UofC

Field Experience courses (Education 440, 465, 540, 560) are fundamental to the BEd program and must be successfully completed in sequence before a student can progress to the next term. Students who are facing their first unsuccessful attempt in any Field Experience course may be issued a Remedial Work Required (RM) grade. Exceptions may be made for those students who must end their Field Placement early for medical or personal emergency reasons, who will be issued a Withdrawal (W) grade, or those who have contravened the Student Non-Academic Misconduct Policy. Students contravening the Non-Academic Misconduct Policy can be issued a Failure (F) grade at the discretion of the Associate Dean.

Students who receive an RM grade are allowed to attempt the Field Experience course a second time. Students who receive an F or W grade must receive permission from the Director, Field Experience, to attempt the course a second time. Should the student be unsuccessful in their second attempt regardless of prior grade issued, they will be required to withdraw from the BEd program.

Students cannot be issued more than one RM grade across all Field Experience courses. Students who have already received an RM grade can only be issued an F or W in the event of another unsuccessful attempt at any Field Experience course. Students who have any combination of two W, RM, and F grades inclusive of all Field Experience courses will be required to withdraw from the BEd program.

Students at risk of failure in field experience courses will first be issued a performance contract, outlining specific areas of improvement with intent to support passing in the class. Students who have been issued a performance contract may not subsequently withdraw from their field experience course, and will be issued an F if they choose not to complete the placement or the placement is subsequently terminated.

Field Experiences take priority over any other professional or personal commitments. The only acceptable reasons for missing Field Experience are medical, family emergency, religious observance, approved professional development or approved University activity. The number of days of absence allowed varies by Field Experience course and will be detailed in the course outline as provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course. Additional days of absence will not be allowed except with the express permission of the Director, Field Experience.

All practicum placements are considered full-time, meaning that the student teacher is expected to be present with their assigned partner teacher(s) for the entirety of a typical school day. When engaging in a preservice teacher practicum, students are not permitted to undertake employment during practicum hours.

Students who have filed an appeal of a decision pursuant to the Student Misconduct and Academic Appeals Policy may not be permitted to enrol in a Field Experience course while the decision is under appeal and this will be decided by the Werklund School of Education on case-by-case basis. If a student has not been permitted to enrol in a Field Experience course and their appeal is successful, they may be permitted to enrol in the Field Experience course, provided there is a suitable placement with a partner school available. Otherwise, they must wait to enrol in the Field Experience course until a suitable placement with a partner school becomes available.

Placements for students in the Community-Based pathway will be based upon the address provided during application. Students admitted to the Community-Based program will be expected to complete Education 440: Field Experience I and Education 465: Field Experience II in or around the address provided on their application.