Clinical Educators ensure that our pre-service teachers develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Clinical Educators include the following roles: Cooperating Teachers for Methods/Practicum and Student Teaching and Mentors for Graduate Education Program Internships.
Clinical experience supervisors serve in the role of Site Supervisor for our Elementary Education program
Clinical Educators working with Educator Preparation students at Keene State College can obtain information on clinical experience guidelines, evaluation forms, and agreement forms for clinical placements by contacting the Educator Preparation Staff and Clinical Experience Coordinators/Program Faculty.
Keene State College pre-service teachers are assigned to clinical educators. The responsibilities of clinical educators include sharing resources, monitoring and encouraging the participation and progress of the student, and providing formal and informal feedback on a regular basis that contributes to the evaluation of the student in the placement site.
Depending on the educator preparation program and course level, clinical educators will complete mid-term and/or final clinical evaluations and dispositions assessments.
Methods/Practicum Cooperating Teachers
Methods/Practicum clinical work begins with observation and analysis with opportunities for teaching and reflection. Requirements for the clinical work components of the Methods/Practicum courses are outlined in the course overviews which are provided by the Educator Preparation Office when requesting placements.
KSC faculty also provide guidelines for these early clinical experiences, including the cooperating teachers’ roles and responsibilities and the use of the college’s assessment system for data collection.
For further information on our Methods and Practicum course, please contact our Educator Preparation Office.
Cooperating Teachers: Student Teaching
Our Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) faculty with support from our EPP Advisory Committee have established the following three guiding principles and values that we aspire to in our clinical field experiences with schools:
(1) partnerships are centered on P-12 student learning and development;
(2) partnerships foster a culture of professional learning;
(3) partnerships are mutually beneficial and bidirectional.
It is our hope that our partners also share in these principles and values and KSC EPPs seek ways to support these principles in our clinical experiences.
Partnerships are unique to each EPP at KSC and follow a range of forms, participants, and functions. The most common way school partnerships are expressed is through supporting clinical experiences for pre-service and in-service educators.
Throughout the internship experience we will work together to co-develop activities for the intern and co-evaluate intern progress throughout the Internship I and II. We will look for ways to share resources and collaborate on technology where opportunities arise.
During clinical-based experiences, KSC faculty will seek opportunities to share resources, provide professional learning, and engage in research with you or the school district.
We will also provide opportunities for you to take advantage of the Southwest Center for Educational Supports and Continuing Education through our regional newsletter highlighting opportunities through our offerings, campus events, graduate options, and regional administrator groups.
For more information see the KSC - School Partnership Framework.
During student teaching, the Educator Preparation Office provides cooperating teachers with documentation for placements, guidelines for the clinical experience and information on evaluation forms used to assess student teachers in their culminating clinical experience. Student teaching calendars outline placement dates and deadlines.
Student Teaching Calendar
It is the student teaching candidate’s responsibility to ensure that there is no scheduling conflicts for their attendance of the student teaching seminar course and the start of one’s placement.
For upcoming semesters of student teaching, please verify the start date of your seminar course and placement by contacting the Educator Preparation Office. Student Teaching Calendars can be viewed here.
Clinical Experience Supervisors serving in the role of Site supervisors are the school-based extension of the college in elementary education clinical student teaching placements and are selected by principals in consultation with clinical experience coordinator/program faculty. They serve as liaisons with Keene State College.
Site Supervisor
Site supervisors are the school-based extension of the college in elementary education settings for student teaching placements and are selected by principals. They serve as liaisons with Keene State College.
Roles and Responsibilities
The site supervisor will:
Act as the support person for both the student teacher and the cooperating teacher, and as the liaison with the college
Facilitate placements with the Educator Preparation Office Placement and Partnership Coordinator
Orient student teachers to the school, teachers, various subjects, and policies/procedures. Serve as a formal observer and evaluator for each student teacher assigned to him/her
Conduct on-site seminars for student teachers. Please contact the student teaching course instructors for proposed topics.
Submit evaluations through the online assessment system
During student teaching, the Educator Preparation Office provides site supervisors with documentation for placements, guidelines for the clinical experience and information on evaluation forms used to assess student teachers in their culminating clinical experience. Student teaching calendars outline placement dates and deadlines.
Student Teaching Calendar
It is the student teaching candidate’s responsibility to ensure that there is no scheduling conflicts for their attendance of the student teaching seminar course and the start of one’s placement. For upcoming semesters of student teaching, please verify the start date of your seminar course and placement by contacting the Educator Preparation Office. Student Teaching Calendars can be viewed here.
Unit Wide Assessment Forms for all Clinical Experiences
The following forms will be used to assess KSC candidates while in their clinical experiences. Clinical Educators are provided with instructions on the timing and use of assessments during the Methods/Practicum or Student Teaching experience.
KSC Dispositions Assessment Form
KSC Clinical Experience Evaluation Form
Requirements for Serving as a Clinical Educator
Requirements for serving as a Clinical Educator for educator preparation candidates during clinical experience:
- Hold licensure in the area in which the candidate will be seeking licensure.
- Have at least three years of teaching experience in the area the candidate will be seeking licensure.
- Demonstrate the ability to properly mentor candidates.
- Demonstrate the ability to model high quality learning facilitation, as demonstrated by student learning.
- Be recommended by peers, administrators, and/or faculty and staff and approved by their principals to fulfill this role.
Contact Educator Preparation
To learn more about Educator Preparation Programs at Keene State College, please contact the Educator Preparation Office or Education Program Faculty.
Educator Preparation Office
Rhodes Hall, N123 and N128
603-358-2286
229 Main Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03435