Placement
General Placement Criteria Information
Teacher candidates may list the county/school system of their choice for each field experience. However, the Tift College of Education has established partnerships with several school systems. Therefore, school choices may not be possible, for placements in those school systems will be limited to the partner schools. Candidates should also expect that personal preferences may not be possible. Field experience assignments are based primarily on the principle of placing the prospective teacher in a situation that will provide for optimal professional growth. Further, field experience assignments must meet the diversity of student population and diversity of grade level criteria required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Assignments are made cooperatively with the school system, the individual school principal, and Mercer University through the Office of Field Placement (OFP).. Each candidate must receive confirmation of the assignment from the OFP, in writing, by telephone, or via the ListServes before reporting to a requested school. It is imperative that school officials confirm placements before candidates arrive for their assignment. No teacher candidate will negotiate any field experience assignment, nor will he/she change an assignment without consulting the appropriate Director of Field Placement. Any adjustment to time requirements or to placements must be cleared through the OFP and must be approved in writing by the Director.
Withdrawal from a Field Experience
Course Candidates who decide to withdraw from or end any fieldwork assignment must officially notify, in writing, both the Office of the Registrar and the OFP. Failure to notify these offices could result in a failing grade and could jeopardize future course work and fieldwork placements. Failure to report to the designated school for a fieldwork assignment or failure to attend the required seminars does not constitute official schedule change or withdrawal. All procedures for application, all eligibility criteria, and all deadlines must be observed if a candidate wishes to repeat a field experience course at a later time.