The Field Experience Team is dedicated to your success. We match your professional goals with select mentor teachers in high-caliber schools. Let our strong relationships with the field help you achieve your best.
Each year, our Field Experience team arranges nearly 400 student practica in regional schools. Under the guidance of the Field Placement Chair, a team of over 40 Field Experience Faculty members liaise with sponsor teachers, school personnel and students to ensure students completing our programs:
- fulfill required Education Program Outcomes
- meet the current Professional Standards for BC Educators as set by the BC Teachers' Council
- learn and practice the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) Code of Ethics
Field Experience Guidelines
A successful practicum experience requires professionalism, planning, communication, and cooperation from a variety of professionals. To ensure consistency and clarity, general guidelines are provided to pre-service teachers, mentor teachers and field placement supervisors. All support professional standards of behaviour in relation to the Professional Standards for BC Educators. To learn what is expected in a practicum classroom experience, learn more on our field experience guidelines page.
Meet Our Team
We have a team of professionals dedicated to your success as a practicum teacher. These professionals support you in navigating the world of schooling and to feel prepared when entering the classroom as a pre-service teacher. Working with our school district partners, they work to secure placements where you can thrive. Should you have any administrative questions regarding field experience, please reach out.
Field Experience Schools
The depth and range of our partnerships with high-quality schools and their exceptional personnel is a cornerstone of our Education Programs. These partnerships allow us to offer a variety of enriching experiences to create environments for students to grow and flourish.
The Faculty of Education Field Experience Team has placed over 350 student teachers in dozens of local area schools and districts this year. These placements would not be possible without the support and cooperation of district superintendents and principals, classroom teachers and our field experience supervisors.
We value all of the mentor teachers that work with us to help prepare the teachers of the future. These teachers encourage excellence in our pre-service teachers by providing support, counsel, expertise and wisdom. Vancouver Island University's strong relationship with our mentor teachers is vital to our program's success.
Our pre-service teachers primarily complete their field experience in our partner school districts:
School District 72 Campbell River
School District 71 Comox Valley
School District 70 Port Alberni (Pacific Rim)
School District 69 Parksville/Qualicum
School District 68 Nanaimo/Ladysmith
School District 79 Cowichan Valley
School placements are arranged through the Field Placement office with pre-service teachers completing a survey to support placement in their formative and summative practicum placements.
International Experience
At this time, there are unfortunately no international practicum placement, field school or study abroad opportunities available.