Covered in this Module

  • At the School
  • Guided Observation
    • Video Walk Through
    • Guided Observation Categories

Assignments and goals for each field experience will differ by EDUC course. The specific procedures, goals and objectives can be found in each syllabus. There are some common ways teacher candidates can prepare for Field Visits.

At the School:

  • ALWAYS report to the Main Office of the school upon arrival for any type of field visit!!
  • Follow school sign in procedures. Each school will have a different set of procedures.
  • Bring your driver’s license or ID. Some schools require this for sign in.
  • Be on time: At minimum 15 minutes early to allow time to find the main entrance and follow sign in procedures for the school
  • Dress professionally
  • Be prepared to ask questions
  • If you scheduled a field visit, show up! 

Guided Observation:

Each school you visit during your education program will have a unique mission, philosophy, and school culture. It is important to have a wide variety of experiences during your program.

In addition to specific course observation requirements, it is best practice to research the school for which you will visit and take field notes regarding what you observe. Doing a website walk through of a school you are going to visit will give you a lot of important information about that school. A website walk through is good practice for preparing for job interviews. During job interviews, you will be expected to be knowledgeable of, discuss, and ask questions about the guided observation topics in this module. The guided observation categories will be a guide to getting the most out of your field experiences.

Mission Statement:  Does the school have a mission statement; that is a statement that essentially explains in a broad or specific way the overarching mission, purpose, or goal of the school?

Philosophy:  What is the guiding philosophy of this school? The philosophy of a school explains its guiding belief system about teaching, learning, and the purpose of the institution.  It is normally grounded in the wisdom of educational philosophy.

Demographics:  What is the demographic make-up of this school?  Can you describe the student population in terms of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic diversity?  How many students attend this school? 

Student Management System:  How does this school organize and manage their students?  Your observations should include but not be limited to: class structure (time provided and movement plan – i.e. How do students know when and how to move from one class or subject to another?;  How many students in each class?; Are classes single gender or ability grouped?;  How are teaching assignments structured– one teacher all day?  Multiple teachers?  Team teaching?  Interdisciplinary teams?  Do teachers move or do students move?   What are the rules in the school and how are they communicated?  Are classroom rules up to the individual teachers? 

Curriculum and Instructional Plan:  What types of courses and curriculum materials are provided to support instruction?   Curriculum choices at the school level are generally informed by national and state standards.  Are textbooks used?  Instructional technology?  Are the arts included? Do teachers plan as subject or grade level teams (PLC’s)?

Teaching, Leadership and Support Staff Plan:  How are teachers selected for employment  in this school?  What qualifications are necessary?  What does the leadership of the school look like?  What support staff does this school have (office staff, guidance, resource officers etc.)?

School Governance:  How are decisions made in this school?  Who is in charge?  Who and what informs the decisions that are made? 

Environmental design:  What does this school look like structurally?  What is on the walls in the halls and/or classrooms?  Is it comfortable in terms of lighting, temperature, noise level etc.?