TEAM K-6 and ECU Internships Frequently Asked Questions

Click on each question to reveal the answer. Click again to hide the answer.

1. What is the purpose of Internship I, II, and III in the Team and ECU programs?

The purpose of Internships I, II, and III (TEAM) is to provide an opportunity for initial candidates to obtain experience in the teaching and assessment of social studies, reading and language arts, mathematics, and science. The purpose of Internships I, II, and III (ECU) is to provide an opportunity for candidates to obtain experience in the teaching and assessment of art, music, health/P.E., social studies, language development, math and science. Additionally, management of a classroom, making adjustments for individual student needs, utilizing developmentally appropriate practices, and reflecting are enhanced under the supervision of education faculty and quality mentor teachers.

 

2. How long are internship candidates in the school or facility?

A minimum of forty hours of field time per internship spread throughout the entire duration of the internship is required for each experience. The Correction of Reading Disabilities Internship (TEEL 480) requires sixteen hours of field time over a sixteen-day period.

 

3. What are the weekly requirements for each internship?

Each internship experience requires candidates to assist in an elementary classroom or early childhood setting in the content area of their internship as follows:

Elementary Education Program (TEAM)

TEEL 378 Internship II-Reading & Language Arts - 2 days a week, one hour and 15 minutes of academic time each day

TEEL 377 Internship I-Mathematics - 2 days a week, one hour and 15 minutes of academic time each day

TEEL 478 Internship III-Social Studies - 2 days a week, 40 minutes of academic time each day

TEEL 478 Internship III-Science** – 2 days a week, 40 minutes of academic time each day

TEEL 480 Correction of Reading Disabilities Internship - 16 one-hour after-school tutoring sessions over a 16-day period

** Candidates living in the Hays/Ellis/Russell/Victoria area will participate in the On-Campus After School Science Club program instead of interning in a classroom.

Early Childhood Unified Program (ECU)

TEEC 376 Internship III-Kindergarten to Grade 3 – 2 days a week, one hour and 15 minutes of academic time each day

TEEC 341 Internship II-Ages 3 to 5 - at least 2 days a week, 5 hours of academic time each week

TEEC 336 Internship I-Birth to age 3 - 40 hours with a service provider throughout the 8-week period

 

4. On what days and times are internship hours completed (schedule)?

Days and times vary according to the schedule and needs of the mentor teacher and host school. Internship candidates must make the internship a priority and adjust their personal and work schedules to meet the demands of the internship. Maintaining flexibility is of utmost importance.

 

5. Where can candidates complete their internships?

Virtual candidates can complete their internships in or near their hometown at an accredited school/facility. On-campus candidates will complete their internships in a participating Hays/Ellis/Russell/Victoria, Kansas school. Candidates in TEEC 336 Internship 1 Birth to Age 3 will not complete the internship in a school; rather candidates will travel with mentors to homes of children who receive special education services under IDEA Part C.

 

6. Can candidates place themselves in internships?

Candidates are NOT permitted to arrange their own internship placements EXCEPT for TEEL 480 Correction of Reading Disabilities Internship.* All other placements are coordinated by FHSU staff. Our accreditation process requires diversity of placements, which means each internship will take place in a different grade level with a different mentor teacher. Candidates will not student teach in a school building where they have completed an internship.

*Candidates enrolled in the TEEL 480 Correction of Reading Disabilities Internship will contact the principal of a local school to obtain permission for tutoring students in reading after school hours.

 

7. How are virtual internship candidates observed, and who observes them?

Virtual candidates are observed by a quality mentor teacher at the participating school and by a FHSU supervisor. For each internship in which a candidate is enrolled, the candidate will teach a minimum of one lesson plan from his/her Integrated Thematic Unit Plan developed in the methods course(s) corresponding with the internship(s). A FHSU supervisor will observe formal observations using Skype and a webcam. If Skype is not accessible or available at an intern's school, alternative arrangements will be made.

 

8. How many internships will candidates complete throughout the program?

For the TEAM program, candidates will complete four internships: TEEL 378: Reading/Language Arts Internship II, TEEL 377: Math Internship I, TEEL 478: Social Studies/Science Internship III and TEEL 480: Correction of Reading Internship.

For the ECU program, candidates will complete three internships: TEEC 376: Internship III Kindergarten to Grade 3, TEEC 341: Internship II Ages 3 to 5, TEEC 336: Internship I Birth to Age 3.

 

9. Which methods course(s) correspond with each internship course?

For the TEAM program:

If you are enrolled in Internship II, you must also be enrolled in TEEL 365: Reading & Language Arts Methods

If you are enrolled in Internship I, you must also be enrolled in TEEL 362: Mathematics Methods

If you are enrolled in Internship III, you must also be enrolled in TEEL 363: Elementary School Social Studies Methods AND TEEL 361: Elementary School Science

If you are enrolled in Correction of Reading Disabilities Internship, you must also be enrolled in TEEL 481 Correction of Reading Disabilities.

For the ECU program:

If you are enrolled in Internship III, you must also be enrolled in TEEL 365: Reading & Language Arts Methods

If you are enrolled in Internship II, you must also be enrolled in TEEC 365: Curriculum in Early Childhood

If you are enrolled in Internship I, you must also be enrolled in TEEC 340: Creative Expression Methods

 

10. When can students take internship courses?

For both the TEAM and ECU program, students can start taking internship courses upon Admission to Teacher Education.

 

11. What internship must be taken first?

For the TEAM program, TEEL 378 Internship 2 Reading and Language Arts must be taken first. For the ECU program, TEEC 376 Internship 3 Kindergarten to Grade 3 must be taken first.

 

12. How many internships can be taken during one semester?

It is recommended that a student take no more than two internships per semester. However, for Interns who are taking the ECU 1 Birth to Age 3 Internship, it is recommended that be taken alone in a semester.

 

13. Do on-campus TEAM Internships I, II, III and ECU III classes meet at the same time?

Candidates enrolled in TEAM Internship I, II, III or ECU III will meet together on six select dates throughout the semester. All TEAM and ECU III on-campus internship classes meet together, in the same room and at the same time. Virtual candidates will attend the on-campus meetings by watching the Adobe Connect broadcasts (live or recorded).

 

14. Will substitute teaching or a similar experience fulfill the internship requirement?

Refer to the Experiential Learning Handbook

 

15. What is academic time?

Academic time is the time spent in the classroom during mathematics, reading and language arts, social studies, or science. Interns are not responsible for covering the classroom for the mentor teacher, subbing during internship time, recess duty, lunch duty, or before and after school duty nor can any of these instances be counted as the intern’s academic time in the classroom.

Contact Us  •  Phone: (785) 628-4204  •  Rarick Hall 244