Office of Placement Services

School-based field experiences are recognized as critical components of teacher education. Nova Southeastern University is committed to providing quality field experiences for all education majors as an integral part of pre-service training. Underlying this commitment is the philosophy that field experiences provide vital links between educational theory and practice which enable teacher candidates* to apply theory and effective practices in actual classrooms and school settings and acquire competencies necessary for successful teaching. Teacher candidates learn from both their successes and mistakes when supported by caring teachers in a positive, nurturing environment. When a transfer of learning occurs between the university classroom and a real-life setting, the connection significantly contributes to the professional development of the teacher candidate, enriching all participants with these experiences.

The Florida state legislature has mandated that all education majors in Florida Department of Education (DOE) - approved teacher preparation programs participate in a planned series of field experiences. Field experiences must begin early in the program and culminate with the final internship. During these experiences, teacher candidates should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the Florida DOE-developed Accomplished Practices and Subject Area Competencies* and Skills. In addition, teacher candidates must be provided with guidance and feedback in the field setting.

Designated education courses in the Nova Southeastern University's Teacher Education Program curriculum will include assignments that require the candidate to visit and participate in PreK-12 classroom activities. These school-based experiences vary depending on the Accomplished Practices and Subject Area Competencies* and Skills required in the course.

*Refer to Glossary tab below for more information.

In order to improve the skills of the teacher candidate, an assigned university supervisor will observe and provide feedback during the field experiences of specified courses. The following courses are key content courses in which university supervisors observe teacher candidate's classroom skills.

The university supervisor will arrange for an observation for a minimum of one hour. During this observation, the supervisor will:

1. Review the teacher candidate's lesson plan.
2. Observe the teacher candidate presenting a lesson.
3. Observe the teacher candidate managing behavior.
4. Observe the teacher candidate performing other instructional duties.

The university supervisor may confer with the cooperating teacher and complete an evaluative feedback form identifying observed areas of strengths and weaknesses.

B.S. - Undergraduate Teacher Education Program - All Majors

The final phase of the NSU Undergraduate Teacher Education Program is the internship experience, which is a required 12-week course for all education majors, that includes evening seminar meetings that are concurrent with 12 weeks of full-time teaching in a local school. Students will be placed in a school site by the NSU coordinator where they will gradually assume full responsibility for teaching the class to which they are assigned. The 4570 Internship/Seminar is offered each academic year in the fall and winter terms.

The 4570 Internship/Seminar must be completed at NSU as the terminal course for the degree (i.e., it cannot be transferred from another institution, nor can experience be substituted to satisfy this requirement). The Florida Department of Education's Administrative Rule 6A-4.002 allows some full-time administrative or teaching experience to be substituted for some coursework, but it does not permit this experience in lieu of student teaching for purposes of initial certification. Substitute teaching or teacher-assistant positions are not considered full-time teaching and will not be approved in lieu of the internship.

Who Qualifies for Internship

If a candidate does not meet all of the following requirements, the internship application will be denied until all requirements are met. Conditional acceptance will be granted for candidates who are enrolled in their final required courses and/or registered for their last DOE certification exam. Full acceptance into the internship will be given upon completion of pending courses and/or exams with proof of passing certification exam scores.

B.S. - Undergraduate Teacher Education Program Internship Prerequisites - All Majors

To be fully accepted into the internship, the candidates must meet following prerequisites:

• Completed and passed all coursework (including general education requirements, program requirements, and all courses required for the major, with the exception of the internship)
• Earned a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
• Current fingerprints and background security clearance have been verified by the Office of Placement Services.
• Florida students - Passing scores for all parts of the General Knowledge Test, the Professional Examination, and Subject Area Examination. Official scores must be provided to the Office of Placement Services at least two months before the start of the internship.
• Nevada students - Passing scores for all required sections of the Praxis must be provided to the Office of Placement Services at least two months before the start of the internship.

Internship application
The student is required to complete and submit the internship application before the deadline, as follows:

• Fall semester deadline: February 1
• Winter semester deadline: August 1

COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION

After the application is received, the applicant's file is reviewed for completion of all requirements. Students will receive a copy of a completed senior audit with a letter indicating their internship status (conditionally approved or denied). The Office of Placement Services coordinator develops a final list of student intern names for that semester, which is given to academic advisors and academic program managers so that they can assist students with registration at least one month before the internship start date. At that time, students will register for the appropriate 4570 internship seminar course (B.S. - UTEP).
Students are eligible for the internship if they have (1) earned the mandatory credits (including all general education requirements, all program requirements, and all courses required for the major, except the internship), (2) have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, and (3) have passed all specified testing requirements.

The Internship Handbook is the students' source of information to guide them through the 12-week
internship experience. Fully-approved interns will be provided with the most current handbook by the
Office of Placement Services. All teacher candidates should read the information carefully and be familiar with the internship process and procedures before they report to the classroom. It is the teacher candidates' responsibility to download and print a personal copy of the handbook. The Office of Placement Services will provide each cooperating teacher with a copy of the handbook.

Florida
Florida candidates graduating from a Department of Education-approved program, who have passed all portions of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE), are eligible for a professional certificate or endorsement. Actual teacher certification or endorsement is awarded by the Florida Department of Education (DOE). Please refer to the following links for more information on the DOE, certification, testing registration, and preparation:

• Florida Department of Education (DOE)
• Florida DOE Educator Certification
• Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE) and Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) Test Information (Pearson Education)
• Pearson Test Center Location
• Study Guide Zone (Scroll down to locate Teacher Tests.)

Score Report Delays
Review the latest information about score report delays for tests being redeveloped or revised.

• NSU Testing Office
• Pearson (Note: The Florida Department of Education contracts with Pearson Vue to provide testing services. Tips and resources for completing Pearson-provided examinations are provided at this link.)

• Teacher Candidate: A student registered for undergraduate courses, which require field experience.
• Cooperating Teacher: The teacher in whose classroom an NSU student is placed for field experiences.
• Student: Each child in the classroom at the school where field experiences are done.
• Instructor: The NSU full-time faculty member/adjunct education course instructor.
• University Supervisor: The university representative who observes teacher candidates during field experiences and provides evaluative feedback to the teacher candidate and instructor.
• Accomplished Practices and Subject Area Competencies: A series of 12 professional aspects key to effective teaching. The 12 areas are assessment, communication, continuous improvement, critical thinking, diversity, ethics, human development & learning, knowledge of subject matter, learning environments, planning, role of the teacher and technology.
• Matriculation: Enrollment and admission into the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program