Practicum/Student Teaching

For a teaching endorsement in Emotional or Behavioral Disorders, a graduate level practicum/student teaching experience is required.  This entails 6 graduate credits and a minimum of about eight weeks in a student teaching-like situation.  The student teaching is usually set up for two environments.  One is at the elementary level, and one at the secondary level.  One is in a public school EBD program, and the other in a specialized day treatment or residential school program. 

Students may petition for part of their practicum to be “on the job” as long as the position serves primarily students with emotional or behavioral disorders and meets other criteria.  Talk to your advisor about this.

Distance education students will be expected with the assistance of their advisor to identify equivalent programs in their own locality where they may meet practicum requirements.   

Practicum/Student Teaching Sites

Student teaching sites may include many elementary or secondary school EBD programs (e.g. Hartley elementary in Lincoln, Ackerman elementary in Millard, Culler Middle School or North Star High School in Lincoln, etc.).  For the more specialized portion of the student teaching, students are often assigned to hospital or day-treatment programs (e.g. Morton School at the Lincoln Regional Center, the Behavior Skills Program or Dual Diagnosis Program at Lincoln Public Schools, etc.).

Directed Field Experience

A Directed Field Experience” is required as a part of the program (SpEd 896).  This independent study course will permit participants to visit or have contact with a wide variety of public and private agencies which serve students with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families.   This will include programs such as juvenile correctional programs, juvenile court, mental health agencies, wraparound programs, psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, self help groups, preschool disability programs, drug/alcohol/chemical dependency treatment programs, and many more.   

Distance education students will be expected with the assistance of the course instructor to identify equivalent programs in their own locality which they may visit to meet the “Directed Field Experience” requirements.   

Visitation Sites for Field Experience

Field Experience visitation sites may include programs such as these:

Day treatment programs-

            Behavior Skills Program, Lincoln
            Dual Diagnosis Program, Lincoln
            Jackson Alternative School, Omaha
            Heartland School, Millard
            Brook Valley School, Omaha

Residential Treatment Programs-

            Uta Hallee Girls Village/ Cooper Village, Omaha
            Boys and Girls Town (Wegner School), Omaha
            Epworth Village, York
            Nebraska Boys Ranch, Alliance
            Children’s Square USA, Council Bluffs
            Clarinda Academy, Clarinda, IA

Alternative Schools-

            Bryan Center, Lincoln
            Midland Alternative School, Wahoo
            Westside Alternative School Program, Omaha

Mental Health Agencies-

            Child guidance Center, Lincoln
            Region 5 Behavioral Health, Lincoln
            Blue Valley Mental Health, Beatrice

Juvenile Court/Probation-

            Douglas County Juvenile Court, Omaha
            Lancaster County Juvenile Court, Lincoln
            Lancaster Co. Juvenile Probation, Lincoln

Wraparound/ Professional Partner Program-

            Region 5- F.I.Y. Program
            Region 3 Behavioral Health Services
            School-based Wraparound in Kearney, Grand Island or ESU #9, Hastings

Chemical Dependency Programs-

            Independence Center-Youth Treatment
            Center Pointe, Inc.
            Ala-teens/Ala-kids

Crisis Information/Information and Referral-

            Child Protective Services
            Drug Crisis Hot Line
            Nebraska Child Find
            Lancaster Freeway Station/Crisis line

Other Programs or Agencies-

            Big Brother/Big Sister Program
            Cedars Home for Children, Lincoln
            Special Populations, Nebraska Department of Education, Lincoln
            Youth Service System, Lincoln