Holy Family University School of Education

Home > School of Education > Field Placements

Field Placements

For the HF Field Placement Office web site click here. This site provides details on Student Teaching and Practicum, including the Student Teacher Application and handbooks.

For the Senior Seminar web page click here. This site provides information on EDUN 404, Senior Seminar, to include the syllabus and course requirements.

School Placements
Experience in the schools is an integral part of the education of a future teacher. At Holy Family these experiences begin in the sophomore year and continue throughout the senior year.

:: Sophomore Year - Observations
All sophomores in our teacher education programs are required to participate in field experiences in the schools. Students travel to nearby school classrooms and participate in structured observations that bring together the course content with the activities observed within the schools. A minimum of 20 hours fieldwork is required for each semester of the sophomore year.
For Graduate students, requirements for Observations occur in the beginning graduate courses.

:: Junior Year - The Practicum - A supervised field placement
For two semesters during the junior year you will spend one day per week (Tuesdays) in the public schools. Our purpose is to acquaint you with the school community and to provide some early experiences in working with students in typical school learning situations. These experiences are also designed to reinforce concepts that will be taught in the related University education courses offered during the fall and spring semester of the junior year. You will have the opportunity to reflect upon your career decisions early enough so that your choice can be confirmed or reexamined. The curriculum can be viewed as moving along a developmental continuum with the junior year providing the transition to the ever more demanding aspects of "becoming a teacher." Our goal is that through the integrated nature of the coursework itself, as well as the opportunity to apply theory, methods, strategies and techniques, you will become a more experienced, confident and thoughtful practitioner.
For Graduate students, a Practicum is required midway through your program, either on Tuesdays, or in a special Telescoped Practicum (10 consecutive days).

:: Senior Year - Student Teaching
Pennsylvania Department of Education certification requires that all education students complete a full-time supervised student teaching semester during their senior year. Generally, elementary education students are placed during the fall semester of the senior year. The senior year for our dual certification students (elementary/early childhood and elementary/special education) includes additional field experiences in the fall semester and full-time student teaching during the spring semester.
For Graduate students, student teaching will occur as the culminating experience in your program.

^{Font Size:} ^{Email Page:} ^{Print Page:}