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Internship Handbook Primary/Elementary and Music
Winter 2020
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Preface
This manual is intended as a guide for the roles and responsibilities of the people
involved in Memorial University’s Faculty of Education Undergraduate Education
Internship Program. All individuals are unique and the roles of each will vary
according to their position. The relationships should be collegial and be guided by
trust, respect, empathy, genuineness and equity. Activities should be carried out
cooperatively by sharing information, skills and knowledge.
The Faculty of Education at Memorial University welcomes each member of the
team that will guide interns through their internship and prepare them for the role
of teacher. Everyone’s involvement is critical to the success these individuals will
experience during their introduction to the world of teaching.
All individuals involved in the internship program are mentors for the intern who is
attempting to define himself/ herself as a teacher. Mentoring has the potential to
benefit both interns and classroom teachers. It helps interns confront challenges in
the classroom. Through collegial conversations and consistent support from
teachers, they improve their teaching practice. The mentoring experience may also
provide professional development for the classroom teacher. The purpose of
mentoring is to provide interns with the support they need to gain self-confidence,
provide models of effective practice and assistance in lesson planning, encourage
the use of various instructional strategies, model effective classroom management
techniques and guide the student teacher in developing a personal teaching style.
The information contained in this booklet is not intended to be exclusive but is,
instead, a guide to support the intern. It provides an overview of the roles and
responsibilities of the various individuals involved. As a partner in the teacher
education process, team members are asked to use their professional discretion to
extend or supplement the information presented in this booklet with their own
experience and research.
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Table of Contents
1. Winter Semester 2020 Internship Diary of Dates ..................................................4
2. Teaching Internship Program ..................................................................................5
3. The University – School Partnership ..................................................................... 6-9
- Responsibilities of Co-operating Teacher (Page 6)
- Responsibilities of the Intern (Page 7)
**NEW – Social Media Use (Page 8)
- Responsibilities of University (On-Line) Supervisor (Page 8)**UPDATED
- Responsibilities of the Principal (Page 9)
4. Internship Program and Expectations ................................................................. 10-13
- The Program (Page 10)
- Transition to Teaching (Page 10)
- Intern Workload (Page 11)
- Supervisory Responsibilities (Page 12)
- Journal (Page 12)
- Intern Attendance Policy (Page 12) **UPDATED
- Absence of Co-operating Teacher (Page 13)
5. Evaluation ........................................................................................................... 14-16
- Co-operating Teacher’s Evaluation of Intern (Page 14)
- Procedure and deadlines for submission of evaluation (Page 15)
- Teacher Concerns with Intern Performance (Page 15)
- References for the Intern (Page 15)
- Guidelines for the Assignment of Internship Grades (Page 16)
6. Final Grade Review Procedure ........................................................................... 17-18
7. Appendix “A” – Internship Journal…………………………………………….19-23
8. Resources…………………………………………………………………………..24
9. Contact Information – Faculty of Education ....................................................... ….25
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Winter Semester 2020
Internship Diary
Monday, January 6 Internships commence. Interns report to their assigned
schools.
Tuesday, January 7 University Supervisors commence orientation meetings
Week of January 6 D2L postings from on-line supervisors for interns
commence.
Friday, January 31 Interns receive first co-operating teacher internship
evaluation report.
Friday, February 28 Interns receive second co-operating teacher internship
evaluation report.
Mid-February Supervisor observation of lesson
Week of March 30 Final Internship Meeting
Thursday, April 9 Interns receive third (final) co-operating teacher internship
evaluation report.
Friday, April 9 Internship ends.
Thursday, April 9 Deadline for the submission of grades from co-operating
teachers to the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education
via fax. Please refer to the evaluation section of the
Handbook for complete details.
Note: Internship dates may vary with individual school placement.
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Teaching Internship Program General Information All candidates for the B.Ed. (Primary/Elementary), Conjoint B. Ed. Music and Second Degree B.
Ed Music are required to complete a 15 credit hour internship. This internship consists of a
supervised placement in a school setting for a period of approximately 13 weeks (one semester). Rationale for the Internship
The internship is a critical component of the Bachelor of Education programs at Memorial
University of Newfoundland. It provides an opportunity for interns to begin to appreciate and
understand the responsibilities of teachers. Objectives
The internship provides interns with opportunities to:
integrate theory and practice;
refine skills in utilizing various instructional strategies and resources to meet the
individual needs of all students;
develop and practice effective classroom management skills;
develop and practice the skills of a reflective practitioner;
develop an individual teaching style;
develop critical knowledge of curriculum outcomes and effective teaching
techniques within various grade levels and content areas for implementation of outcomes;
develop a philosophy of education and recognize its relationship to educational principles
in professional practice;
experience the working relationship that exists between teachers and administrators as
colleagues and their relationship with the broader school community.
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The University-School Partnership A partnership between the Faculty of Education and schools is essential to ensure the success of
the internship. This partnership includes interns, co-operating teachers, school principals, other
school professional staff, the school district, the university supervisor, and the Faculty of
Education. Responsibilities of the Co-operating Teacher Co-operating teachers introduce interns to the realities and responsibilities of teaching in a
complex world. They guide, coach, support, and challenge interns to offer the best professional
knowledge and service to their interns. The co-operating teacher has a profound effect and
impact on the personal and professional development of a teacher candidate. This occurs through
the nature of the relationship between the co-operating teacher and the intern and through the
teaching and learning processes that occur throughout the internship. The co-operating teacher is responsible for:
preparing students to accept the intern as a professional teacher;
introducing the intern to other school personnel and clarifying their roles;
familiarizing interns with curriculum outcomes, guides, texts and resources;
sharing with the intern an outline of the long-range goals and the organization of the
grade or course;
modelling various instructional strategies, and suggesting alternative possibilities for
teaching and learning;
assisting and encouraging the intern to develop resources to enhance their teaching;
demonstrating good teaching and helping the intern to analyse and understand why it is
good teaching;
including the intern in planning, assessment and other work with students;
guiding the intern to evaluate lessons, projects, quizzes, etc;
assisting the intern in the critical-reflective analysis of the relationship between theory
and practice with the intent of improving practice;
facilitating the development of independence of the intern;
gradually transferring responsibility for daily operation of the classroom to the intern;
conferring with the intern about performance and expectations;
providing the opportunity for the intern to observe various teachers in different
grades/subject areas during the internship;
demonstrating a variety of classroom management techniques;
providing daily feedback to the intern on his/her progress;
conferring regularly with university supervisor regarding the intern’s progress;
conferring with the Field Services Office regarding the intern’s progress as necessary;
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preparing the scheduled reports of the intern progress and discussing these reports with
the intern, unless other arrangements made by the Field Services Office;
evaluating the intern (Pass/Fail) for the school component of the internship (see diary and
evaluation sections).
As they are completed, submitting progress and final reports to the Internship
Supervisor and the Field Services Office. When submitting to the Field Services
Office please scan and email to Sheri Roberts at sherir@mun.ca. These reports
must be signed by both the co-operating teacher and the intern. Responsibilities of the Intern The intern is a guest in the school and in the classroom of the co-operating teacher(s) and accepts
the responsibilities associated with the role of a teacher. The intern is responsible for:
following the professional Code of Ethics for teaching;
becoming familiar with the educational program and physical plan of the host school;
making contact with the co-operating teacher prior to the start of the internship;
displaying professional appearance in dress and etiquette;
acquainting the co-operating teacher with his/her professional background, interests, and
ambitions;
accepting and fulfilling all professional duties assigned by the co-operating teacher and
school administration;
participating in co-curricular activities;
developing lesson plans using specific learning outcomes;
developing lesson plans that meet the needs of diverse learners and implementing varied
teaching and assessment strategies;
assessing student learning and maintaining records of student growth;
employing teaching strategies that are varied, appropriate, and engaging;
selecting and adapting teaching strategies to provide for the range of student abilities,
learning styles, and particular needs (enrichment, reinforcement, etc.);
displaying competence in teachable subject areas;
developing a professional approach to classroom management;
engaging in critical-reflective analysis of his/her own teaching practice for the purpose of
improvement;
responding to constructive criticism in a reflective and positive manner;
attending professional development session(s) provided by the Faculty of Education
and/or the school;
engaging in collaborative work with other teachers;
participating in the Brightspace on-line forum with other interns and the university
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supervisor, and completing the requirements associated with this component of the
internship within the stated timelines;
maintaining confidentiality with respect to student information given by or about students. This
includes information derived from student performance, student records, meetings or other
sources.
interns without on-site supervision will be required to submit a video or provide an
opportunity for live streaming of their teaching
**Social Media**
Most interns are assigned to schools within the Newfoundland and Labrador English
School District (NLESD) and will be governed by NLESD policies. One such NLESD
policy states that the use of technology is “for the purpose of enhancing teaching and
learning”. Therefore, when you are in class and in the role of a professional, the use of
one’s personal device for checking messages or sending texts would not be
considered an appropriate use of technology. Furthermore, each school in the NLESD
has developed an “Acceptable Use of Technology” policy and interns should check the
school website or with the school’s administrative team for access to this policy. Interns
assigned to schools within another school district should check both the applicable
district and school specific policies regarding the use of Social Media.
Below is the link to the NLESD policies, please familiarize yourself with Acceptable Use
of Technology and Social Media Use. As well, please take the time to view the attached
video regarding Social Media use, jointly created by the NLESD and the NLTA.
NLESD Policies
Social Media for Teachers
Responsibilities of the University Supervisor
The supervisor is responsible for helping interns become reflective practitioners; that is,
professionals who are engaged in critical, yet reflective analysis of their teaching. Supervisors
will maintain the Brightspace on-line forum with an assigned group of interns and conduct at
least two meetings with the interns at their school. Supervisors will monitor and respond to the
intern’s journal entries. The supervisor is responsible for:
Orientation meeting with the intern, administrators and co-operating teachers of schools
hosting interns to discuss the objectives and expectations of the internship model;
ensuring the intern is teaching in applicable teachable areas;
providing a direct link between the university and the school;
getting to know the intern and the intern’s general background;
monitoring workload of interns;
supporting the work of administrators and co-operating teachers;
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observing the intern in the classroom setting and discussing the intern’s performance in
the classroom; interns without on-site supervision will be required to submit a video
or provide an opportunity for live streaming of their teaching
maintaining regular contact with intern and co-operating teacher through phone calls,
regular emails and Skype, Brightspace;
mentoring interns in on-line sessions;
reading the interns’ online journals and providing feedback;
encouraging the intern to try new approaches, new methods and implement innovative
and creative teaching strategies;
suggesting current research and literature that supports the professional growth of the
intern;
conferring with the co-operating teacher regarding the intern’s progress including during
reporting periods (4, 8 and 12 weeks) ***upon completion of each report, co-operating
teachers will be directed to send a copy to the internship supervisor, as well as the
Field Service Office;
encouraging the intern to share his or her journal entries with the co-operating teacher;
notifying the Admissions and Field Services Office of student absences, inappropriate
journal responses, lack of journal responses or any difficulties in the classroom;
maintaining electronic copies of intern’s reflective journal responses;
confirming the intern has completed the on-line component of the internship;
Final internship meeting in which a summary report is to be discussed using the following
as a guide:
- comment on the reflective journals with respect to punctuality, writing style, critical and
analytical thinking and connecting theory and practice; comment on school visits and
classroom observations with respect to lesson planning, delivery, student engagement and
teaching and learning; comment on the intern with respect to their potential as a teacher,
noting their strengths and areas that might require improvement.
submission of summary reports to the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education c/o, Sheri
Roberts (sherir@mun.ca)
Responsibilities of the Principal
The principal serves as the co-ordinator of the internship program at the school level and acts as
the communication link between the Field Services Office and the school. The principal also
provides leadership in the school setting for the internship program through professional support
for co-operating teachers and interns. The principal is responsible for:
welcoming the interns to the school and introducing them to school personnel;
ensure intern is teaching in applicable teachable areas;
communicating to co-operating teachers the expectations and requirements of the
internship program;
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providing orientation for the intern about the policies, procedures, school culture,
goals, and philosophy of the school;
familiarizing the intern with the breadth and scope of the school program,
school/community relationships and characteristics of the student body;
ensuring that interns are involved in school experiences such as professional
development activities;
making arrangements for interns to meet with and become familiar with the work of
specialist teachers and non-teaching staff members;
maintaining communication links with the Field Services Office;
promoting the partnership between the Faculty of Education at Memorial University
and the school to provide field placements for interns;
being aware of the progress of the intern;
informing the Field Services Office if, in the assessment of the principal and the co-
operating teacher, the intern is not making satisfactory progress;
providing feedback to the Faculty of Education about the internship.
Internship Program and Expectations
The Program
It should be understood that the intern is not expected to possess all requisite teaching
competencies at the beginning of his/her school placement. The internship is expected to provide
an opportunity for growth and development towards the efficient use of current teaching skills
and strategies. To facilitate growth, observations of interns should clearly describe those skills
obtained by an intern and those needing future attention. Experiences within the program should
be varied. The interns may work with more than one teacher, work in more than one area, and be
familiar with the functions of specific personnel, such as principal, librarian, guidance
counsellors, special education teachers and others. Opportunities for experimentation with
different strategies, or new approaches, may be provided. Transition to Teaching
The intern may spend as much as the first week engaged in classroom observational activities.
The observational dimension should be regarded as an active process of seeking answers to
questions. These questions may be raised by either the intern or the co-operating teacher. The
intern will be a better observer if specific objectives are stated and observations are recorded.
Interns will want to observe the students, the school, relationships, and procedures.
The following points are provided as a guide to be used by interns for making observations:
the classroom as a learning environment;
teacher planning;
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introducing a learning activity;
application of motivational techniques;
use questioning skills;
application of teaching methodologies;
distribution and pattern of student participation;
selection and organization of subject matter;
use of interesting supplementary materials;
provision for individual and group work;
attention to individual differences and learning styles;
attention to formative and summative evaluation;
classroom rules and procedures.
Following this initial period of observation, the proportion of time spent in observation slowly
diminishes as the intern assumes more teaching responsibility. While individual differences in
intern readiness are taken into consideration, the intern is expected to shift from observation to
active teaching when the co-operating teacher feels the intern is ready. Normally, interns will be
ready to assume teaching responsibilities after having spent a week in the school. However,
some interns may require a longer period of observation.
It is important that the first teaching experiences be carefully planned with the co-operating
teacher in order to ensure that the intern experiences teaching success early in the internship.
Initial teaching activities may include helping individual students, conducting a lesson with a
small group, taking responsibility for part of a lesson, or, in some cases, teaching a complete
lesson to the class.
Intern Workload
To a large extent, the amount of teaching the intern is able to do will determine the amount of
professional learning that occurs. The teaching load should be gradually increased to at least 50
per cent of the co-operating teacher’s teaching load at the midpoint of the internship experience.
The intern will assume full responsibility for a major portion of the co-operating teacher’s
workload in the final four weeks of the internship. The following model should be used as a
guide to determine the intern’s workload:
Week 1 - Observation Week 2 - Transition from observation to actual teaching Week 4 – 20-30% percent teaching responsibilities Week 8 – 40-60% percent teaching responsibilities Final 2 weeks – 70-80% teaching responsibilities
Percentage of actual teaching expected for the Primary/Elementary intern
A regular classroom teacher, on average, teaches about 90% of a regular school day when
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Physical Education, Music, etc. and preparation time is taken into consideration. Therefore, if an
intern is responsible for 70 – 75% of the workload of a classroom teacher, he /she would have
teaching responsibilities for approximately 65% of the teacher workload while completing their
internship in the school setting.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Ultimately, the responsibility for the class to which the intern is assigned is that of the co-
operating teacher. When a co-operating teacher assigns his/her intern responsibility for class
instruction, the teacher should be present to observe the teaching and provide the intern
with feedback and direction. In the case of an extracurricular activity, the staff member
assigned to an activity is always fully responsible for the students.
Journal
The purpose of the internship journal is to help students reflect on their experiences and record
their understanding and interpretation of those experiences. The journal is intended to help
interns connect theory and practice, making the internship meaningful and useful in their
development as teachers. It will also help the intern recognize and reflect on the complexity of
teaching and learning, allowing them to assess their individual strengths. Completion of the on-
line journal is compulsory and is undertaken as part of Memorial University’s Brightspace
online forum.
Intern Attendance Policy
As per the Memorial University, Academic Calendar, Primary/Elementary interns are required
to complete a 65 day Extended Internship. This attendance policy is necessary to ensure that
interns are awarded 15 credit hours by Memorial University and that they meet Newfoundland
and Labrador Teacher Certification requirements. Interns are expected to follow their school
schedule and not the university’s schedule as it pertains to holidays and assume the same
responsibility for attendance as regular school staff. With the exception of illness or bereavement
and sessions organized by the Faculty of Education or School District, interns are not permitted
to leave school early or take days off. If an intern is to be absent for any reason other than those
previously described, a request must be made in writing to the Internship Advisory Committee
(c/o Sheri Roberts, Field Services Office or email: sherir@mun.ca).
In the event of absences due to illness or other legitimate reasons, an intern is expected to notify
the co-operating teacher before classes begin for the day. A medical note is required for an
absence of more than three consecutive days. The co-operating teacher should inform the Field
Services Office, Faculty of Education, if the total number of absences becomes a concern. Those
absences include unplanned school closures such as storms, furnace problems, etc. The Field
Services Office, in consultation with the co-operating teacher will determine if the internship is
to be extended to make up for missed time.
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Absence of the Co-operating teacher
In the event of any absence of the co-operating teacher, the school must assume supervisory
responsibility of the classroom (i.e., through a regular substitute teacher or through departmental
supervision). During this time the intern should continue teaching, if possible, the classes that he
/she had been previously teaching.
In the case of an absence that will exceed four consecutive days, or the sudden unavailability of
the co-operating teacher for the remainder of the internship, the Field Services Office, Faculty of
Education, should be contacted immediately
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Evaluation
Both formative and summative evaluation by co-operating teachers should be in evidence during
the internship. Formative evaluations occur daily within the professional development process.
When co-operating teachers and others who work collaboratively with the intern to discuss the
intern’s performance in the classroom, they are engaged formatively. This is also the way to
describe the four and eight week assessments. These assessments are data driven, for the purpose
of setting goals and objectives for the next period or the remainder of the internship. Internship is
a time when interns are developing an analytical approach to teaching and need to be encouraged
constantly to assess themselves, problem solve and plan for improvement. As part of the
formative evaluation, interns are be encouraged to share ideas with others and be open to ideas
and suggestions from others. Summative evaluations are measures of performance made at the
end of the internship evaluation and are recorded as a part of the final report.
Evaluation of intern performance is conducted through the use of university-approved evaluation
procedures. Evaluation forms are provided by the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education to
the participating schools for the co-operating teachers. The co-operating teacher will assign the
intern a grade of Pass or Fail. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs is responsible for
submitting the final grade for the intern to the Office of the Registrar.
Co-operating Teacher’s Evaluation of Intern
The co-operating teacher is responsible for the evaluation of the intern’s in-school experience
during the teaching internship and as such he/she is required to maintain an evaluation file for the
intern. If an intern is assigned two co-operating teachers concurrently, the teachers may elect to
complete joint or separate reports. The documentation from the co-operating teacher (s) required
for the intern’s evaluation file includes:
any notes/documentation as deemed appropriate (e.g., medical notes)
4 week (first) signed internship report form
8 week (second) signed internship report form
Final signed internship report and grade form
All reports must be signed by the co-operating teach and the intern to verify that the
intern has read and understood them
It is the responsibility of the co-operating teacher to ensure each progress report and the final
report are submitted on time. There should be no surprises in the final report for the interns.
This can be ensured by the completion of the 4 and 8-week internship reports. Interns should be
assessed as beginning teachers not as practicing experienced teachers.
The co-operating teacher should retain a photocopy of each report.
Interns must receive a copy of all forms that require their signature and a copy must be
submitted to the Field Services Office c/o Sheri Roberts, via fax (709-864-2001) or email
sherir@mun.ca.
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**Refusal by the intern to sign a report does not negate the evaluation given by the co-operating
teacher (s). For information regarding the procedure for final grade review, please see pg. 17 in
this document.
Procedure and deadlines for submission of evaluation
Scheduled completion dates for the report/grade forms and for submitting the evaluation files are
outlined in the Diary of this Handbook.
To meet the Office of the Registrar deadline for mark submission, the grade form should be
faxed by the deadline noted in the Diary of Dates at the beginning of the Handbook.
*Electronic copies of the progress reports will be sent to principals at the beginning of the
school year.
NOTE: If there are concerns that the intern may not successfully complete the internship, the
Field Services Office must be contacted immediately and reports submitted on scheduled due
dates.
Teacher Concerns with Intern Performance
The nature of the intern’s difficulties, specific suggestions for improvement and a time frame for
him/her to put the suggestions into effect should be documented on an internship report form.
Use of the ‘other’ category on the internship report form allows for this to be done at any time
outside of the designated evaluation intervals, if necessary. A recommendation of ‘continue with
reservation’ can be used and the principal of the school should contact the Field Services Office.
If there is no noticeable improvement in the intern’s performance, it may be necessary to
discontinue the internship on the recommendation of the co-operating teacher and principal in
consultation with the Field Services Office, Faculty of Education. References for the Intern
Interns may, if they wish, use their Final Internship Report Form from the co-operating teacher
when applying for teaching positions that require a written teaching reference. Interns should
retain a copy of their report forms as they are stored at the Faculty of Education for a one-year
period only.
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Guidelines for the Assignment of Internship Grades
Co-operating Teacher Guidelines: PASS indicates that there is evidence of good to excellent overall performance in:
the application of personal and professional qualities (including communication skills); planning for instruction; demonstrating knowledge of the pedagogical process; the application of effective classroom management techniques; reflection on and analysis of classroom teaching.
FAIL indicates unacceptable performance and must be based on evidence of:
weakness in one or more personal and professional qualities (including a significant weakness in communication skills);
poor or unsatisfactory planning displayed in the teaching assignment; a limited or weak knowledge of the pedagogical process; poor or unsatisfactory application of effective classroom management techniques; little or no demonstration of reflection and analysis apparent in teaching.
INCOMPLETE
Co-operating teachers who wish to consider assigning an incomplete grade should contact the
Field Services Office, Faculty of Education to discuss.
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Final Grade Review Procedure
Within two weeks of the receipt of the final internship grade, interns have the right to request a
review of the mark assigned to the in-school component of the internship. This review shall
follow the process, outlined below, as established by the Internship Advisory Committee.
General
1. Each teaching intern will be assigned two committees:
a. Supervisory Committee consisting of the school principal (or designate) and a
Faculty of Education supervisor.
b. Internship Grade Review Committee consisting of one school district senior
administrator (e.g. Assistant Director) and one Faculty of Education Senior
Administrator (e.g. Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs).
2. Grade Review of the school component will not impact on or be impacted by the
on-line component.
Evaluation
1. The co-operating teacher must notify the teaching intern and Supervisory Committee
of any serious concerns as soon as they arise. These concerns must be documented
on an Internship Report Form that is to be copied to the intern and submitted
immediately to both the Supervisory Committee and to the Field Services Office,
Faculty of Education.
2. The Co-operating teacher must prepare the scheduled reports of the intern’s progress
and discuss these reports with the intern as scheduled by the Faculty of Education.
a. An evaluation resulting in a designation of Continue with Reservation will
result in immediate referral to the Supervisory Committee who will work with
the co-operating teacher and teaching intern to develop and implement a
directive control plan for improvement. This plan must have clearly
established goals to be accomplished by the teaching intern to achieve a
passing grade together with supports that are to be provided (including, but
not limited to observations and evaluations by members of the Supervisory
Committee or designates) and timelines for follow-up and review.
b. An evaluation designation of Be Discontinued and/or a Final Grade of FAIL
should not normally be assigned without prior notice to the student and
normally will occur following an interim report of continue with reservation
and the engagement of the Supervisory Committee. (This does not apply to
outright dismissal for cause by the CEO/Director of Education or Dean of
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Education as would be applied to any school board employee and/or student
of Memorial University).
c. A final grade of FAIL will be assigned by the co-operating teacher only after
consultation with the Supervisory Committee.
Grade Review
In the event that a student intern believes that the Final Evaluation as assigned by the co-
operating teacher is not justified, the student has a right to seek an informal resolution by
following the procedures outlined below:
Level 1: Within two weeks of the receipt of the final internship grade the student
must submit, to the Supervisory Committee, a personal letter outlining the
reasons they feel they have met the expectations of the internship.
Action: The Supervisory Committee will thoroughly investigate matters related to
the request for grade review, ensuring that all parties associated have been
consulted and appropriate documents reviewed. The Supervisory
Committee will respond to the student with a decision, in writing, within a
two week period.
Level 2: If the student is not satisfied with the final decision of the Supervisory
Committee, they can, within two weeks of receipt of the decision, submit
a personal letter to the Internship Grade Review Committee, outlining the
reasons they feel the Supervisory Committee has erred.
Action: The Internship Grade Review Committee will thoroughly investigate
matters related to the request for grade review, ensuring that all parties
associated have been consulted and appropriate documents reviewed. The
Internship Grade Review Committee will respond to the student with a
final decision, in writing, within a two week period.
In order to facilitate a thorough review of internship grade, interns will be required to:
a. Submit paper copies of their lesson/unit plans that they have prepared and taught with the
co-operating teacher. The co-operating teacher will need to verify that the lesson/unit
plan has been implemented prior to it being submitted to the Faculty of Education
Supervisor.
b. Make available to the co-operating teacher a file that contains copies of the lesson/unit
plans that have been submitted.
c. The intern may also be required to demonstrate to the Supervisory Committee their
competence in teaching a lesson/unit of work.
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Appendix “A”
INTERNSHIP JOURNAL
Education 401X
(Primary/Elementary)
Education 403X (Music Education)
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Winter 2020
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Introduction
Reflection and analysis of personal experiences are important in the transition of an intern from a
pre-service mode to that of a practicing teacher. Much can be learned by reflecting (i.e., thinking
and writing) about the experiences, activities and tasks interns engage in as part of their school
placement experience. Participation in the internship journal is a compulsory activity which is
intended to provide you with an opportunity to reflect on these events, analyze them and record
your reflections.
The internship journal is a component of an online collaborative and supportive learning
community where interns demonstrate their professional knowledge and recognize its
relationship to classroom practice. Interns will reflect on pedagogically significant issues and
share their thoughts with their co-operating teacher, other interns and their university supervisor.
At the commencement of their school placement, interns are expected to peruse this document
and the Handbook to become cognizant of the responsibilities associated with the internship.
After the initial journal entry, interns are expected to prepare themselves for the four major
journal entries by engaging in discussions with school personnel, attending different school-
based meetings, attending professional development sessions, observing classroom and specialist
teachers in action, collaborating with colleagues, dialoguing with other interns, and generally
learning about the challenges and rewards of being a teacher. This type of exposure to the school
environment will allow interns to explore the concepts presented in the journal and be able to
discuss them with their colleagues.
The Faculty of Education strives to offer the same internship model for all candidates in the
program, whether those students are interning within the province of Newfoundland and
Labrador or at other locations where the internship is offered. Sometimes, however, geography
may cause some minor differences to occur. In an effort to standardize the internship practice
and delivery and to establish a common framework, the journal as presented here will be used by
all interns.
Journal entry guidelines
When writing your Journal, consider the following points:
• write in a manner that is scholarly and be aware that colleagues, university
supervisors and co-operating teachers will be reading your journal;
• narratives should demonstrate a coherent development of argument, ideas, and
concepts;
• pay attention to technical quality, organization and coherence, clarity of prose,
spelling, grammar, punctuation and attention to detail;
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• evidence of critical reflection should be apparent, i.e., you should use your
experiences as a student at MUN and the experiences of your internship to
respond to the questions posed;
• review all journal topics at the beginning of the internship to be aware of the
issues to be discussed and the expectations set forth;
• read relevant articles posted in the e-resources library at:
http://www.mun.ca/educ/undergrad/internship/inter_e_resources.php;
• entries should be sufficient in length to adequately relate your ideas, the four main
journals should each be a minimum of 500 words in length; and,
• submit your journals by the assigned due date.
Journal entry 1 - Goal setting and school placement
Set goals for yourself that you wish to accomplish during your internship. It is important to
establish a reasonable number of goals that are attainable. List three or four goals and describe
how you hope to achieve them. At least one of your goals should be a personal goal. You will re-
consider these later in your internship. Your goals should meet the criteria for SMART goals:
S = Specific,
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely
All schools are similar in many ways; however, there are often significant differences. Your
internship placement is a unique setting, possibly because of the following items:
- school type (e.g. primary, secondary, enrolment, teaching staff, single stream,
multi-graded, communities served, etc.);
- community (e.g. rural, urban, population)
- grade/subject placement (grade level(s), teaching areas); and,
- co-operating teacher’s experience and educational background.
Reflect on your expectations for this internship and write three or four goals you hope to
accomplish. Also, discuss your school and placement, in term of the points listed above.
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Journal entry 2 - Personal reflection on issues, concepts, or events of intern’s choice
Teachers assume many roles within the school and encounter many situations and events as they
carry out their duties. The “Internship Journal” topics attempt to capture your reflections on a
number of current issues in education that you may face as an intern working in the classroom.
However, the set of Journal topics included for your consideration is not exhaustive and is not
intended to address all of the day-to-day situations that you may experience. To that end, we
would like you to select two issues, concepts, or occurrences that you would like to discuss. This
may include, but is not limited to, attendance, student behavior, parental involvement, school
policies, extracurricular programs, inclusion, breakfast and lunch programs, professional
development, curricular issues, etc.
You will be expected to post a minimum of two topics to the Brightspace discussion
forum
You will post at least six responses in total to the postings of other interns
The purpose of this assignment is to initiate a rich and meaningful dialogue among the interns in
this section of the course. Your internship supervisor will monitor the discussion forum regularly
and may enter the discussion as well.
Reflect on your day to day observations and identify an issue, concept, or occurrence of your
choice and discuss how it impacts on you as a classroom teacher, your beliefs and practices and
ask for feedback from your fellow interns. Also, respond to six postings in the Brightspace
Forum from other interns. Your postings for this entry should be approximately 200 words.
Note: Your online supervisors may arrange you in small groups so that the discussions become
more meaningful.
Journal entry 3 - Effective teaching
Effective teaching is a difficult concept to define but researchers do acknowledge that the
characteristics, behaviors and personal traits of effective teachers play a pivotal role in helping to
determine what effective teaching is. The following is a partial list of commonly cited behaviors
of what effective teachers do. Effective teachers:
use a variety of well-informed skills and methods at their disposal to meet the needs of
their students and the demands of the curriculum;
believe in their ability to work with students and to help them learn;
understand that the act of teaching is complex and they are constantly reflecting on ways
to improve their practice even though they realize that there are no simple answers to the
problems they may encounter;
maintain a professional image in the classroom;
use reinforcement, praise and criticism wisely;
challenge their students to reach their potential.
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Recent research in our own Faculty of Education by Delaney (2007) examined Newfoundland
and Labrador high school students’ perceptions of the characteristics of effective teachers.
Students involved in that study determined that the top 5 characteristics of effective teachers
were: humorous, knowledgeable, organized, respectful and patient.
Reflect on your time as an intern and also as a student in the K-12 school system and discuss
your perceptions of what constitutes an effective teacher. What were their characteristics,
behaviors and/or personal traits that, in your opinion, made them effective teachers?
Journal entry 4 - Inclusive education
The Premier’s Task Force on Improving Educational Outcomes, "Now is the Time: The Next
Chapter in Education in Newfoundland and Labrador" was recently released. Chapter 1 deals
with exclusively with Inclusive Education. The complete report can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/task_force/report.pdf
In your class identify one student with unique learning needs and observe how his/her needs are
being met. Observe the reaction of classmates to this student and his/her interaction with them.
Meet with the teacher to discuss the program plan and share your observations with them. Avail
of opportunities to attend program planning meetings for this (or another student) and reflect on
your observations. Explore how you would access information to understand this student’s
functioning and where you could access planning ideas for him/her.
After reading chapter 1, reflect on your observations, discussing the inherent challenges and
rewards that inclusive practice brings to the classroom teacher.
Journal entry 5 - Goal review and final comments
Review the goals you set for your internship in your first journal entry. Discuss your success in
the achievement of these goals. Also, write a statement about the internship experience and how
it has shaped your development as a teacher and whether or not it has reaffirmed your career
choice of becoming a teacher.
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Resources
NLTA (www.nlta.nl.ca)
NLTA Code of Ethics (http://files.nlta.nl.ca/wp-content/uploads/public/documents/abcbook.pdf)
Classroom Management (http://teachers.net/gazette/JUN00/covera.html)
Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI) (http://www.cdli.ca/)
Faculty of Education ( http://www.mun.ca/ed/home/)
Department of Education, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
(http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/ )
Teacher Certification (http://www.mun.ca/educ/undergrad/certification.php)
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Contact Information
Faculty of Education, Field Services Office
The Field Services Office, Faculty of Education, co-ordinates the internship program and is
responsible for its administration.
Academic Program Administrator: Sheri Roberts, email: sherir@mun.ca Tel: (709) 864-8599
Fax: (709) 864-2001/2526.
Mailing address:
The Field Services Office
Undergraduate Programs
Faculty of Education
Memorial University of Newfoundland
G.A. Hickman Building
E2025
St. John’s, NL, Canada
A1B 3X8 *Revised December 2019