Clinical Practice - Common Standard 3

Clinical Practice Narrative

Through site-based work and clinical experiences, programs offered by the unit provide candidates with opportunities to both experience issues of diversity that affect school climate and to effectively implement research-based strategies for improving teaching and student learning.

Clinical Practice Narrative & Theoretical Approach: Clinical Practice experiences in the Cal Poly School of Education are deeply grounded in Learn by Doing; future educators work alongside experts in the field to hone their craft through a gradual release of responsibility. This Learn by Doing approach embeds Cal Poly’s innovative polytechnic approach to higher education with best practices and theories in education by building a Community of Practice that emphasizes continuous improvement and a culture of shared learning.

In order to build a successful Learn by Doing Clinical Practice program, great care and thought goes into articulating all facets of the clinical experience, including: roles, coaching, language, and the supports that are leveraged at each phase of field experience. By intentionally articulating shared principles and values throughout Clinical Practice, the SOE builds meaningful connections between the Cal Poly campus and the field.

In the SOE, Clinical Practice roles and responsibilities are expressed through The Triad, a designed collaboration between the Teacher Candidate, Cooperating Teacher or Mentor Administrator (District Employed Supervisor), and University Supervisor (Program Supervisor). Each member of the Triad participates in learning experiences that help to create a Community of Practice based on shared language, best practices, and theories. This ensures that the strategies, coaching, and evaluation that Teacher Candidates experience in the field are consistent with the theories and language promoted in SOE coursework.

The Cal Poly School of Education further advances a shared vision of effective teaching and learning through the SOE Observation Tool, which articulates 17 Prioritized Skills at the center of effective teaching practice. While future educators study the theories and best practices behind these Prioritized Skills in their coursework, the SOE offers workshops and professional development resources for Cooperating Teachers, school site administrators, and our surrounding community in order to norm our collective understanding of the SOE Observation tool, and to encourage common language. By developing shared expectations and norms grounded in the Observation Tool, we tighten the relationship between the School of Education and fieldwork sites, creating a more coherent experience for our Teacher Candidates. Fostering this shared vision of teaching and learning also serves to demystify effective teaching practice and reveals a transparent development path for Teacher Candidates as they uncover and honor their own craft as future master teachers.

The final linchpin in Cal Poly’s approach to Clinical Practice is building a community and experience that encourages continuous growth and improvement, along with the risk-taking that is inherent in that process. The Learn by Doing approach requires future educators, and the experts with whom they work alongside, to be open to new ideas, implement innovative strategies, assess, and reflect on resulting successes and inevitable failures. Developing these practices requires vulnerability, willingness to change, and the ability to own missteps. By encouraging these habits, however, the SOE ensures that future educators will be prepared for advanced studies in education, action research, and a commitment to continuous growth that will improve their practice and the outcomes of their students throughout their careers.

Site Placements: Process, Diversity & MOUs

For each program the unit offers candidates have significant experience in school settings where the curriculum aligns with California’s adopted content standards and frameworks, and the school reflects the diversity of California’s student and the opportunity to work with the range of students identified in the program standards.

Clinical Practice Placement Process: SOE Candidates may NOT make their own Clinical Practice placement arrangements. The Clinical Practice Coordinator, with the guidance and input of the Program Coordinator and faculty, will place teacher candidates in their Clinical Practice assignments. Placing Teacher Candidates in schools is an extremely important task that requires the utmost in professionalism. Therefore, the Clinical Practice Coordinator and Program Coordinator will be responsible for initiating and negotiating the placements for Teacher Candidates. Teacher candidates are not to ask specific school administrators or teachers to request a special placement.

Clinical Practice assignments are arranged in school districts that have a current Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the School of Education. School placements are typically located between San Miguel and Lompoc; teacher candidates should expect to drive between 30 minutes and 1 hour to their school sites and should plan their schedules with these commute times in mind.

Requesting Special Circumstances: Candidates may request special Clinical Practice placement assignments for significant reasons, such as a medical or physical limitation. For these requests, written documentation is required.

Requesting Change of Placement: Students with concerns about the Clinical Practice experience (such as Cooperating Teacher or Clinical Practice Supervisor placements) are encouraged to direct those concerns in writing to the Clinical Practice Coordinator (per the SOE Grievance Policy detailed in the Student Handbook). The Clinical Practice Coordinator will record and monitor the recurrence of concerns, communicate with Program Coordinators and Clinical Practice personnel, and facilitate in determining if urgent issues require immediate resolution. If the Clinical Practice Coordinator and Program Coordinator are unable to resolve the issue, students may appeal to the SOE Director in writing.

SOE Commitment to Diversity of Placements: The Cal Poly School of Education is committed to preparing future educators who are ready to serve a diverse student population. This commitment is shaped by our accountability to CTC and Cal Poly policies, as well as our personal commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (outlined in the Student Handbook).

Cal Poly makes every effort to ensure that education candidates participate in fieldwork experiences that offer significant exposure to school settings that reflect the full diversity of California public schools. In accordance with CTC guidelines, diverse Clinical Practice experiences include: racial and ethnic diversity of students, students from families in lower socio-economic income ranges, English learners from a variety of language backgrounds, and inclusiveness for students with disabilities (CTC Guidance on Clinical Practice Supervision of Teacher Candidates, pg 5). Additionally, the SOE makes an effort to expose future Multiple Subject and Special Education teachers to a range of grade levels across their various Clinical Practice placements.

The Clinical Practice Coordinator and the Program Coordinators carefully consider exposure to diversity when assigning Clinical Practice placements, which is an added reason why students are prohibited from making their own Clinical Practice arrangements. Many of the diverse communities that partner with the SOE lay outside the immediate San Luis Obispo area, and so students should be prepared to commute between 30 minutes to 1 hour in order to gain exposure to a diverse range of school settings.

MOUs (Revised Summer 2018): Using guidance from the CTC's Clinical Practice and Supervision Requirements (PSA 17-06), the SOE developed a revised MOU with School Districts to document the partner districts' commitment to state and program requirements, including: 600 hours of supervised clinical experience with at least 200 hours of solo or co-teaching; appropriate field experience activities as defined by the CTC; substantial involvement in planning and co-planning, delivering, and assessing lessons; adherence to the TPEs and California's adopted content standards and frameworks; exposure to settings that reflect the full diversity of California public schools; and support for candidates to complete required Clinical Practice Observations, the edTPA (CalAPA to be added), and required video capture.

Clinical Practice Placement Sites: Diversity Profiles & MOUs

ATASCADERO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
Cayucos Elementary SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
Chowchilla SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AgEd
COAST UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, AgEd
EXETER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Fillmore UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AgEd
Guadelupe Union SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
GUSTINE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Hilmar UnIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
Lemoore Union High  SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, AGED
LOMPOC UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
Lucia Mar UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, SPED, AGED
MERCED Union High SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
ORCUTT UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
PASO ROBLES JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, SPED
RIPON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
SAN LUIS COASTAL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, SPED
SAN MIGUEL JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
SANTA MARIA-BONITA  SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, SPED, AGED
SANTA MARIA JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS, SPED, AGED
Santa Ynez UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SOLEDAD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
South Monterey County Joint Union SD Programs: Aged
St. Helena UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
TEMPLETON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: MS, SS
TULARE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
TURLOCK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Programs: AGED
Union School District

Clinical Practice University Supervisors and Field Supervisors (DES)

Site-based supervisors must be certified and experienced in teaching the specified content or performing the services authorized by the credential.

The process and criteria result in the selection of site-based supervisors who provide effective and knowledgeable support for candidates.

Site-based supervisors are trained in supervision, oriented to the supervisory role, evaluated and recognized in a systematic manner.

Evidence of Expectations for Supervisors:
Field Supervisors (or District Employed Supervisors) include our Cooperating Teachers and Administrators who mentor candidates at school sites. Field Supervisors are unpaid and are not employees of Cal Poly. 

University Supervisors (or Program Supervisors) are employed Cal Poly part-time lecturers who observe, evaluate, and coach teacher candidates and facilitate the relationship between candidates and Field Supervisors. University Supervisors are systematically hired, retained and evaluated as part of Cal Poly personnel procedures.

• Clinical Practice Roles & Responsibilities (PDF)
• Recruitment & Hiring - University Supervisors (PDF)
• Recruitment & Selection - Field Supervisors (DES) (PDF)
• Recruitment & Selection - Cooperating Teachers Recruitment Video
• Recruitment & Selection - Cooperating Teacher Recruitment Flyer (PDF)
• Recruitment & Selection - Cooperating Teachers Interest Survey (PDF)
• Training & Resources - University Supervisors (Teacher Prep) (PDF)
• Training & Resources - University Supervisors (ELAP) (PDF)
• Training & Resources - Cooperating Teachers 
• Evaluation Process - Clinical Practice Evaluation Plan (PDF)
• Evaluation Process - University Supervisors WPAF (PDF)

Clinical Practice Handbooks

Evidence of Clinical Practice Expectations: Expectations for the Clinical Practice Triad (Candidate, Cooperating Teacher, and Supervisor), roles and responsibilities, and the observation and supervision process are located in the Clinical Practice Appendix of each program handbook.  

Teacher Education Clinical Practice	Links
MSTEP Program Handbook	Download
SSTEP Program Handbook	Download
SPED Program Handbook	Download
ELAP Program Handbook      & ELAP Fieldwork Handbook	Download   Download
Agriculture Specialist Program Supplemental Handbook	Download
SABE Clinical Practice Guidelines	Download

Clinical Practice Assessment

All programs effectively implement and evaluate fieldwork and clinical practice.

Evidence of Clinical Practice Assessment: All Clinical Practice programs within the Cal Poly School of Education share a vision of effective teaching and learning through the SOE Observation Tool, which articulates 17 Prioritized Skills at the center of effective teaching practice. The SOE Disposition Assessment is also used across Clinical Practice programs.

Teacher Education Clinical Practice	Links
Observation Protocol	Download
Observation Rubric	Download
Observation Evaluation Form	Download
Disposition Evaluation Form	Download
Induction Transition Plan	Download