill out for the student. The Teacher Preparation Program asks that you fill out the evaluation and either fax (856-225-6617) or send it to us by the designated date. We ask that the cooperating teacher provide constructive feedback, along with suggestions on ways to monitor and adjust teaching techniques before and after each of the two lessons.