Course Syllabus

PRACTICUM 

Instructor:  Ed La Bruyère             Phone:  682-867-9548                    Email:  elabruye@aisd.net

COURSE OVERVIEW

WORK-BASED INSTRUCTION: The AISD practicum programs provide students the unique opportunity of having a pathway-related business as their learning laboratory.  Work experience will consist of an unpaid or paid internship with one business over the course of the year. In addition to the internship experience, class time will also provide enrichment opportunities including speakers, class instruction, and on-site visits to related businesses.  Since students in this class will be functioning directly in a professional environment, it is important that they have excellent communication, reading and writing skills, as well as reliable transportation.

DOUBLE-BLOCKED: This course will be double blocked for either 3^rd/4^th period or 9^th/10^th period. Class-time consists of two 90-minute class periods. When students are in class, they must participate in the full three-hour total instruction time for the day.

GRADING PERIODS

1^st Grading Periods: Classes will be held on campus (CTC) for the first three weeks. Students are expected to be placed at a local business by the third week. Classes will cover expectations, job skills and transition to internship.

2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th Grading Periods: Students work at practicum training partner sites on schedule day Monday through Thursday and attend class at the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center on Fridays.

6^th Grading Period: Monday - Thursday Internship work with classroom time at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center on Fridays and transition back into the classroom at the end of the year. An End-of-Year (EOY) Presentation will be required from each student.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

GRADES

• 50% of total grade value can be expected to come from Internship Evaluation and onsite intern activities or work experience. Assignments related to these tasks will be weighted to appropriate values.
• Remaining grades will consist of major and minor assignments/assessments.
  • Major assignments/assessments will be weighted to count as two grades each.
  • Major assignments may include tests, projects/reports and important documentation or logs.

Make-Up Policy: Per AISD Guidelines, students with excused absences will have one (1) class day plus one (1) additional class day for each class day missed to make up missed work.

Other Late Work: Assignments, including labs, projects, engineering notebook/log checks and other work will be scored based on a rubric. If the rubric does not address timeliness, late work will then be scored

• • with a maximum of 70% if one class day late.
  • in the range of 50%-69% if two class days late.
  • with a possible zero (0) if turned in three or more days late.

Academic Dishonesty: Any work submitted by the student shall be his/her own. Work taken from others shall be deemed as unacceptable. Any doubts will initiate the completion of an alternative assignment or a zero on the required effort, depending on the severity of the infraction.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance for the practicum course is required.

DOUBLE-BLOCKED: This course will be double blocked for either 3^rd/4^th period or 9^th/10^th period. Class-time consists of two 90-minute class periods. When students are in class, they must participate in the full three-hour total instruction time for the day.

TRAINING SITE vs. CLASS TIME:  Classes will be held on campus (CTC) for approximately the first three weeks. Students are expected to be placed at a training site partner by the third week.

Once students are places and scheduled to work at a training partner site, students will work at the job site Monday - Thursday (A-Day 3^rd/4^th period or B-Day 9^th/10^th period) and then report to the CTC on scheduled Fridays (A-Day 3^rd/4^th period or B-Day 9^th/10^th period).

Students in UNPAID Practicums should log a minimum of 3 hours per day at the training site between 11:20 am & 3:15 pm on MON/WED or TUE/THUR each week (equivalent of the two 90-minute class periods). This is 6 hours per week.

Students in PAID Practicums are expected to work FIFTEEN (15) hours per week. This is NINE (9) more hours than worked during the SIX (6) hours of scheduled class time. Most paid Practicum Students work TEN hours between 11:20 am & 3:15 pm on MON/WED or TUE/THUR each week and pickup the additional hours based on their non-school schedule and the Training Partners (Employer's) need. Students will need to work with the Training Site to schedule hours beyond the official class periods.

Class time will always be 3^rd/4^th period or 9^th/10^th period. Class-time consists of two complete 90-minute class periods. For the 2021-2022 school year, the CTC 4^th and 10^th periods end at 3:15.

ATTENDANCE for CLASS TIME: Attendance for class-time will be taken at the beginning of both blocks (A-Day 3^rd/4^th period or B-Day 9^th/10^th period).

ATTENDANCE for ON-THE-JOB TIME: Attendance for time spent at work will be taken using check-in phone number. 

If an OTJ student fails to check-in in via the voice mail, the student will be counted absent until they

1. 1. 1. 1. Complete the check-in procedure on the actual day of attendance, even if after-hours.
         2. Have their supervisor email the practicum teacher with confirmation that the student was on-site for the shift; or
         3. The student submits a digital copy (screenshot or file) of an approved timecard or invoice for the day in question.

*The syllabus serves as a guide for both the teacher and student; however, during the term, it may become necessary to make additions, deletions, or substitutions.  Adequate notice will be provided to students of any necessary changes.