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Education Field Services

Field Services is the section of the Education Division that works to facilitate field experience and practicum placements for Observation and Participation (O&P) courses and Student Teaching. Field Services ensures that the teacher candidate has on file the proper documents so that s/he may be placed in a classroom setting. Teacher candidates are required to complete a specified number of field experience hours in addition to their coursework.

Field Services is devoted to placing Chaminade undergraduate and graduate students in both public and private schools in order to give the pre-service teacher diverse experiences.

All students enrolled in a licensure program must read the Field Experiences Manual and fill out the FAQ document. Students must submit their completed FAQ document to Field Services within their first term of enrollment.

Observation and Participation

Undergraduate students are required to complete at least sixty (60) hours of observation and participation (O&P) in a classroom at the level of licensure the student is pursuing. Graduate students are required to complete at least forty (40) hours. Students participate in upper and lower level elementary, middle-school and high school placements.

O&P assignments are integrated into the methods courses by the instructor of the course. Students must successfully pass all course requirements including completing the observation and participation hours designated for that course. All education coursework including O&P hours must be completed prior to student teaching.

All Chaminade University O&P students must display their Chaminade ID cards during each O&P visit. To obtain a Chaminade ID card, visit Client Services, located in Sullivan Family Library 101. Bring a valid photo ID (e.g., drivers license) for verification.

Note: MED-only students (non-licensure) who wish to take O&P courses as electives should contact their advisors for specific details.

Being Placed by the Field Services Office

Please complete the following items upon registering for the O&P course. All requirements must be in Field Services prior to the start date of your O&P course.

  • O&P Request Form – fill this out and send it to [email protected] or fax to 808/739-4607 immediately upon registration for your O&P course.
  • In-House Agreement Form (if employed at a school or form must be submitted with O&P Request Form
  • Insurance Form/HSTA Membership – go to National Education Association and sign up to be a student member
  • Background Check/Fingerprinting
    • DOE school placement: Field Services Director will submit your name to the DOE for background/fingerprinting clearance and will contact you if updated information is needed
    • Independent school or charter school placement: follow school protocol
  • Complete the FAQs by reading the Field Experience Manual.
  • TB Clearance – Please submit a copy to Field Services upon registering for the OP course.

After receiving confirmation of  placement by the Field Services Director, you must:

  • Call or email the OPT to schedule your first visit
  • Communicate any changes regarding time, plans, etc, to your OPT as soon as possible
  • Check your student email at least three times per week
  • Dress professionally and follow the school’s dress code
  • Remember you are an emissary of Chaminade’s Education program
  • Contact the principal during your first visit to introduce yourself and confirm the assignment
  • Keep the O&P timesheet up-to-date, for a record of your hours – it must be completed, signed and returned to your course instructor at the end of your practicum as well as submitted to Field Services
  • Bring all forms for the host teacher to your first visit

Evaluation Forms

  • Evaluation forms will be sent to you and your host teacher via email

Additional Notes

  • It is a requirement, as a visitor, to check-in with the school’s office staff
  • Wear your Chaminade ID in a clear sleeve, attached to your shirt or on a lanyard around your neck at all times during your O&P visit
  • The preferred arrangement for O&P attendance is a schedule of a certain amount of hours per week over a ten-week period (for courses requiring 20 hours of O&P)
    • If circumstances make this particular scheduling impossible, be sure to confer with your OPT and course instructor regarding another acceptable arrangement
  • Communication with the Field Services Director if there is a problem: [email protected].
  • You will be notified via Chaminade student email of placement after Field Services receives completed O&P requirements

Full-Time Teachers Placed “In-House”
Please complete the following items upon registering for the O&P course. All requirements must be in Field Services prior to the start date of your O&P course.

  • Notify Field Services via email at [email protected] if you are already a full-time employee in a school
  • Complete the FAQs by reading the Field Experience Manual
  • TB Clearance – must be cleared through the end of the O&P course
    • Submit a copy to Field Services upon registering for the O&P course

Forms you will need:

  • Acceptance Agreement – if you are observing other teachers within your own school, you will only need to complete the “In House” Agreement form immediately (to be signed by the principal/director)
    • Acceptance Agreement is due to Field Services prior to the start of the OP course.
  • O&P Timesheet – submit a timesheet to your Chaminade instructor and Field Services Director by the end of the term

Note: there will be no compensation given for “in-house” OP.

Student Teaching

This is the most important experience in the teacher education program. It is a transitional period between university life and the teaching profession. It is that time when candidates participate actively in an ever-expanding sequence of experiences that will develop competence and teaching values. As students take on the total responsibility of teaching, they have the guidance and support of the cooperating teacher, cooperating Principal, university supervisor, seminar instructor and the Field Services Director who work jointly to help student teachers meet licensure standards.

Student teaching usually takes place in the final semester of the senior year for undergraduate elementary education students. For students in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) elementary, secondary or SPED programs, the student teaching portion may be completed after the entire licensure portion of the program is completed.

Placement in Student Teaching in the baccalaureate education program and the post-baccalaureate education program (including MAT) is contingent on the following:

  1. Completion of all licensure courses, including required hours of Observation and Participation field experiences.
  2. Submittal of the following documents by designated due dates:
  • Submittal of the Student Teaching application
  • Receipt of passing PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II Content Area Scores
  • TB clearance
  • Graduation Clearance
  • Three Faculty Recommendations
  • Criminal History Check
  • Active SNEA Membership

The Field Services Director, in conjunction with local principals, makes all placements for field experiences. Students are not to seek their own placements, unless they are employed as a full-time teacher at a school.

  • Contact Field Services for fall and spring applications at [email protected]
  • Refer to the Field Experiences Manual for more information regarding Student Teaching
  • Contact your academic advisor or the Field Services Director for more information

What are the requirements for student teaching?
See the Student Teaching Section on the Field Services website, as well as in the Field Experiences Manual.

Do I have to student teach if I am already a classroom teacher?
Yes. See Field Experiences Manual, page 35, for more details.

Can I do my student teaching out-of-state?
See Field Experiences Manual, page 32.

I am working full time in a field outside of education. What should I expect for student teaching?
You will need to be placed in a setting by Field Services, and put all other jobs on hold for the entire semester. Student teaching is an unpaid position for duration of about six months. However, if you are able to secure a position as a head classroom teacher, you may qualify for in service/validation student teaching when the time comes. See Field Experiences Manual for details.

How many hours are required for student teaching, and when is it offered?
Student teaching is at least 15-weeks, sometimes more. This covers an entire regular semester at the average school year. Student teaching is a full-time job, in which many hours are devoted outside of classroom time for instructional planning, grading, research, collaboration and reflection. Student teaching is only offered two times a year, in the fall and spring.

I am an Educational Assistant full time. Can I do my student teaching in my current position?
No. You will need to be a student-teacher under a qualified classroom teacher full-time. You may not resume any part-time position in a school while student teaching.

I am a science teacher 7-12 but am in a Chaminade Teacher Education program for special education licensure. Can I do my student teaching in my science classroom?
No. You must do your student teaching as a Special Education teacher. See manual or Field Services Director for details.

Can I apply to Student Teaching without having Praxis II content test scores?
Yes, but you must complete and pass the Praxis II Content Area test prior to the application deadline.

Can I set up my own student teaching?
No, unless instructed to do so in cases of out-of-state student teaching (see page 32). Chaminade teacher candidates are not allowed to setup their own student teaching.

How do I register for Student Teaching?
You will be registered for student teaching by Field Services prior to the start of the student teaching term. Graduates are registered for six credits of student teaching and three credits of seminar, while undergraduates are registered for nine credits of student teaching and three credits of seminar.

When and where is the orientation to Student Teaching?
After you have applied and accepted to Student Teach, Field Services will send you a letter via email explaining the mandatory Student Teaching Orientation requirements. Orientation meetings for fall student-teachers usually take place in May. Orientation meetings for spring student-teachers usually take place in December. The meeting is held on the Chaminade campus.

Can I request my university supervisor?
Field Services assigns the university supervisor to the student-teacher. You will meet your university supervisor prior to the start of student teaching.

External Resources

Some helpful links related to Field Services, OP, and Student Teaching: