Agenda: EDIT 7460

January 19, 2008
Room A1880
Class cancelled - snow! We did a podcast and then a chat instead.

Contracts: Everybody must have one approved before intern hours begin. Check WebCT/7460 to see your status.

Internship Matters
Clear on due dates for documentation? (May 1!)
Tags
Rubric modification: GA Framework Alignment

Other questions regarding portfolios: Portfolio Page

Discuss: How can we make the Internship a better learning experience without significantly increasing the workload?

Peer Group Sharing/Individual Conferencing
Take a Group Picture
Fun - pizza for those who can stay a little later (don't forget cash)

interns: procedures
"Test" on contract/syllabus/FAQs
Must have initial approval by first day of session
Prelim contract approved by end of drop/add
Final contract signed/approved 3 days before midterm
Documentation due: ___

Why? Will explain reasons behind all of these.
Summer is the most treacherous time to try to finish an internship.
Consequences for missing deadlines: administrative drop from class - equivalent to a 'no-show'
Using the discussion boards

September 15, 2007

9:00 - 9:45 am
Audio of this meeting available!
Go to WebCT/7460; mp3 file available there

for Cohort 6 Interns, active interns, and others planning to intern during 07-08

Syllabus and Contracts
read them all, then pass the test!
Step-by-step Instructions (from the Syllabus)

3 approvals: Logistics, Preliminary, and Final
Caution about turn-around time:

I am often asked to approve a contract quickly so that work can begin immediately. This is a dangerous strategy. It is most typical that I have some sort of feedback about a proposed contract, and it takes time for me to review the contract and then for you to make the changes and get it back to me. Allow plenty of time for this process to play out properly in advance of your first expected work date.

Site Selection Criteria

System approval, if required (definitely in Gwinnett, Fulton, and others). System administrators have ultimate power over where you intern.
Qualified, willing media specialist
Inspiring and/or admirable program; program should be good representative of the field
Majority of hours must occur when students potentially present. That is: only a small fraction of your internship may be after or before school hours, during staff planning days, and during the summer when students are not in attendance. Whether students actually visit the media center while you're there is not under your control.
Your own school: we recommend against placement in your own school.
Logistics: you are the only judge of this; I can't place you against your will. That's why we allow maximum flexibility in time. However, this aspect of the internship will probably be a challenge for most people, resulting in short-term sacrifices.
Administrative approval(s)- host principal and your own principal (if applicable)
Diversity: if you have no experience with diversity in your professional portfolio, you must gain it in the internship

Registration

Plan to register for EDIT 7460 in the last semester of on-site work. In other words, register in the semester in which you know you will finish all components.
Register for the section under my name.
Register for 3 hours.
You should be registered for something in each semester of intern work.

Required Components (from Final Contract)

Project
Collaborative planning
Media or Technology Committee meeting
Grade level or department meeting
Information literacy component
Assist individual students
Large group session in collaboration
Peer sharing
Professional conference
Administrative
Miscellaneous
Other site visits
Hours: 120 total; at least 100 must be on-site
Documentation
There may be others in the documents -- read them carefully!
Balance of hours -- I am looking for reasonable distribution of time over these tasks. As you do the work, the hours allotted will shift somewhat.
Overlap of tasks: expected; recommended!
How many hours per element? Check the Internship Elements resource.

Innovative scheduling strategies

Differential holidays -- especially spring break
Different systems with differing calendars
Planning time - caution!
Role-swapping with your own class (keeping learners' best interest in mind at all times)
Mix-and-match approach
Evening possibilities
Summer school
Spreading experience out over time
If you don't work in a school: vacation; evenings; flex time; business people have steep challenges, but somehow have complained least in my experience.

How definite must you really be in your proposal?
A few cautions

It is legally dangerous for you to perform intern work outside of the parameters of an approved contract. Therefore, I inspect start dates carefully; they may not pre-date the approval! All responsible parties (administration, especially) must be completely aware of what you're doing. They have all rights of refusal.
Enroll in professional liability insurance. Policies are provided by professional teachers' associations, the state, and perhaps private insurers.
Learn the norms, rules, and laws that apply to your host school. Dress in a similar way as the professionals you see on-site. Follow subtle codes of conduct, such as calling adults by last names ("Mrs. Smith") in the presence of students. Ask how your mentor deals with food, drink, gum, etc., and follow suit. There will be other examples. Schools have widely different rules, and you shouldn't break rules that students are expected to follow.
Be careful when touching students.
If you find yourself as the only adult in the presence of students, don't leave them unattended. Ask that this not happen much, because if something were to happen the legally responsible party would be ambiguous.
Find out what student misbehaviors must be reported. These will be rare serious offences such as violence, weapons, etc. Learn what you must do according to school and system policies. You should not be put in the position of having to deal with these things as an intern. Still, if an emergency should arise, you must know what to do in that moment.
If you run into trouble of any kind, let me know.

Words of wisdom from active interns
Your questions
FAQs