Roles and Responsibilities

The practicum student, cooperating professional, and university supervisor each have specific roles and responsibilities.  While some of these responsibilities overlap, some all distinct to each person.  It is important that everyone understand what is expected of them in the practicum experience.  

Practicum Student

Professional Behaviors

1. Complete all task responsibilities in a timely fashion, as independently as possible, and at the professional level of a master’s student.
2. Follow policies and practices of the individual practicum site in a professional manner: dress, arrival and departure times, and confidentiality.
3. Understand and respect the individual needs of the children.
4. Work with the university supervisor and the cooperating professional in planning experiences, strategies, and observation techniques.
5. Develop an attitude of inquiry, independent thinking, and respect for alternative approaches.
6. Assume responsibility for, and an active role in, furthering own professional development.
7. Make active use of cooperating professional and university supervisor as facilitators of professional growth.
8. Facilitate open communication between self, university supervisor, and cooperating professional.
9. Respect the needs of the cooperating professional in balancing professional responsibilities to children and to the practicum student.
10. Use cooperating professional’s preferred communication lines between professional, support staff, and families.
    

Task Responsibilities

1. Complete Student Information Form.
2. Maintain records from the practicum setting, including all observation and supervision feedback, as well as lesson plans, calendars, etc.
3. With the assistance of the cooperating professional and the university supervisor, plan and implement a schedule of guided observation at the beginning of the practicum experience (first two weeks).  Complete at least three Observation Guides.
4. Complete Competency Rating Scale at the beginning, middle, and end of semester, to coincide with the 3-way meetings.
5. Hold the initial 3-way meeting with cooperating professional and university supervisor to discuss, negotiate, and agree on goals for the semester. During this meeting, fill out the Semester Calendar and Contract Checklist.
6. Submit written lesson/session plans for all activities: (1) during the first month or until approved by the cooperating professional and the university supervisor, (2) for each observation session with the university supervisor, and (3) during the two weeks of "take over."
7. Submit all lesson/session plans to the cooperating professional for approval/evaluation prior to implementation with the children. Copies of lesson plans should be kept in an agreed-upon location (e.g., binder or cloud storage).
8. Check with the cooperating professional at the beginning of each day to make sure that you are prepared and to obtain suggestions for improvement.
9. Allow time at the end of each day for informal discussion.
10. Participate in a minimum of two extra activities to be held outside practicum hours (e.g., parent meetings, parent conferences, staff or in-service meetings).
11. Set aside a specific time each week for feedback/sharing with the cooperating professional, and for reviewing Semester Calendar.
12. Participate in all planning meetings, preparation sessions, and evaluation on a daily and weekly basis.
13. Maintain records of all meetings with cooperating professional and/or university supervisor.
14. When ill, contact the cooperating professional as soon as possible. If an observation is scheduled, contact the university supervisor as well.
15. Schedule pre-observation and post-observation meetings for each observation conducted by the university supervisor. These meetings should be held within 24 hours of the observation.  Complete all forms required for each observation (Request for Observation Form, Lesson/Session Plan, and Lesson/Session Reflection).
16. Take full responsibility for preparation and teaching for the “takeover” time period designated by the team.
17. Participate in midterm and final 3-way conferences with the cooperating professional and university supervisor.
18. Attend practicum seminar and complete all required activities.
19. Keep track of hours worked on the Timesheet, and, if applicable, EI Supervision Verification Form.  Also obtain required signatures.
20. Contact university supervisor or program coordinator immediately if you have a problem with assignments or anything else.
21. Request a letter of recommendation from the cooperating professional and the university supervisor.
22. Provide feedback on the practicum site, cooperating professional, and university supervisor using the forms provided at the end of the semester.
    

Cooperating Professional

Professional Behaviors

1. Provide the student with experience in as many components of the cooperating professional’s role as possible.
2. Share with the student rationales for different experiences required of them.
3. Vary requirements to meet the particular student’s needs and experience level.
4. Hold the student responsible for carrying out any task assigned.
5. Provide the student with time for structured observation of other professionals (e.g., teachers or related service providers).
6. Model behaviors and attitudes desired of the student.
7. Support the student’s completion of course and practicum assignments.
8. Encourage the student to think of university supervisor as a supporter of learning.
9. Encourage the student to examine their own behavior and development.
10. Focus feedback on the student’s strengths; give suggestions for professional growth.
11. Recognize and communicate own strengths and areas of need.
12. Help the student to evaluate the university supervisor’s feedback in terms of the classroom situation.
    

Task Responsibilities

1. Participate in the supervision in-service provided by the university for cooperating professionals and university supervisors. 
2. Review all information provided about practicum procedures and guidelines.
3. Meet with the university supervisor(s) to discuss practicum procedures.
4. Develop written role description for adults in classroom; include responsibilities for student’s assumption of cooperating professional’s role at the end of the semester (i.e., “takeover”).
5. Introduce the student to the setting: facilities, services, personnel.
6. Discuss with the student the classroom population, your own background and philosophy, and the philosophy of program and classroom.
7. Share the written policies of the site.
8. Provide to the student and university supervisor any lesson/session plan, IEP/IFSP, or other forms used at the site.
9. With the university supervisor, structure for the student a 1- to 2-week initial observation schedule at beginning of the semester.
10. 10.  Hold an initial 3-way meeting with student and university supervisor to discuss, negotiate, and agree on goals for the semester, and to develop the Semester Calendar for the student, which should include: school/site calendar, course assignments, practicum assignments, and cooperating professional assignments.
11. Discuss with the student the written observations made during first week of practicum.
12. 12.  Review with the student all lesson/session plans developed during the first month or until plans consistently meet university supervisor and cooperating professional’s approval.
13. Regularly evaluate a sample of the lesson/session plans provided by the student.
14. Check with the student before each school day or home visit to be sure they are prepared and to give suggestions if necessary.
15. Allow time after each school day or home visit for informal discussion of the day.
16. Formally observe the student at least once per week, providing written feedback.  Informally observe daily whenever possible.
17. Set aside a specific time each week for feedback, sharing, and reviewing the student’s semester calendar.
18. Provide copies of all written feedback to student, to be accessible to the student and to the university supervisor.
19. Encourage the student to keep notes on major topics, issues, and questions discussed during all feedback sessions with the university supervisor or cooperating professional.
20. Maintain the flow of information between the student, university supervisor, and cooperating professional.
21. Involve the student in weekly classroom team meetings to plan for the following week.
22. Inform the student immediately of any change of schedule which will influence their planning.
23. Provide the student opportunities to participate in 3-4 extra professional activities per semester.
24. Contact the university supervisor or program coordinator immediately if there is a problem with the student, assignments, or anything else.
25. Participate in three 3-way meetings and prepare required forms for those meetings.
26. Write a recommendation letter for employment if requested by the student.

University Supervisor

The university supervisor is typically a doctoral student who has had practical experience in an early childhood special education setting. The university supervisor is the primary contact person for the cooperating professional and practicum student. The university supervisor is directly responsible to the ECSE program coordinator.

Professional Behaviors

1. Complete all task responsibilities in a timely fashion.
2. Serve as a negotiator between student and cooperating professional, balancing advocacy regarding the student’s maximum assumption of the professional’s roles against recognition of the professional’s responsibilities and site policies.
3. Foster in the student an attitude of inquiry, independent thinking, and respect for alternative approaches.
4. Work cooperatively with the cooperating professional and student in planning experiences to promote student progress.
5. Encourage student to think of cooperating professional as a mentor and source of learning.
6. Tailor supervision of student around clinical supervision model, including pre-planning, observation, and feedback. 
7. Focus feedback on strengths; give suggestions for growth.
8. Provide to the student, as needed, resources or sources of information related to practicum responsibilities.
9. Tailor suggestions and requirements resulting from observations to the parameters of setting in which the student is working.
10. Participate in supervision in-service(s) with cooperating professionals.
    

Task Responsibilities

1. Organize supervision procedures and materials.
2. Introduce students to supervision procedures.
3. Develop, in conjunction with each cooperating professional, an initial observation schedule to introduce student to placement during the first 1-2 weeks.
4. Develop a supervision schedule for every-other-week observation/discussion with each student, as well as beginning, mid-term, and end of the semester 3-way meetings.
5. Hold an initial 3-way meeting with student and cooperating professional to discuss, negotiate, and agree on goals for the semester, and to develop the Semester Calendar for the student, which should include: school/site calendar, course assignments, practicum assignments, and cooperating professional assignments.
6. Review with the student all lesson/session plans developed during the first month or until plans consistently meet university supervisor and cooperating professional’s approval.
7. Observe student and give verbal feedback as soon after observation as possible.
8. Provide copies of all written feedback to student, to be accessible to student and cooperating professional.
9. Maintain records of all forms and feedback related to each student.
10. Check informally with cooperating professional every other week about student’s progress.
11. Hold the midterm 3-way meeting with student and cooperating professional to discuss progress and renegotiate activities to be accomplished.
12. Hold the final 3-way meeting with student and cooperating professional to discuss progress in terms of accomplishments, strengths, and needs.
13. Schedule additional 3-way meetings as needed or requested by student or cooperating professional.
14. Contact student and cooperating professional at least one day in advance if there is a change in schedule.
15. Provide student with a letter of reference for employment, if requested.
16. Meet regularly with other supervisors and program coordinator to discuss supervision.
17. Schedule joint observations with program coordinator to obtain feedback on supervision skills, as needed.
18. Request additional observation/feedback from program coordinator as needed.