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Home : 2002 : April : 7

Mississippi
By debbie

Aleesha:
I'm a senior Special Education major attending Alcorn State University at Lorman, Mississippi. In just the few years I've been at Alcorn, the practicum requirements have changed.

Just this year, beginning
with the Fall 2001 semester, Alcorn's practicum requirements went from 2 to 1. Before this year, each education major was required to take 2 practicums, usually one during the sophomore year and one during the junior year. Now, however, we have to take 1 practicum and the other practicum has been broken down and included in 3 of our other required education classes. Supposedly the practicum

that was siphoned off into other required classes is to be some type of assignment that will take us into neighboring school districts. I strongly doubt that this is being done. A lot that's supposed to be done, isn't.

The education major at Alcorn spends a full 5 years accruing all the courses required to graduate. Our student teaching is 1 semester and costs quite a bit more than a regular semester does. The student teaching semester is spent with 1 week of preparatory classes at Alcorn and usually 12-13 weeks in a classroom in a neighboring district. During practice teaching, the cooperating teacher decides when to start transferring teaching duties to the student teacher. The transference is usually gradual, as the cooperating teacher feels comfortable with the student teacher's abilities. By the last few weeks of practice teaching, the student teacher is left with the students by herself most of the time. The cooperating teacher is, of course, still responsible for both her classroom students and the student teacher's actions, so she/he will keep an eye on class proceedings throughout the school day.

A teaching portfolio is required of both the practicum student and the student teacher. The student teacher also must prepare an on-line portfolio. (The fun just never ends!) That's how it is here at Alcorn. I can't speak for other colleges and universities, even others in Mississippi. Hope this is the info you wanted.