FORMAL AGREEMENT CONCERNING FIELD AND PROFESSIONAL
CLINICAL PRACTICE BETWEEN CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY
AND
XXXXX SCHOOL DISTRICT
Field experiences and professional clinical practice at Claflin University, in collaboration with
public and private schools, are designed in accordance with policies, procedures, and standards of
the SC Department of Education, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and
the Claflin University School of Education. These experiences are designed to provide teacher
candidates with skills and competencies necessary for future productive careers in teaching. By
signing, all parties attest to the importance of high quality and professional experiences for
prospective teachers and the students they will ultimately serve and will strive to uphold the
guidelines of this agreement. This agreement is formally authorized between Claflin University
and said school district, and is administered through the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences
in the School of Education at Claflin University and the appropriate district and/or school
office(s) assigned by the school district.
Early Field Experience
Field experiences at Claflin University have been designed in the form of developmental field
based experiences that coincide with university courses. These experiences are designed to
provide candidates with opportunities to connect theory with practice.
Professional Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)
Prior to school placement for professional clinical practice, a candidate must have been accepted
into the teacher education program, passed all required examinations for certification and have a
minimum grade-point average of 2.75.
Claflin University, the School of Education, the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences, the
school district, the assigned school, and the prospective teacher shall be guided by the following:
I.
THE UNIVERSITY
A. The Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences shall solicit available sites
and assignments in schools and districts in surrounding counties, and across the state.
B. The Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences shall confer with the
district’s/school’s designated representative in making assignments, arranging for
candidate’s initial school visit and interview, and in coordinating student teaching
activities during the semester.
C. The Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experience shall furnish all vital
information about the candidate and the candidate’s program, necessary for the principal
or designee to make the best possible match of class and mentor teacher.
D. The Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences will provide orientation for
all school personnel regarding the requirements for serving as a mentor teacher.
E. The Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences shall initiate procedures for
issuing honorariums. For Professional Clinical Practice only, mentor teachers will
receive a stipend that will be issued upon their completion of all contractual obligations.
II.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT/ SCHOOL
A. The superintendent/principal or other designee shall work with the Director of Field and
Clinical Experiences in the orientation of the candidate to the school, and shall be
responsible for follow-up reports required by the school/district.
B. The superintendent/principal shall approve and recommend mentor teachers who are
competent and willing to accept the responsibility of mentoring a prospective teacher.
For Professional Clinical Practice, it may be necessary for a teacher candidate to be
assigned to more than one mentor teacher to ensure adequate exposure to required subject
areas and/or grade levels. For Professional Clinical Practice, each mentor teacher must
have the appropriate certification, a minimum of three years of teaching experience,
recent ADEPT training, and a valid South Carolina professional teaching certificate.
Claflin University reserves the right to refuse to accept a recommended mentor teacher
on the basis of past experience or other disqualifying information.
C. For Professional Clinical Practice, the mentor teacher must attend Claflin University’s
Professional Clinical Practice orientation and training session for supervisors.
D. The mentor teacher shall monitor closely the professional clinical practice process during
the semester and shall, through collaboration with the University Supervisor, and the
Director of the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences make on-going decisions
necessary for candidates to receive the greatest benefit possible from the experience.
III.
UNIVERSITY SUPERVISORS
Faculty members from Claflin University who assist, develop, observe, monitor, and evaluate students
in professional clinical experiences must have current ADEPT (Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating
Professional Teaching) Training and have experience in supervision and advanced study in the field
that they are supervising.
A. The University Supervisor will work closely with school personnel and the mentor
teacher to guide and evaluate the work of the candidate during professional clinical
practice.
B. The University Supervisor will work closely with the Director of the Office of Field and
Clinical Experiences to monitor the progress of candidates and to provide feedback on
the professional field experience site.
C. The University Supervisor will participate in training on completing all evaluation
documents and reports as a part of professional field experience.
IV.
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING
A. Mentor Teachers
 Claflin University will provide an orientation and training session for all mentor
teachers each semester.
B. Orientation to Professional Clinical Practice
 Claflin University will provide each teacher candidate with appropriate
orientation sessions. Each candidate is provided a Professional Clinical
Practice Handbook and must be given access to all governing documents of
the school and the school district.
V.
MENTOR TEACHER AND CLINICAL SUPERVISOR EVALUATIONS
A. Claflin University and the public schools share joint responsibility for the selection,
training, and evaluation of mentor teachers according to this agreement. The mentor
teacher will be evaluated by the clinical supervisor and, in turn, will evaluate the clinical
supervisor at the end of the candidate’s clinical experience each semester. Appropriate
forms for both evaluations will be provided during training sessions.
VI.
EVALUATIONS
A. Teacher candidates who participate in clinical experiences in field experiences or
professional clinical practice will be evaluated by the mentor teacher. These evaluations
are to be submitted to the Director of Clinical Experiences and course instructor.
VII.
THE USE OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS IN THE ABSENCE OF MENTOR
TEACHERS
A. In the event a mentor teacher is absent, a substitute will be employed in accordance with
school district policy. Teacher candidates may not act as substitute teachers, nor can they
receive compensation as substitute teachers.
VIII.
DUAL ASSIGMENT (PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL EXPERIENCE)
A. For students enrolled in Professional Clinical Practice, dual mentor teacher assignments
must be approved by Claflin University and the school/district. The prospective teacher
must spend approximately on half of the sixty (60) day minimum requirement in with
each mentor teacher. Both mentor teachers will participate in the evaluation process
overseen by the Office of Field and Clinical Experiences.
IX.
COMMUNICATION NETWORK FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION
A. Should problems arise involving a Claflin University prospective teacher involved in
field experience or professional clinical practice, the mentor teacher or other school
representative should contact the Director of Field and Clinical Experiences. Should
problems arise involving a mentor teacher or other school personnel, the prospective
teacher should contact the Director of Field and Clinical Experiences. The appropriate
school personnel and Director of Field and Clinical Experiences will meet to negotiate
solutions and resolve problems and conflicts.
X.
THE PROSPECTIVE TEACHER
A. The prospective teacher shall abide by the policies and procedures of the field experience
or professional clinical practice, the school and district, and Claflin University for the
duration of the experience.
B. The prospective teacher shall be professional at all times and shall provide timely notice
of an absence or tardy arrival to the mentor teacher and course instructor.
C. In the case of Professional Clinical Practice, the prospective teacher shall attend and
participate in functions normally required of his/her mentor teacher, unless otherwise
instructed. The prospective teacher is not expected to attend or participate in activities
for which the mentor teacher receives an additional stipend.
D. The teacher candidate shall display high ethical and professional decorum at all times-in
dress and in all other matters.
E. The teacher candidate shall follow the calendar of the assigned school except for specific
university functions that are identified at the beginning of the semester. It is the
responsibility of the teacher candidate to inform the school and mentor teacher regarding
scheduled university related activities in a timely manner.
F.
The teacher candidate will have completed a background check as mandated by the South
Carolina State Department of Education before starting their professional clinical
experience.
Revision of Agreement
Any signatory to this agreement may suggest revisions to be included in any future
agreements.
Claflin University
School District
___________________________
President
_____________________________
Superintendent
______________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs
________________________________
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
_______________________________
Dean, School of Education
________________________________
Director of Professional Clinical
Experiences