Volunteering

If you would like to get involved with volunteer opportunities serving Northern Utah, please consider the following options:

Practica (6 total credits)

A practica experiences are required for all students in the special education program. Conducted at a local school, students get a full teaching experience prior to their student teaching or internship experience. Practicum involves the following experiences:

  • Prior to student teaching, students will complete practica experiences during their first academic year in the program.
  • Students develop schedules, learn teaching procedures, and develop evaluation strategies to examine the quality of supports provided to their students.
  • Practica experiences fully immerses students in teaching experiences with the members of their cohort, university supervisors, and mentor teachers.

Student Teaching (12 credits)

  • Early decision applications are due by January 15. Application info and links provided by the Education Advisement Center.
  • Must be at school at least one half hour before school starts and one half hour after school ends, or during the district contract hours, whichever is longer.
  • Student teachers are required to teach full days for one semester and log hours.
  • Allowed to miss up to 3 days for illness/emergency, but must still notify the cooperating teacher and university supervisor.
  • Student teachers must make up time missed.
  • If absent, student teacher is required to provide the cooperating teacher with lesson plans and necessary materials for instructing pupils.
    • Student teachers who desire exceptions to this policy must submit requests in writing to the BYU special education faculty, and the faculty must come to a joint agreement in order for the exception to be granted.

Internships (12 credits)

Available some years

  • Early decision applications are due by January 15. Application info and links provided by the Education Advisement Center.
  • Internship clearance will be reevaluated at the conclusion of CPSE 466R/467R to verify that candidates show sufficient competency to fulfill an internship. Passing CPSE 466R/467R does not guarantee internship clearance. Those candidates who pass CPSE 466R/467R but do not receive internship clearance will be reassigned to student teaching.
  • Interns begin on the first day of the district calendar and follow that calendar for the entire school year.
  • Required to teach full days for the contracted school year.
  • Expected to follow the district attendance policies as outlined in your contract. Failure to do so will result in not passing CPSE 496R and not being recommended for licensure.

Handbooks

 

If you have additional questions about the Special Education program, please contact:

Barbara Smith, EdD, Student Teaching and Internship Coordinator
Special Education Program
Brigham Young University
340-M MCKB
Provo, UT 84602
(801) 422-8396
barbara_smith@byu.edu