Field Experiences

How Many Hours do I Need?

The total number of hours logged varies by program. Consult your program documentation to verify the minimum number of field experience hours for program completion. CWU reports field experience hours to the State of Washington's Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) when recommending teacher candidates for certification.

You will log your hours on the MyCWU Field Experience Log. However, it is your responsibility to also keep a back up copy of your hours. Using this Hours Template spreadsheet for your own records will keep track of all information needed in MyCWU if you forget to log your hours in the system.

What Activities Count?

Teacher candidates can log hours spent planning, instructing, and assessing K-12 classroom learning under guidance from eligible mentor teachers.

Mentor teachers must be certificated with at least three years of professional teaching experience. When hours are being completed toward Field Experience (EFC 330), Student Teaching (EFC 480), and Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) placements, the mentor will preferably be certified in the same endorsement area as the student is seeking. For other placement courses, the mentor teacher does not need to be endorsed in the same area as the student is pursuing.

Teacher candidates may use para-educator hours only when their para-educator hours are conducted in their specific classroom. Please see our policy for additional details on placement restrictions.

Any time spent Planning, Instructing or Assessing classroom instruction can be logged, whether that's during school hours, before/after school or weekends. Other required duties as part of a teacher's contract such as attending Open House or building Professional Development can be also logged. Other experiences related to the school such as after school tutoring, day care, band camp, helping with a school sports team or club, etc. are highly encouraged. These activities may count toward some of your course objectives. However, these activities do not count toward the minimum required field experience hours focused on planning, instructing, and assessing classroom instruction, and therefore should not be logged on the Field Experience log.

Courses That Count Toward Certification:​

• Student Teaching (EFC 480) – 350-400 hours
• Field Experience (EFC 330) – 60 hours
• Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Internship (EDU 572, 573, and 574) - 720 hours over three quarters

Lab and Practicum Courses:

• Practicum III: Inquiry-Based Learning (ELEM 494) – 60 hours
• Practicum IV: Professional Engagement (ELEF 495) – 60 hours
• Other courses – Only courses that appear in your Field Experience Log count for certification.

When Can I Log my Hours for Each Quarter?

• Fall - Students can log hours for time spent with their mentor teacher from September 1st- end of finals week in December. The log will remain open to changes from that time period until the end of March.
• Winter - Students can log hours for time spent with their mentor teacher from January 1st- end of finals week in March. The log will remain open to changes from that time period until the end of June.
• Spring - Students can log hours for time spent with their mentor teacher from end of Winter finals week- end of finals week in June. The log will remain open to changes from that time period until the end August.

1. In MyCWU, go to the Student Dashboard tab.
2. On the left menu, click on Records.
3. Click on Field Experience. If you are not currently enrolled in a FE log eligible course you will receive the following message: My Field Experience Log You are not enrolled in any eligible courses.
4. When your log loads, click the LOG button.
5. Click the magnifying glass for School District.
6. Click the >Search Criteria arrow.
7. Type in the Description box the first three letters of the School District and click on the Search button.
8. Click on the name of your school district.
9. Click the magnifying glass for School Name. Only the schools in the selected district will be visible. All public and private schools in Washington are loaded into the Field Experience Log. If you are doing field experience at a brand new school your school may not be an option just yet. Request support from soedata@cwu.edu.
10. Click on the name of the school you are completing the course in.
11. Click the magnifying glass for Mentor Name.
12. Click on the name of your mentor educator. If your mentor is not listed, cancel your log entry and email soedata@cwu.edu with the mentor educator's first and last name. Wait to continue. SOE Data will inform you by email when your mentor educator has been added to the Field Experience Log database.
13. *Content Level will auto populate when you select your School Name. If it does not, select the level from the dropdown list.  
14. Click on the *Grade Level for your field experience.
15. Fill in the Date of Activity by clicking on the calendar and selecting your date or enter it manually.
16. Select Yes or No for Mentor/Teacher Present?.
17. Select your *Start Time. 
18. Select your *End Time. 
19. SAVE

1. Follow steps 1-4 above.
2. Click on the +New button. (All fields will auto-populate with the exception of Date of Activity, Start/End Time).
3. Fill in the Date of Activity by clicking on the calendar and selecting your date or enter it manually.
4. Select your *Start Time. 
5. Select your *End Time. 
6. SAVE or continue to add more log entries by clicking on the +New button. Remember to SAVE after your final log entry when adding multiple entries.

1. Your CWU Instructor or Field Supervisor is not your mentor teacher.
2. Your mentor teacher is the teacher at the school who you are assigned to for the field experience.
3. If you need help to re-open the log for a quarter you forgot to enter, fill out the form to re-open the Field Experience Log.
4. For all other troubleshooting needs please e-mail soedata@cwu.edu for assistance.