Field Placements
The University of North Georgia (91ÁÔÆæ) College of Education is committed to serving the children, families, and schools of our region by preparing compassionate, knowledgeable, and effective teachers. Research on teacher preparation indicates the amount of supervised clinical experience a teacher candidate receives is predictive of their success in the classroom as well as their retention in the profession. The focus on extended classroom experience is why 91ÁÔÆæ College of Education graduates are highly regarded by regional school districts.
Email coefex@ung.edu if you have specific questions.
91ÁÔÆæ teacher certification programs are designed to create environments that support professional development, personal growth, and academic excellence in the context of service to our students, colleagues, institution, community, and discipline.
In collaboration with partnering schools, the College of Education (COE) places several hundred prospective teachers each term. Partnering school systems determine the number and types of field experience assignments they wish to allow. Placement requirements are governed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which require experiences across the grade bands appropriate for the content and certification field and in diverse school settings. 91ÁÔÆæ teacher candidates can only be placed in schools that have attained accreditation from agencies recognized by the GaPSC.
The COE has contractual agreements with designated school systems to place teacher candidates. Students are placed within 65 miles of their residence, provided the placement is within one of our contracts and is not restricted by site availability or the availability of a university supervisor. Students must not attempt to arrange their own placements or supervision. Students cannot be placed in any school they have attended in the last seven years or in which they have children or family members enrolled or employed. The COE makes every effort to ensure assignments for field experiences are made within commuting distance from the student’s residence. Extenuating circumstances may cause a placement to exceed 65 miles from a student’s residence.
Students must understand that as part of the COE, they are responsible for managing their commute and being mindful of the time involved in traveling to and from the placement school. Teacher candidates in the 91ÁÔÆæ College of Education are expected to model professional and personal integrity, strong communication skills, passion for teaching, and collaborative support and care for the community served by our partner schools. Students are expected to fulfill their field experience where assigned, and changes in placements are not allowed without medical documentation or a childcare emergency. We attempt to meet the needs of our students. However, barring extreme circumstances, student requests for changes in placements are not made until all students have received placements and are considered only in cases of significant hardship. Teacher candidates are required to have current professional liability insurance, which is available inexpensively through several professional organizations.