INTEGRATED TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
EED/SPED 579 Student Teaching Seminar
September Experience
Fall 2002
Directions for the September Experience Binder
The purpose of the "September Experience" is to provide student teachers the opportunity
to observe and participate in the opening of a school year. As a part of this Experience
students examine the context for teaching, the students, the school and the community,
and become familiar with district and school site policies and procedures. Each candidate
is responsible for preparing a "September Experience" binder organized around the
following four areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Characteristics of the student population and the community
School programs and services for students and their families
District and site-based policies and procedures
Effective classroom strategies for beginning school.
Each section of the binder is to include comprehensive responses to focus questions that
demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during this experience. All written entries
are to be typed with appropriate grammar and spelling. Statements should be thoughtful
reflections that analyze as well as describe practice. The "September Experience" binder
should document your work and what is important to you in the opening of a school year.
1. Characteristics of the Student Population and Community
Class Information
1. Number of students in my class:
2. Approximate age range of my students:
3. Ethnic groups represented among my students (check all that apply):
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Asian
Pacific Islander
Filipino
Hispanic
Black, not Hispanic
White, not Hispanic
Multiracial
Other
4. Languages other than English spoken by my students:
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5. Number of my students who are English proficient:
6. Number of my students who are English language learners:
7. The primary languages spoken in the homes of my students:
8. Special needs represented among my students:
Blind or visually impaired
Developmentally disabled
Gifted
Physically disabled
Emotionally or behaviorally disabled
Other
Deaf or hearing impaired
Learning disabled
Speech impaired
9. Other information I want to know about my students to help me to better teach them.
Community Information
1. Do the students in my school come from the local neighborhood?
2. If students come from elsewhere, what brings them to the school?
3.
How would I describe the school neighborhood? (Are there defining landmarks? Where do
people shop? Worship? Gather?)
4. What is the relationship between the school and the surrounding community? (Does the
school have partnerships with business? Are there local off campus before-school and/or after-school
programs? Is the site used after school hours for enrichment programs? Adult education? Is there an active
school site council, PTA?)
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5. What community resources are available to support student learning? (e.g., fire station, post
office, public library)
6. What have I learned about the community that will help me to better teach my students.?
2. School Programs and Services for Students and Their Families
1. My school is (check those that apply):
Title I schoolwide program:
Charter School:
Magnet School:
Professional Development School:
Schoolwide bilingual program - Which languages?
Language immersion school - Which languages?
Other - Describe:
2. My school has (check those that apply)
Multi-age/Multi-grade classes:
Teaching teams:
Support Staff:
Counselors
Instructional assistants
School psychologist
School nurse
3.
My site uses the following school-wide programs/curricula (e.g., "Principles of Learning",
Open Court).
4. What is the mission for my school?
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Describe the following:
5. Resources that are available to assist students who are English language learners.
6. Resources that are available to assist students who have disabilities (e.g., RSP or SDC
programs).
7. Services provided to students before, during or after school (e.g., homework club,
recreation program).
8. Services provided to families before, during or after school (e.g., parenting classes,
family literacy programs).
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3. School Policies and Procedures
1. Where do you sign in? Where should you park?
2. What is the absence policy for teachers? What does your teacher want you to do in
case of absences?
3. What are the official school policies and procedures for teachers who work at the
school?
 Is there a teacher handbook of policies?
 What are emergency procedures in case of earthquake, fire?
 What are the student health procedures
 What are the procedures for using different facilities at the school?
 What are the procedures for using equipment (ex. Copy machines) and materials?
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4. Effective Classroom Strategies for Beginning School
1. What occurs before the school year begins? In other words describe the teacher's
activities and efforts that prepare the classroom.
2.
How does the teacher organize the classroom for instruction? (Describe the physical
environment including furniture, supplies, etc. Provide a copy of the daily schedule. How are
classroom rules of conduct developed? How are routines/procedures for behavior established and
maintained? How are smooth transitions facilitated?)
3.
How does the teacher arrange instruction?(When and for how long does the teacher use whole
class instruction? When are small groups used, who participates and how are they organized? Is peermediated instruction observed?)
4.
What materials are used by the teacher? (What basals or textbooks are available? What
supplemental materials has the teacher designed? How does the teacher use hands-on representations,
manipulatives? To what extent is technology a part of the classroom?)
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5. What instructional techniques are observed? (Is instruction direct? Facilitated? What are the
responsibilities of the instructional assistants? Do students complete independent seatwork? Is
homework given?)
6. How are students evaluated? (What systems are in place for assessing student achievement? How
are grades determined? How is progress measured?)
7. In what ways do special education personnel work collaboratively with general
education teachers? (What support is provided in general education classrooms for students with
disabilities? Co-teaching ? Team teaching? How is consultation provided to teachers? How are
collegial relationships established and maintained?)
8. How does the special education teacher organize her/his case load and schedule?
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Reflect upon your "September Experience". Briefly describe the three most
important things you learned.
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