Field work with our USTEP school partners starts with the very first class. It focuses on acclimating to school environments and guided observation in different school settings. In Method Courses, field work expands into opportunities to practice new skills in the field.

Method Courses include ALL EDUC courses EXCEPT 210 & 211 that require field work.

Covered in this Module:

  • Field Placement Application
  • Field Placement Evaluation
  • Background Checks
  • Liability Insurance
  • Preparing for Field Visits
  • Field Placement Procedures and Etiquette

Field Placement Application:

Even though each EDUC course that requires field work have unique hour and assignment requirements, the process for applying, receiving and scheduling the individual field placement will be the same for each EDUC course.

The first step in requesting and receiving a field placement is to Fill out the Field Placement Application. You only need to fill it out once a semester. The same application will cover all of your EDUC courses. The application DEADLINE is always the “Last day to register/drop/add full semester class online via OnePort.” Typically this is a Sunday and the application has to be submitted by Midnight. You can find this date on the Academic Calendar for the current semester.

Fill out Field Application Here
Spring 2025 Application

Once you have completed the application and applications have been processed, the field placement coordinator will email you the individual placement: teacher, contact information, and school.  The email will be titled “Field Placement Confirmation.”  Expect this process could take up to 5 weeks.

As soon as you receive your individual field placement, reach out and make contact with that teacher to introduce yourself and begin scheduling. DO NOT WAIT!  You will schedule a date and time with the teacher that works with both your schedules.  Even if you do not plan to visit right away, you should make initial contact with the assigned teacher within 1 week.

Field Placement Evaluation:

When you complete each of your Field Placements, please give the following field placement evaluation link to all of your P-12 Clinical Faculty (host teachers):

NOTE: Completion of this field placement evaluation by your P-12 Clinical Faculty (host teachers) indicates successful completion of your field work for the class. Successful completion of field work is REQUIRED for passing EDUC courses. Please contact your course instructor if you are having difficulty getting your evaluation forms completed.

Share Field Placement Evaluation

Background Checks:

Background Checks are renewed yearly through CERTIPHI for a cost of $18 for students enrolled in EDUC courses. For background check concerns, contact Rebecca Bodenheimer for an appointment rbodenhe@unca.edu. Remember you must report incidents that occur between background checks to both Rebecca Bodenheimer and your education advisor.

Note: The field coordinator will inform you via email when your background check requires renewal. The email will begin with “Action Required:”

For technical support completing the background check through the Application Station website, contact the Application Station Support Team at 888-260-1370 EXT 2006

Background Check Directions:

  • Click the link button below
  • If this is your first time using the Application Station site then please click “Sign Up” to create an account. Once your account has been created please click “Log In”. If you already have an account then you can click “Log In” right away.
  • Use your legal name
  • Enter your Username and Password.
  • Enter the Code: UNCACLINICSTUDENT in the Application Station Code field.
  • Follow the instructions on the Application Station website to complete the application.
Background Check Application Link Here
Learn More about Background Checks

Liability Insurance:

Liability insurance is renewed yearly for a cost of $35 through SNCAE. SNCAE is a division of the larger professional organization NC Association of Educators. With your Association membership comes a $1 million Educators Employment Liability (EEL) insurance policy which protects you against civil proceedings brought against you in job-related matters. If you are completing the application and SNCAE is charging you something other than $35, something went wrong, email rbodenhe@unca.edu.

Note: The field coordinator will inform you via email when your Liability Insurance requires renewal. For questions, contact Rebecca Bodenheimer rbodenhe@unca.edu. Note: The field coordinator will inform you via email when your background check requires renewal. The email will begin with “Action Required:”

Note: SNCAE is a student professional organization. Once you are a member with your liability insurance, they will try to get you to purchase additional types of insurance. The only type of insurance you are required to carry is the Liability Insurance and the request will always come from me.

Enroll in SNCAE Liability Insurance Here
Learn More about SNCAE Membership Benefits

Preparing for Field Visits:

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.

Learn More about Preparing for Field Visits

Partner School Districts in Blue:

Field Placement Procedures and Etiquette:

Field Placement Procedures and Etiquette details information on Making Contact with host teachers, Dress Code, and Professionalism during school visits.

One of the strengths of UNC Asheville’s Teacher Education Program is early and frequent field experience in public school classrooms, planned in conjunction with course content. Administrators and classroom teachers who agree to have UNC Asheville students in their schools do so as a service to their profession and to you as a future member of that profession.

Your field placement has been arranged by UNC Asheville’s Field Placement Coordinator and has been approved by the superintendent of the school system’s LEA designee and the principal of the school. You may not take it upon yourself to contact principals or teachers to arrange your own placement for field work. Doing so is considered a dispositional issue. 

Should you be unable to follow through on your placement please let the following people know immediately: your professor, the field placement coordinator, and the P-12 clinical faculty (host teacher). 

Your responsibility is to turn opportunities into visits! 

Making Contact 

Make contact as soon as you get your confirmation email from the field placement coordinator. You should make the initial contact to ALL assigned P-12 clinical faculty (host teachers) no later than 1 week from receipt of your Field Placement Confirmation email. If you wait to make contact, they will worry about you; if you wait too long, they will forget they agreed to host you. 

When contacting the P-12 clinical faculty, remember that he/she is at work, so phone calls should be made during before or after school hours.  Typically that is before 7:45am and after 3:00pm.

When contacting a P-12 clinical faculty by email, be sure the email is: professional, it is sent from your UNCA email address, and you address the teacher formerly.

When making phone contact, if you are not able to speak with the teacher, ask the office personnel when you might call again: planning period, free period, after school, etc. and leave a message with your name and contact information. 

Having Difficulty Making Contact? 

You sent an email and made a phone call with a message, now what?

  • Double check the email address by looking a the school website staff directory or calling the front office of the school to confirm the address.
  • Try a second time after a few days. If you do not hear from the person 1 week after the second attempt, make a third attempt. Phone call the front office of the school and ask for a good time to reach the teacher by phone and leave a message.

*Critical Note: This 3 attempt model should not take you more that 2 weeks from the time you receive your field placement confirmation. Field placement issues are easier to solve early in the semester. Waiting too long to solve field placement issues could result in an inability to complete your course field requirements. Without successfully completing field requirements, you can not complete your EDUC course.

Continued Difficulty Making Contact? 

Contact the Field Experience Coordinate immediately for assistance. Inform your course instructor of your difficulty.

Field Guide to Placement Etiquette 

How to be Professional  

  • Follow UNC Asheville Guidelines
    • No activated cell phones 
    • No inappropriate information on social networking sites, email addresses or voicemail messages 
    • No Obscene or sexually suggestive language or behavior  
    • No romantic relationships with teachers or administrators of the school where you are placed and no personal relationships with students.
  • Follow Host School Guidelines 
    • The culture of the school is likely to be more conservative than your peer culture. It is your job to observe and fit in with the professionals at the school. It is not your job to change the culture, the rules, or the philosophy of the school.  
  • Punctuality 
    • Arrive 10-15 minutes early for all of your scheduled experiences 
    • Always report immediately to the school’s main office upon entering the building 
    • Use the sign in procedures for the hosting school 
    • Do not miss scheduled visits.  
  • Attentiveness 
    • You are an active participant whether you are solely observing, participating in class or teaching a lesson. 
    • Please be aware, alert and interactive during your visit. 
  • Dress:  Our partner school districts follow the North Carolina School Board Association Policy Code 7340 for Employee Dress and Appearance.  The expectations for UNCA students doing field work in the schools are the same as for employees. 
    The Board of Education (the “board”) believes that the appearance and the conduct of its faculty are of supreme importance in establishing a positive image for education in the community and for presenting a good example for students.  Therefore, the board affirms its expectation that all personnel will be professionally, neatly, and appropriately attired for the work to be done.  An employee’s dress must not disrupt or distract from the educational process and must be in accordance with health and safety standards.  The superintendent shall develop and communicate to employees guidelines for appropriate dress and appearance.  Such guidelines may authorize the principal or department supervisors to develop specific dress or appearance requirements for each school or department.

    Administrative and supervisory personnel shall set a good example in personal appearance and good manners and shall encourage and expect employees to dress in accordance with the board’s expectations.  An employee’s supervisor will make an initial determination of whether an employee’s dress or appearance is inappropriate.  In making this determination, the supervisor will consider the following factors:
  • the nature of the work;
  • whether the dress is consistent with a professional environment;
  • health and safety factors;
  • the nature of the employee’s public contact and the normal expectations of outside parties with whom the employee will work;
  • the employee’s interaction with students;
  • the prevailing practices of other workers in similar jobs; and
  • any properly established guidelines for dress or appearance.

If the supervisor determines that the employee’s dress or appearance violates the established guidelines or is hazardous to the health or safety of the employee, fellow employees, or students, the supervisor shall counsel the employee regarding attire that is consistent with this policy and shall determine whether the employee is allowed to remain at work or must leave work to change his or her dress.  Any failure to follow the supervisor’s directive and/or blatant or repeated violations of this policy will subject the employee to disciplinary action up to, and including, dismissal.

Legal References:  G.S. 115C-36, -47

For information regarding placement removal or dispositions, refer to your course syllabus and the dispositions policy in the Candidate Handbook.

*Reminder: You are the guest of the K-12 clinical faculty, the principal, and the school system. They are gracious and look forward to having you visit them. You are not only representing yourself but also UNC Asheville and the Department of Education.