Clinical Experiences

Martin Luther College emphasizes learning beyond the campus. The clinical experiences of students in the professional education curriculum provide a broad range of ongoing clinical and field experiences. Specifically, these experiences provide a developmental approach that matches the student’s skills and maturity at the various stages of professional training to the particular clinical experience. First, to motivate and contribute to student retention, the freshmen Early Field Experience provides a “taste of teaching” appropriate to the background and maturity of these students. The sophomore Early Field Experience week is typically completed before students take methods courses. Therefore, this weeklong experience emphasizes observation and participation that does not require an in-depth understanding of instruction and curriculum.

At the junior level, Early Field Experience week and the junior clinical occur when students are enrolled in methods courses and educational foundation courses. The junior experiences therefore focus on the praxis of education in that the objectives and assessments of these experiences focus on the student’s ability to demonstrate the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice. Student teaching in the senior year carries this focus further by placing greater responsibility and initiative on the pre-service teacher.

Individual Early Field Experience requirements are student directed in that the student decides, finds, and carries out the experiences the student feels meet these requirements. The log of a student’s individual experiences is reviewed by the student’s advisor and by the Director of Clinical Experiences.

The total hours required of undergraduates in all clinical experiences is 834 hours. The breakdown is shown below.

Clinical Course Descriptions

• EDU1401 Early Field Experience I: Introduction to the Teaching Ministry
  0.5 credits. A week of activities and experiences designed to introduce students to the roles and responsibilities of the teaching ministry. (Freshmen remain on campus for this week.) (Minimum 40 hours)
• EDU2401 Early Field Experience II: Observation and Participation
  0.5 credits. A week of observation and participation in an early childhood, elementary, middle or secondary classroom. (Minimum – 40 hours)
• EDU3401 Early Field Experience III: Observation, Participation, and Teaching
  0.5 credits. A week of observation, participation, and teaching selected lessons in an early childhood, elementary, middle or secondary classroom. (Minimum – 40 hours)
• EDU3405 Individual Field Experiences
  0.5 credits. Individual field experiences related to the teaching ministry. (Minimum 50 hours)
• EDU3407 Early Childhood Education Clinical
  1 credit. A semester‐long experience of one day a week in a preprimary (ages 3‐5) setting in conjunction with EDU3109 Preprimary Curriculum. Students observe children, interact, and facilitate individual, small group, or large group learning experiences. (Minimum – 104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3109
• EDU3410 Junior Clinical
  0.5 credits. A semester‐long experience of one day a week in elementary and middle school classrooms completed in conjunction with the language arts block of courses. Students observe, tutor, teach small groups, and teach selected whole class lessons. (Minimum – 104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3201, EDU3205, EDU3210
• EDU3420 Communication Arts and Literature Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. (Minimum – 104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3344
• EDU3421 Mathematics Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. (Minimum – 104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3345
• EDU3422 Music Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. (Minimum—104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3346
• EDU3423 Physical Education Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. Taken concurrently with EDU3347
• EDU3424 Science Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. (Minimum—104 hours) Taken concurrently with EDU3348
• EDU3425 Social Studies Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. Taken concurrently with EDU3349
• EDU3426 World Languages Clinical
  1 credit. A semester experience of one day a week in a middle level classroom. The student observes, tutors, teaches groups, and teaches selected whole class lessons. Taken concurrently with EDU3350
• EDU4101 Foundations in Early Childhood Education
  3 credits. Historical, philosophical, sociological, and theological foundations of current thought and practice in early childhood education. An examination of popular curricular models and theoretical principles with their application to Christian education.
• EDU4103 Administration of Early Childhood Programs
  3 credits. Current and relevant topics in early childhood education, such as organization of an early childhood program, funding, budgeting, state laws and requirements, use of teacher aides, team teaching, and place and function of the early childhood program in the church's mission.
• EDU4151 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education I
  3 credits. A full‐time three‐week professional experience in infant and toddler care and education. Prerequisite(s): EDU3407 Taken concurrently with EDU4152, EDU4153
• EDU4152 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education II
  8 credits. A full‐time eight‐week professional experience in preprimary settings. Prerequisite(s): EDU3407 Taken concurrently with EDU4151, EDU4153
• EDU4153 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education III
  6 credits. A full‐time six‐week professional experience in Lutheran primary grade classrooms. Prerequisite(s): EDU3407 Taken concurrently with EDU4151, EDU4152
• EDU4252 Student Teaching in Elementary and Middle Schools II
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public elementary and middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Endorsement student teaching is subject specific at the seventh or eighth grade level . Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4253 Student Teaching in Elementary and Middle Schools I
  10 credits. A full‐time ten‐week professional experience in Lutheran elementary and middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4252
• EDU4254 Student Teaching Communication Arts and Literature in Middle School
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4255 Student Teaching Mathematics in Middle School
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4256 Student Teaching Science in Middle School
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4257 Student Teaching Social Studies in Middle School
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4258 Student Teaching Spanish in Middle School
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4259 Student Teaching Educational Technology in Middle Schools
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4265 Student Teaching Music in Elementary and Middle Schools
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public elementary and middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4266 Student Teaching Physical Education in Elementary and Middle Schools
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public elementary and middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4267 Student Teaching Spanish in Elementary and Middle Schools
  5 credits. A full‐time five‐week professional experience in public elementary and middle school classrooms of cooperating schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3210, EDU3215, EDU3401, EDU3405, EDU3410, PSY2002, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU3240, EDU3245, EDU4253
• EDU4352 Student Teaching in Secondary Schools II
  5 credits. A five week professional experience in secondary level (9‐12) classrooms of public schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3401, PSY3020. Taken concurrently with EDU431X, EDU4353, PSY3031
• EDU4353 Student Teaching in Secondary Schools I
  10 credits. A ten week professional experience in secondary level classrooms of Lutheran high schools, providing an opportunity to learn effective teacher behavior through observation and practice under the guidance of licensed teachers and college supervisors. Prerequisite(s): EDU1401, EDU2401, EDU3401, PSY3020 Taken concurrently with EDU431X, EDU4352, PSY3031
• EDU4401 Early Field Experience IV
  1 credit. Observation, participation, and teaching selected lessons in an early childhood, elementary, middle or secondary classroom. This experience is for students needing additional field experiences as directed by college personnel. Length of experience may vary.

Clinical Enrollments

Clinical Supervision FTE

There are 6 full time equivalent faculty members supervision the clinical experiences at Martin Luther College.

Education Students Eligible for Minnesota State Licensure

Graduates with an education major are available for assignment to a school in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and are also qualified for Minnesota state licensure.