California State University Northridge
Michael D. Eisner College of Education
Department of Elementary Education
ITEP
First Semester Student Teaching
Early Field Experience Guidelines
Time Requirements:
Because you are taking EED 477B and EED 578A concurrently, you need to complete 40 hours of early
field experience before student teaching officially begins. Twenty hours must be completed during
literacy time and follows the O/P guidelines for EED 477B that you will receive from your professor for
that class. Twenty hours are attached to the student teaching experience.
You will need to arrange what time is spent in the classroom with your teacher and what time you will
spend outside the classroom researching the elements of the assignment. We encourage you to team up
with other student teachers at your school site to complete elements of the experience, especially when
you are asked to find out about various programs and offerings in the community and school.
EED 578A Early Field Experience Requirements (20 Hours)
Meet Your Teacher
 Schedule a time after school to meet with your teacher and share the expectations for your Early
Field Experience.
 Discuss when you can be available to observe the children in the classroom and set a schedule
with your teacher. Once agreed upon, if there are any changes, let your teacher know in advance.
Know Your Community and School
 Tour the community. Note resources that are available - public library? Places to take walking
fieldtrips – police station? fire station? Note the local businesses that the children will be familiar
with – markets? Fast food restaurants? Gas stations? (you can reference these in math lessons)
Note the housing in the community – single dwelling houses? Apartments? Public housing? Note
recreation opportunities for children – Parks? Skateparks? Playgrounds?
 Resources for parents and families. What resources are there in the community for parents?
Through the public library? Sherriff’s office? Parks and recreation department? Is there a Parent
Center at your school? What services do they offer?
 Tour the school. Note the location of the lunchroom, office, restrooms (children’s and adults’),
book room, resource room, duplicating facilities, library, computer lab. Also, familiarize yourself
with procedures for signing in and out of the school each day.
Know the Children You Will Work With
 Become familiar with the total classroom program, routines, schedules, and resources. Interview
your teacher and observe the behavior management system your teacher uses.
 Learn the names of students in your class, make a seating chart, note specific English Language
Levels identified by testing.
 Identify who the identified Special Needs learners are in the classroom. If children are receiving
additional assistance from Special Education teachers, observe how that assistance takes place,
especially as it relates to the teaching of language arts and math.
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Learn your children’s strengths and needs in Language Arts and Math.
Observe instructional programs in reading/language arts, ELD, and mathematics.
Gather data on the social relationships among children in the classroom.
PACT Teaching Event Context Information
 Refer to your PACT Handbook to determine if you have gathered enough information to be able
to complete the Context portion of your Teaching Event. If you have questions, email your
seminar instructor.
Technology Resources
 Identify technology resources that are available for you to use as you teach language arts and
math – in your classroom, in a school computer lab, in a computer resource room? What
hardware, peripherals, and software is available to you? Can you check out resources and bring
them to the classroom?
Reporting Your Results
Keep a journal, tracking what you learn about your classroom, your school and your community. Submit
a copy of the journal to your university supervisor during the first week of student teaching. A Time Log
(see the next page) should be included as part of the journal (see next page).
EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCE LOG
EED 578A
Name: ________________________________________ Semester/Year: ________________________
Date
Teacher
School
Time In/Out
Number
of hours
Teacher
Initials
Date
Community Activity
School
Time –
Beginning/End
Number
of hours
University
Supervisor
Initials