A Guide to Successful Practicum Experience Completion for School Media Students
The Purpose of This Guide
The School Media Practicum Guide is designed to assist students in the School Media program in selecting and completing practicum experiences which will lead toward their certification as Library Media Specialists.
Students in the School Media program should understand that completing the practicum experience as discussed here is only one part of the process of certification. Following this guide will ensure the practicum experiences are completed and documented correctly but will not guarantee certification in any way. This guide is not intended to be a complete explanation of the certification process, but only to introduce the role of the practicum experience, and how they add to the total program.
The Practicum Process
As a School Media student, you must meet New York State requirements for certification. The following requirements apply only to you, and are not required of other MSLIS students who are completing practica:
You must complete 100 hours of required fieldwork before starting a practicum experience, including 15 hours minimum of working with students with disabilities.
By the end of your program, you must select and complete two practicum experiences1 in different Library Media Centers, at the elementary and secondary levels. You must
work with a Library Media Specialist who has been certified for at least 3 years, and you should not select a site that is in the school district in which you live or work (does not apply to residents of Albany, Buffalo, NYC, Rochester, or Syracuse). For students without prior teaching certification, 240 work hours on-site must be completed for each practicum experience. For students with prior teaching certification 50 work hours on-site must be completed. If you have taught as a school librarian for a full academic year, you may omit the internship and take an elective instead. Submit the form found at the NYSED site: https://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/form.html For each assignment, the paperwork discussed in the Checklist on page 3, including Proposal, School Media Learning Agreement, Student Evaluation, and Site Supervisor Evaluation must be submitted.
At each practicum site, you must use the School Media Learning Agreement to detail which specific competencies will be targeted by the work assignment. Determine your objectives and the methods you will use to meet these objectives on the School Media Learning Agreement.
Keep a detailed daily journal of activities in which you are involved at the site. Directions for submitting journals are detailed in the syllabus.
Checklist of the School Media Practicum Process
Roles of Individuals Involved with School Media Practicum
School Media Student
Completing a school media practicum allows students to gain experience working in a school library. During the practicum, each student must present a plan for completing a major project or series of smaller projects that demonstrate their experience and growth in mastering competencies.
School Media practicum students from The School of Information Studies have been involved in many interesting and exciting activities during their practicum experiences. Here are just a few projects that students have completed:
Collaborating with teachers on special projects
Teaching information literacy skills to groups of students
Collection development and organization of a professional library
Teaching students and staff to use new technology
Creating a budget for a specific collection or using funds from a book fair, or other special project
Writing a small grant for materials or services
Developing a database or spreadsheet of resources (Internet, print, electronic, etc.) to supplement specific curricula
Evaluating software for purchase
Teaching Internet classes
Presenting book talks to students
Guiding a group of students as they develop a Web page
Creating a library orientation video for new students
Developing a database of web sites to supplement the curriculum
Adding MARC records to a district wide union catalog
Site Supervisor
Your site supervisor is the exemplary Library Media Specialist with whom you will work at the school or site. To qualify for this position, this person must be a certified Library Media Specialist working in a school or other educational environment for a minimum of three years and must be willing to guide you and evaluate your work. The Site Supervisor’s main responsibilities are to:
serve as a mentor
advise you in your work
orient you to the site
provide you with the necessary space and supplies to work
assist with completion of the School Media Learning Agreement and sign it
communicate with the Faculty Practicum Advisor in reference to your work
evaluate you upon completion of the assignment
Faculty Supervisor
Rebecca Shaffer Mannion will observe you at your practicum site (or conduct a “virtual” observation if your site is further than 30 miles from Syracuse).
She may also have suggestions as to places which would be appropriate for a School Media practicum or may know individual Media Specialists you can contact to explore opportunities.
Student Responsibilities
To submit/attach a list of the activities you will perform at your practicum site.
To be present at your site during agreed upon times unless appropriate notice is given to the Site Supervisor.
To contact the Faculty Practicum Advisor to arrange site visit and/or other contact for midpoint evaluation (approximately 60 hours).
To establish familiarity with the LMC (or agency) and to become knowledgeable in as many of the following areas as the library media center allows:
Teaching (information literacy skills, literature appreciation, etc.)
Daily LMC operation and services
The LMC collection (including non-print, reference, periodicals, etc.)
Selection criteria, policies, and procedures
Organization and retrieval systems
LMC staffing patterns and relationships
Budget and record keeping
The school’s structure and the nature of the student population
School and district policies which pertain to the LMC
District materials production center
Professional organizations (Central NY Media Specialists, School Library Media Section of the New York Library Association, others)
Site Supervisor Responsibilities
To act as a mentor who will help the student develop exemplary skills as a school librarian.
To provide opportunities for the student to become familiar with the LMC as outlined above.
To provide Syracuse University with an evaluation of the student’s performance, attitudes, and abilities, as per University guidelines.
Proposal, learning agreement and evaluations are completed via Qualtrics