State University of New York
Graduate School of Education
SPED 590: Pre-Service Practicum and Seminar in Special Education
SPED 595: In-Service Practicum and Seminar in Special Education
Spring, 2012
Academic Bldg A, G19
Thursdays, 4:25-7pm
Faculty:
Office:
Phone:
L. Mason-Williams, PhD.
Academic B, 229 B
607-777-6693 (office)
410-292-4744 (cell)
Office Hours: Thursdays, 2 - 4 pm, or by appointment
Email:
lmason-williams@binghamton.edu
The Practicum is the culminating experience for graduate students in Special Education, having
completed the majority of their coursework prior to this course. The Practicum is designed to
provide opportunities to further develop and to demonstrate competence as a special education
teacher, and to receive feedback in the school setting. Practicum Students are observed teaching
at least four times during the semester by an assigned supervisor. In addition to the Practicum,
students must participate in an on-going seminar, meant to complement the Practicum
experience. The seminar will include discussions, readings, and activities related to the
Practicum experience, and will provide a place for students to critically reflect on the Practicum
experience. Early in the semester, each student will assess him/herself and set objectives for the
semester. Some seminar topics will be chosen from needs identified in self-assessments. The
seminar will also serve as a place for students to receive feedback and support related to
Capstone Intervention Projects.
Textbooks
Readings are posted on Blackboard, and readings from prior courses may be re-assigned. No new
textbooks are required.
Grading
Final grades for the Practicum are Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Assignments will be graded as
Satisfactory (or OK) or Revise. All assignments must be completed satisfactorily to receive a
passing grade for the course. If you are having difficulty with any aspect of written or field
work, please meet with your University Supervisor or with me ASAP.
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Seminar & Practicum Expectations
The Seminar and Practicum Expectations are described below. Additional information can be
found in the Practicum Handbook or will be provided by the instructor or the supervisors.
* Note #1: Practicum Evaluations are based on performance, not effort. Everyone puts forth a
great deal of effort during field experiences and in classes. Those who do not put forth a
great deal of effort typically do not manage to complete the experience. Despite the great
efforts which are put forth by all, not all performances are equal. Some students are
exceptional in their performance while others are satisfactory. Your evaluations will be
based on your performance, i.e., your performance in the classroom, your performance
on written lesson plans, and your ability to display appropriate professional attributes.
** Note #2: Portfolio/Capstone Projects MUST be written according to APA style. Papers
submitted should be typed using Times New Roman Font, size 12, double-spaced, with 1inch margins.
***Note #3: Students should always use person-first language, both orally and in writing.
Professional Student Behavior
The Practicum Experience and the Seminar also include a requirement of professionalism.
Professionalism includes regular attendance and active participation. Individual response,
partnering, and small and large group instruction are frequent expectations of the class. Student
participation is reflected in promptness, attention to the topic being discussed, listening to fellow
students, providing and initiating appropriate discussion, giving solid effort on all projects,
submitting projects and assignments when due, showing respect and courtesy to fellow students
and the instructors, and acting in a manner reflective of an adult student and professional
educator. Consequences for not meeting this expectation may include the completion of a
Disposition Flag Sheet.
Course Readings
Frequently, readings will be assigned to help foster discussion during seminar and to compliment
the Practicum Experience. The readings will be posted to the Blackboard course website and will
come from current media and professional journals. All readings should be completed prior to
class on the assigned day.
Practicum Placement/Student Teaching
The Practicum/Student Teaching experience provides an opportunity for an individual to be
mentored and supported as he or she moves from university student to classroom teacher. During
the experience, it is expected that the Practicum Student will participate fully in the teaching
experience, including planning, encouraging, and evaluating student learning. Specific
requirements for Practicum Students/Student Teachers are outlined in the Practicum Handbook.
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Letter to Families
At the beginning of the Practicum/Student Teaching Placement, a letter of introduction should be
sent home to students in the classrooms you will be completing your experience. The letter
should be reviewed by your cooperating teacher, your supervisor, and/or an administrator for
feedback.
Emergency Contact Information Sheet*
At the beginning of the Practicum/Student Teaching Placement, all students should complete the
Emergency Contact sheet found on the course Blackboard website. This form will provide the
Mentor Teacher and your placement school important contact information in the case of an
emergency. The form should be given to the Mentor Teacher and to the school office by the end
of the first week of the Placement (Feb. 3rd).
*This is not a requirement for on-the-job Practicum Students, unless they never completed a
similar form for their school.
Lesson Plans
During the Practicum Experience, it is expected that formal, detailed lesson plans will be written
for all lessons taught, at least in the beginning1. An example lesson is included in the Practicum
Handbook and a blank form is provided on the course Blackboard website. As the Practicum
progresses, the cooperating teacher and the supervisor may determine that more informal, less
detailed lesson plans may be used. This decision should be made during 3-way conversations
following an observation.
Note: Lesson plans must be approved by your cooperating teacher by the day before a lesson.
Lesson plans written for an observation should be emailed to your supervisor the evening before
your lesson.
Practicum Observations/Evaluations
Each Practicum Student/Student Teacher will be observed conducting a lesson on at least four
occasions. Important goals of the first observation are for your University Supervisor to learn
about your context and your style of teaching, and for you to learn about our style of supervision.
The goal of all observations is to provide you with formative feedback and for you to
demonstrate your growing competence as a teacher. The videotaped lesson can “count” as one
demonstration (see information below) if it does not duplicate a lesson your University
Supervisor has observed in person.
You are responsible for scheduling your observations, a 5-10 min pre-observation conference
(when possible) to orient the University Supervisor to your lesson and materials, and follow-up
conference (30-45 min) to critically reflect on your teaching (what went well, what could be
improved, and how). The post-observation conference should be immediately after your lesson or
at the end of the day. Observations, written feedback, and conferences usually will focus on the
following areas:
 context of instruction (attention to setting of instruction, size of group, diversity of ability
in group, specific disabilities, ages of students)
 content of instruction (relevance to IEP, LRE, NYS Learning Standards, teacher's content
1 Students completing student teaching “on the job” may be exempted from this expectation. This requirement is at
the discretion of the University Supervisor and may be determined based on performance during an observation.
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area knowledge and sources of information)
 teaching strategies (balance of systematic and learner-centered; connections to individual
interests, culture, learning styles/intelligences; appropriate adaptations and/or
modifications)
 style of instruction/interactions
 effectiveness of instruction (based on beginning benchmarks, lesson objectives,
assessment of student learning in this lesson)
*For every scheduled observation, please prepare a folder that includes the lesson plan, IEPs-ata-Glance for students in your class/group, and copies of any student materials needed to
understand the lesson. The folder and your Practicum Journal (see below) should be given to the
University Supervisor at the beginning of your lesson for review.
Videotaped Lesson
Each Practicum Student will share a 10-min segment of a videotaped lesson during an assigned
day of seminar (see seminar calendar). The lesson and video do not need to be perfect! Please
provide copies of your lesson plan and IEPs-at-a-Glance for each member of your assigned
group. Format for the video may include a VCR tape, a CD/DVD, or a digital file.
Note: You MUST have photo releases for students with disabilities in your video (keep these for
your records). Getting signed releases usually takes longer than expected, so please start early. If
your school doesn’t already have a release on file, a sample is on Blackboard.
Practicum Journal
Each day throughout the Practicum, students should spend 5-10 minutes journaling about the
experience. Journal entries may include reflections on anything related to the Practicum
Experience, including the planning or teaching process, classroom management, professional
issues, etc. The journal can also be a place to reflect on the intervention selected for the CIP and
data analysis. Journals should be shared with the supervisor during observations.
BU Practicum Evaluation
The Graduate School of Education at BU requires all student teachers, cooperating teachers2, and
university supervisors to complete a Practicum Evaluation Form. During seminar, students will
review this brief assessment throughout the semester to self-evaluate their teaching practice. At
the final observation, student teachers, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors should
bring their completed form for review and discussion. University supervisors will collect these
forms and submit them to Lucky at the end of semester.
Seminar Folder
The seminar folder is meant to help practicum students as they transition into the special
education teaching profession. It also provides a way for practicum students to demonstrate the
competencies expected of a special education teacher as defined by the faculty in special
education at BU (see included list on pages 10-11). While there are several specific requirements
for inclusion in the portfolio, practicum students should personalize the folder by including
2 Students completing the practicum “on the job” and who do not have an assigned mentor teacher will not have an
evaluation completed by a cooperating teacher and will therefore only have 2 forms submitted at the completion of
the semester.
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artifacts created during their placements and coursework. The format of the Seminar Folder is at
the discretion of the student- it may be a 2-pocket folder, a binder, a file box, a website, etc. Be
creative! Students may bring their completed Seminar Folder to seminar at any point during the
semester for feedback, review, and show & tell! 
Specific Requirements:
1. Resume
2. Reference list (and any collected reference letters)
3. Student IEP (remove any identifying information; see below for more detail)
4. Student FBA/BIP (remove any identifying information; see below for more detail)
5. Sample lesson plans
6. Evidence of collaboration with families, teachers, and staff
7. Statement of teaching philosophy (see below for more detail)
8. Teaching Standards Essay (see below for more detail)
More Details:
 Student IEP and FBA/BIP: Case management and assessment of student strengths and
needs is a significant part of the role of the special educator. Inclusion of how you were
able to do these things to create an IEP and an FBA/BIP provides a way to document your
ability to perform these responsibilities. Please make sure to remove all individually
identifiable information, including: student name, school name, and IEP Team member
names. For students completing student teaching as a content area teacher, please work
with a special education teacher in your school to identify a student for which you could
take the lead in these responsibilities.
 Lesson Plans: Select a variety of lessons to document how you:
o Used evidence-based practices
o Infused technology
o Aligned standards-based instruction with IEP goals
o Included assistive technology
 Statement of Teaching Philosophy: Practicum students should be prepared to summarize
their teaching philosophy in 3-5 minutes during an interview or in discussions with other
professionals. To prepare for this challenge, practicum students should write a 5-7
sentence statement describing their teaching philosophy.
 NY State Teaching Standards Essay: As a culminating assignment, practicum students
will write a 5-7 page essay reflecting on the New York State Teaching Standards. This
assignment is meant to assist students as they prepare for interviews with administrators
as it helps them to gain familiarity with the standards and to describe clearly how they
have demonstrated meeting each standard through their teaching practice during the
practicum. An outline and additional instructions will be provided during seminar.
Students in SPED 590: Portfolio
The final Portfolio for students in the Childhood & Early Childhood Education program consists
of two components: a selection of student work and a reflective essay. More specific information
is provided in the Student Teaching Handbook.
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Students in SPED 595: Capstone Intervention Project
This semester students will complete the Capstone Intervention Project (CIP). The CIP requires a
Practicum Student to reflect on an area of need within their placement and determine an
appropriate intervention. More specific information is provided in the Practicum Handbook and
will be discussed throughout seminar.
University Policies
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students who have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations
should contact Dr. Mason-Williams as soon as possible to explore alternative arrangements in
completing assignments or taking exams for this class. Additional assistance also is available
through the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 777-2686. Their office
is at UU-119. The SSD office makes formal recommendations regarding necessary and
appropriate accommodations based on your specific diagnosed disability. Information about
your disability will be treated in a confidential manner.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Binghamton University enforces a Code of Academic Honesty. All members of the University
community have the responsibility to maintain and foster a condition and an atmosphere of
academic integrity. Specifically, this requires that all classroom, laboratory, and written work
for which a person claims credit, is in fact that person’s own work. The University Student
Handbook publication has detailed information on academic integrity.
Students assume responsibility for the content and integrity of the academic work they submit.
Students are in violation of academic honesty if they incorporate into their written or oral
reports any unacknowledged published or unpublished or oral material from the work of
another (plagiarism); or if they use, request, or give unauthorized assistance in any academic
work (cheating). (SOE Academic Honesty Policies)
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in this class. Incidents of either will result in a
failing grade for the assignment in question. Please see me if you have questions concerning
what constitutes cheating or plagiarism.
CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
The faculty and staff in the School of Education are committed to serving all enrolled
students. The intention is to create an intellectually stimulating, safe, respectful and enjoyable
class atmosphere. In return, I expect that each of you will honor and respect the opinions and
feelings of your fellow students.
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Tentative Seminar Schedule
Date
2/2
2/9
Topic/Activity
Seminar Overview; Self-Evaluation
Reading/Activity Due
Review Practicum Handbook &
NY State Teacher Standards
(posted to Blackboard)
Individualization, Intervention, & Problem
Solving in Special Education
Visit the Doing What Works
website: http://dww.ed.gov
Find & view the module: Using
Student Achievement Data to
Support Instructional
Decision Making
2/16
Individualization, Intervention, & Problem
Solving in Special Education (cont’d)
Read 2 pdf files posted to
Blackboard:
The ABCs of Evidence-Based
Practice for Teachers and A
Practioner’s Guide to
Consultation & Problem Solving in
Inclusive Settings
2/23
SPED 595 only: Capstone Intervention Project
Read 1 article from file Examples
of Classroom Intervention
Research on Blackboard
3/1*
SPED 590 only: Portfolio
*date subject to change
TBD
3/8
Finding a job: Resumes, interviews, and more!
Visit the website
www.specialedcareeers.org
Find & read the page: The
successful candidates
3/15
No class meeting!
3/22
VIDEO NIGHT! (Group A)
3/29
VIDEO NIGHT! (Group B)
4/5
VIDEO NIGHT! (Group C)
4/12
No class- BOCES Spring Break
4/19
Capstone Project/Portfolio Work Night
View & prepare 10 minute video
clip; self-evaluate performanceform posted to Blackboard
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TBD
Date
Topic/Activity
Reading/Activity Due
4/26
TBD
TBD
5/3
TBD: Debriefing? Poster Presentation
Practice? Binder Sharing?
SPED 595: CIP Posters!
5/10
Research Forum/Celebration
SPED 595: CIP Research paper
FYI…
SPED 590
Jessica McKinney
Christina Buholski
Anthony Corvino
Hope Eaton
Lorissa Witkowski
Beth Slater
Becca Lou Herbert
Casey Doyle
Jessica Heeb
Heidi Nichols
Video Night Groups!
A
Jonah Freedman
Beth Slater
Jessica Heeb
Heidi Nichols
Anthony Corvino
Hope Eaton
Andrea Beckwith
SPED 595
Leslie Dauphinais
Andrea Beckwith
Kevin Bates
Lauren Sege
Jonah Freedman
Kirsten Southard
Dan Brink
Laura Carden
Katie Romeo
Chad Freije
Krista O’Donnell
Rychelle Calvey
B
Jessica McKinney
Christina Buholski
Lorissa Witkowski
Casey Doyle
Rychelle Calvey
Krista O’Donnell
Katie Romeo
Krista O’Donnell
BU Special Education Program
Overview of Competencies
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C
Leslie Dauphinais
Kevin Bates
Lauren Sege
Kirsten Southard
Laura Carden
Chad Freije
Dan Brink
The Integration of Theory, Research, and/or Legal Foundations. The use of theory, research,
and/or legal foundations is critical to all aspects of the professional practice of teaching.
Students must be able to demonstrate in their portfolio that what they do and how they
think are grounded in the body of knowledge of education, related social sciences, and
state/federal law. This is accomplished through discussion of and reference to published
theory, research, and law as it relates to your own practice.
Diversity. Awareness and responsiveness to diversity in race, class, gender, culture and
language are essential to becoming an effective teacher. Although these issues impact on
all aspects of education, they have particular relevance to educators working with
children identified as having special educational needs. This item requires documentation
that identifies and addresses issues of diversity and their specific relationship to special
education.
Collaboration with Staff. Successful collaboration with a general education teacher and/or
related service provider(s) is essential for a well-coordinated, student-centered
educational program. Collaboration involves the following aspects: communication
about student performance and instructional strategies, collaborative lesson planning, role
release, and cooperative or team teaching.
Collaboration with Families. Working together with families in the education of children and
youth is seen as an important component of good teacher practice. Graduates of this
program must demonstrate that they are able to undertake direct interaction in shared
decision making on a co-equal basis with the parent(s) or surrogate parent(s) of a student
as they work toward mutually acceptable goals. Collaboration occurs during formal
IEP/transition planning, as well as in day-to-day practice and interactions.
Least Restrictive Environment. A challenge for all teachers is to help ensure that all children
and youth with disabilities have opportunities for education with students who are not
disabled, and that special education, including supplementary aids and services, is
designed to support students in those integrated settings, in keeping with state and
federal law. Addressing the LRE requirement may involve a range of strategies, such as
designing a transition plan, assessing regular education environments, designing supports
needed for student success in integrated settings, and/or directly providing those supports
in collaboration with other members of the educational team.
Assessment and IEP Development. Special educators interpret normative and content-based
assessments, administer a variety of diagnostic evaluations, construct assessments to
evaluate student progress, identify and implement appropriate testing modifications and
accommodations, and use assessment information to develop and provide appropriate
programs and services through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. To
be complete, an IEP must include present levels of performance; annual goals and shortterm instructional objectives; evaluation criteria; description of appropriate programs and
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services in the least restrictive environment (LRE); timelines for all services; and other
guidelines for providing related services, adaptive devices, instructional technology, and
testing modifications. These components should be logically related to one another and to
assessment results, and written in language that all team members can understand.
Instruction. Special educators provide standards-based instruction tailored to meet the unique
strengths and needs of their students by infusing evidence-based practices, assistive and
instructional technology, and IEP goals. Documentation of effective instruction will
include a videotape of approximately 20 minutes, providing a demonstration of activities
you have planned and developed for a heterogeneous group of students. The video should
include both yourself and your students. Provide a lesson plan that shows the relationship
of this lesson to the IEP for at least one student and to the New York State Standards.
Also provide a guide to direct the viewer of the tape. (NOTE: Although many VCR’s
have digital counters, these have proven unreliable to direct viewers to specific sections
of video.)
Conflict-Resolution/Problem-Solving/Positive Behavior Intervention. Conflict-resolution,
problem-solving, and positive behavior intervention involving teachers, other
professionals, students, and/or parents is fundamental to dealing with the complexities of
today’s schools. These approaches involve similar processes, including identification and
ownership of the issue; a sensitivity to issues of power and control; application of a
conflict resolution, problem-solving, or positive behavior intervention paradigm; and
evaluation of results with a plan for follow-up action.
Special Education Technology. Special educators use a variety of assistive and instructional
technologies to support individual learners and to promote learning. Technology in
Special Education encompasses many different applications that support universal design
and access including, but not limited to, computer software design, computer assisted
instruction, computer curriculum adaptations, hardware modifications, assistive devices,
augmentative communication, language technology (e.g., computer translation of print to
Braille), video and multi-media applications, and information networking.
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