9.3 Practica Regulations

9.3.1 General

Field experience, student teaching and seminars form an integral part of the elementary and secondary teacher education programs.

Students should be aware that all arrangements for field experience and student teaching are made through the Field Experience Office, located in the MacLaurin Building.

Through the Faculty of Education, the university reserves the right to approve any agency or school that provides placements for student practica, and to change any placement assigned to a student. The student, however, has the right to be informed in writing of the reasons for any change in placement.

While the university accepts a responsibility to provide a sufficient number of practicum opportunities to serve the needs of all registered students, a student may be required to withdraw from a practicum course if none of the available practicum agencies will accept the student, or the student refuses to accept the assigned placement.

Students must successfully complete all required course work before they will be allowed to undertake a practicum. Students will be denied the practicum experience if their preparatory work is considered unsatisfactory by the manager of field experience.

Students undertaking field experience must be prepared to travel. Extra expenses will be involved; students should budget accordingly.

9.3.2 Practica Dates

The dates of practica will be established for each program and will be announced to the students involved at the beginning of each term.

9.3.3 Attendance

Full-time attendance is required during a practicum. Students are expected to notify the school and their faculty supervisor whenever practicum appointments cannot be kept.

9.3.4 Unethical or Unprofessional Behaviour

Students should refer to the guidelines for Professional Conduct in 9.1.

Students in the Faculty of Education's teacher education programs are responsible for understanding the provisions of the BC School Act. Students who are placed in schools for teaching practica are required to observe the Faculty of Education's Code of Professional Conduct as well as the BC Teachers’ Federation’s (BCTF) Code of Ethics. A student may be required to withdraw from a practicum at any stage of the experience for violation of any part of these codes or upon a written order from the school principal or the board of school trustees of the district in which the student is placed.

Teachers or administrators who refuse a student’s continued participation in a practicum for misconduct or repeated absences, or where the educational progress of the school students is in jeopardy, must immediately discuss the matter with the manager of field experience. The manager will then either inform the student of the conditions under which he or she may resume participation in the practicum or require the student to withdraw from the practicum and inform the student in writing of the reasons.

9.3.5 Practicum Denial and Withdrawal

Practicum Denial Preprofessional

a) Practicum Denial

Students will be denied the practicum experience if their preparation in required course work and/or practicum planning is deemed unsatisfactory by their instructor(s) and/or the manager of field experience.

b) Required Withdrawal

Students may be required to withdraw from the practicum with a failing grade if their performance in the practicum or their practicum preparation is considered unsatisfactory by one of: course instructor, mentor teacher, supervisor, or the manager of field experience.

c) Voluntary Withdrawal

Students seeking voluntary withdrawal during a practicum, whether permanent or temporary, must receive permission to do so from the manager of field experience. Their request must be in writing and contain the reasons for the request. Students whose performance is deemed unsatisfactory at the time of withdrawal will receive a failing grade.

9.3.6 Readmission to a Practicum

Students who have withdrawn from a practicum for any reason who later wish to re-enter the practicum must apply in writing to the manager of field experience for readmission. Please note that readmission is not guaranteed.

A student who fails a practicum may be granted permission to re-take the practicum. If the student subsequently fails on the second attempt, he/she may be required to withdraw from the teacher education program and the Faculty of Education. A student will not normally be permitted to attempt the practicum a third time.