Q & A FOR CONTACTING A SCHOOL FOR OBSERVATION HOURS
Please note you are not to contact any Mt. Pleasant school. You are encouraged to obtain hours out of the area. The Mt. Pleasant schools already receive midtier, student teaching and practicum students that number well over 200 students a semester.
Q. I’d like to contact an out of area K-12 school to get some observation hours and I’m not sure how to begin the process?
A. The best way to begin is to find the school web site and see if you can obtain the name and email address of the principal. You can either use an online search engine and type in the name of the school or try http://www.grandpajunior.com/Michigan.shtml and see if your school is listed.
Q. Once I’ve found the email address, what’s next?
A. Type out a brief but professional request to the principal. You want to mention you are from Central Michigan University and would like to obtain some observation hours at the school. It is important to give the exact date(s) and time(s) you would like to be at the school, along with any specific content area or grade. Please remember your spelling and grammar should be correct. Many principals will not even consider a request if it unprofessional or filled with mistakes.
Q. What if I don’t hear back from the principal?
A. You can call the school, identify yourself and politely ask to speak to the principal. Please remember not to call at the start of the day when the children first arrive. The best time to reach the principal is usually about 10-15 minutes after the children begin the school day or about 30-40 minutes prior to the start of the day. Principals might be available at other times throughout the day but please remember principals are very busy individuals. You can also leave information with the school secretary or voice mail.
Q. I’m not having much success at reaching the principal, any other suggestions?
A.- If you are close to the school and have opportunity to stop in, that might be one way to obtain the connection for your observation hours. If you are not available to stop in I would suggest contacting another nearby school with the same procedure outlined above.
Q. Ok, I’m still not able to get anyone to help me at the schools I’ve contacted, what now?
A. The best thing is to continue looking at different schools in the area. Usually at least one school will respond to your inquiry.
Q. If I still run out of options can I contact someone for help?
A. Yes, if you come to the end of your options please send an email to Renee at papel1rj@cmich.edu and explain your situation. She will be in contact with you regarding other options.
Q. I’ve heard that some schools require background checks even for observation hours. What do I do?
A. If you have a school that requires a background check and you are not already admitted to the College of Education you can go on line at http://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/home.aspx and get an ICHAT background check for $10.00. If you are already admitted to the College of Education, please contact Becky, mozur1rl@cmich.edu at the midtier office for details on how to give your prospective school verification of your background check.
Q. Anything else I should be aware of before I go to the school?
A. Be sure the school you’ve chosen fulfills the diversity categories you need. Check your student information sheet and be sure to check the school diversity chart on line at http://www.ehs.cmich.edu/css/Admission/FieldExp.htm. If the school is not listed, please contact Becky, mozur1rl@cmich.edu at the midtier office for diversity information. Also, try to look your best when you go to the school. Some guidelines to adhere to would be not to wear blue jeans, tank tops or any other attire that would be questionable in a school setting. Remember, this is the beginning of your school career and the people you meet at school might be people you will have contact with later on as you seek a teaching job.