Table of Contents (click on the following links to go directly to that section)

Rationale

Policy 1

Policy 2

Policy 3

Policy 4

Policy 5

Policy 6

Log Sheet

Unprofessional Conduct Report

RATIONALE

Your education and training at Southwest Texas Junior College as a Teacher’s Aide is composed of two basic components: (1) classroom instruction and (2) field experiences. Classroom Instruction refers to time spent each week in a classroom setting with your course instructor and fellow students. Field Experiences refer to the hours you spend each week at your regular job (or as a volunteer) working directly with students and teachers in appropriate educational settings. A Field Site is a school or licensed early childhood program which meets certain guidelines and is willing to allow you as an employee or volunteer to participate in the following course:

EDTC 1364 Practicum (or Field Experience)-Teacher Assistant/Aide 3-0-21

A basic or intermediate type of non-health professions work-based instruction that provides basic career exploration or helps students gain practical experience in the discipline, enhance skills, and integrate knowledge. The emphasis is on practical work experience. Indirect supervision is provided by the work supervisor. A practicum may be a paid or unpaid learning experience.

This approach to education allows you to apply classroom learning in live conditions. The curriculum is based on the principles of adult education. Adult educators like Kolb, Mezirow, Paulo Freire have identified the importance of experience and self-direction that adult students bring into a learning situation. Learning occurs when students are able to reflect on their experience and afterwards act in the light of their new knowledge. According to David Kolb learning is "the process where knowledge is created through the transformation of experience" (Kolb, David A. 1984, Experiencial Learning, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall).

The theories and techniques you have learned in previous courses can be observed and practiced while you conduct your regular job duties under the supervision of a cooperating teacher and the additional guidance of the SWTJC course instructor.

The Teacher Aide Program at SWTJC seeks to provide education and training for both pre-service and in service students. Pre-service students are those students who have not yet been employed or are not currently employed at an educational facility (such as a school or early childhood center). In-service students are those students who are presently employed at an educational facility and work a minimum of 21 hours per week.

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The following policies and guidelines are designed to make your "field experience" course a successful learning experience. You, the student, are responsible for abiding by these policies and procedures.

Students may have a variety of field experiences as part of EDTC 1364, but will spend a minimum of 21 hours per week at a job site(s).

1.1 Field placement of a student will be conducted on an individual basis.

1.2 If you are currently working 21+ hours per week at an educational facility you will be able to satisfy the course requirements during your regular working hours. If you are a part-time employee working less than 21 hours per week, you may choose to volunteer at an appropriate educational facility the additional hours necessary to satisfy the course requirements.

1.3 If during the semester you become unemployed, you will be required to arrange alternative employment or volunteer work at an appropriate site.

 

Students must document the hours spent on the job site or sites.

2.1 You must keep a record of the hours you work (or volunteer) at the job site. The form "Practicum Log Sheet" will be provided to you at the beginning of the semester (see Page 7).

2.2 The Practicum Log Sheet will be placed in the school or center where you will be working. This sheet must remain at the school or center. You will sign in and sign out each day that you work and have your cooperating teacher or administrator initial the form each day to verify you were present. Continuously total the number of hours to be certain you are meeting the requirements.

2.3 All students must wash hands before entering classroom and after bathroom use. Put name tag on before entering classroom.

2.4 Dress code – The student’s manner of dress will conform to the local institution’s expectations.

Students shall conduct themselves as professional educators and never jeopardize the physical safety or mental health of children, parents, teachers, or fellow students.

3.1 All knowledge you gain about a child, family, or educational program as a result of your field experiences should be considered confidential and not to be discussed outside the teacher-student or teacher-teacher aide relationship. When writing practicum reports or sharing experiences with the class, omit names. Instead use letters or numbers or phrases such as "on child" or "in this program." Discussing such information outside the teacher-student or teacher-teacher aide relationship can seriously jeopardize the reputation of a child, family, teacher, or program.

3.2 You should show courtesy and respect to the employees of the field-sites that you may visit.

3.3 You should not display behaviors which jeopardize the physical safety or mental health of the children, parents, teachers, or fellow students at the field-site. Behavior considered unprofessional and unethical for educators includes but is not limited to :

* behavior which may constitute any form of child abuse or neglect

* failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities

* physically harming a child through spanking, hitting, pinching, slapping, shaking, or other such behaviors or encouraging such behaviors among children

* discussing confidential information about a child, family, teacher, program, or fellow student outside the student-teacher or teacher-teacher aide relationship

* sharing information with parents about their child or the program without the express permission of the cooperating teacher or discussing such information in the presence of the child

* frequently speaking to children in a harsh or loud voice, using aggressive language, or speaking to the child in a way that damages self-esteem

* leaving a group of children unsupervised or failing to abide by his/her instructions in regard to classroom management

* undermining the authority of the cooperating teacher or failure to abide by his/her instructions in regard to classroom management

* failure to report to your immediate supervisor unsafe or dangerous conduct, or events that you may observe

* taking or using material and equipment from the facility that do not belong to the student without proper authorization

* failure to follow procedures or instructions given by your course instructor or cooperating teacher which endangers the physical safety or mental health of the children

* engaging in behaviors while working with children that could be interpreted as socially unacceptable or bizarre

* smoking in the presence of children

* being under the influence of behavior-altering drugs or alcohol shile at the educational facility

Students who engage in unprofessional or unethical conduct shall not be permitted to continue to participate in the EDTC 1364 Practicum.

4.1 Each time that it is verified that you hve behaved in an unprofessional or unethical manner, jeopardizing the physical safety or mental health of a child, parent, teacher, or fellow student an "Unprofessional Conduct Report " will be completed by the course instructor (see Page 8). The particular incident will be documented on this form. The student, together with the course instructor, cooperating teacher, and other appropriate persons will meet to review the incident. All persons present will sign the report. A copy of this report will be kept in the student’s folder.

4.2 Upon receipt of a second "Unprofessional Conduct Report"you would no longer allowed to count the hours spent as part of the practicum and would be advised to withdraw from the teacher aide program.

4.3 Under certain circumstances, a student may not be permitted to participate in the practicum after receiving one "Unprofessional Conduct Report" is the particular incident was of a very serious nature.

4.4 The following procedures will be followed regarding the dismissal or suspension of any student from the SWTJC Teacher Aide Program:

1. A written request, from the instructor or division chairperson initiating the action, must be submitted to the Dean of Instructional Services.

2. The reason for the request must be listed. Excessive absenteeism and unethical behavior are to be considered reasons for immediate dismissal. Failure to achieve and maintain the scholastic probation policy each semester will also be considered a reason for immediate dismissal.

3. The student should be informed that procedures are pending and advised of the available options.

A. Students can voluntarily accept the recommendations of the instructor and division chairperson, or;

B. Students can request a decision from the appropriate dean which they can accept, or;

C. The decision of the dean can be appealed to the Disciplinary Committee or the Admissions Committee (scholastic). The recommendation of the committee can be accepted, or;

D. The committee’s decision can be appealed to the President of the college. The President’s decision can be accepted, or;

E. The final decision can be requested from the Southwest Texas Junior College Board of Trustees.

If during any step of the grievance procedures the decision of the instructor and division chairperson is overruled, the student’s "Unprofessional Conduct Report" will be withdrawn and the student will be re-instated to the teacher aide program.

Students under investigation or convicted of certain criminal acts may not be allowed to participate in the practicum.

5.1 All students will provide information on the "Student Information Sheet" which will enable the field-site administrators to determine the eligibility of the student.

Students will be evaluated each semester by their course instructor and cooperating teacher (s).

6.1 The field experience of each student will be evaluated at mid-semester and at the end of each semester.

6.2 The evaluation report will be used by the course instructor in the calculation of the student’s grade.

 

 

 

 

 

I have read the SWTJC Teacher Aide Policies and Procedures Handbook for Field Experiences. I agree to follow the guidelines set forth in this handbook.

Student Signature ___________________________ Date________

Received by ______________________________on Date_______

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Summary of Review Meeting with Student: (include specific date of meeting, persons present, comments made by student and others present, etc.)

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