Elementary Block Admittance

In order to go into student teaching, all Elementary education students are required to first go through a series of courses (Block) that both prepares you for the classroom and gives you practical experience in a classroom setting.

Elementary "Block" consists of five courses taken simultaneously in the semester before student teaching. Students are not allowed to take any other courses in conjunction with these five courses due to the time commitments required. Alongside the five courses, students will also be spending time in three different practicum settings.

Please be aware that SUU does not provide out-of-state placements for Block.

Deadlines for Block Applications:

  • For Spring Block: Applications must be submitted by September 30th.
    • Online Block only- Location preferences within the Sonia Portal must then be submitted by October 9th.
  • For Fall Block: Applications must be submitted by February 16th.
    • Online Block only- Location preferences within the Sonia Portal must then be submitted by February 28th.

To be admitted to "Block"

First things first: Elementary students need to be admitted to the College of Education before you can be admitted to Block. 

Block Application

Requirements before applying for Block

  • Passing score of 240 on the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFoRA) required. Students will not be registered for Block without proof of a passing score on the UFoRA. Student should take EDRG 3010 and the UFoRA a year (two semesters) before they anticipate taking their block classes to allow adequate time to receive their results. If the test is not passed, there are three available options, see below for options in the "Foundations of Reading Assessment" section.
  • Current 3.0 GPA is required
  • All paperwork completed before being registered for "Block"
  • All Admitted Program coursework completed
  • Background checks must be completed through SUU prior to applying for Block; an SUU ID badge must be worn during practicum hours and will not be administered to the student until their background check has cleared. Background checks from a student's local school district will not be valid.
  • No out of state or out of country applications will be accepted at this time.
  • If for any reason, one of the requirements are not met, you will not be eligible for Block and will have to take it another semester.

Steps to be admitted to Block:

  1. Make sure you have taken and passed the Foundations of Reading Assessment (UFoRA) with a score of 240 or higher. Students should take EDRG 3010 and the UFoRA a year (two semesters) before they plan to take their block courses to allow adequate time to receive results.  
  2. Apply to Block (after being admitted to the college). See link to application above. 
  3. ONLINE Students ONLY: Log into your Sonia Portal and select your school preference(s). See video for instructions. Face to Face students will have their Block placement assigned to them by their professors.

Please Note:

  • Students should NOT reach out to schools or districts about practicum experiences. We will coordinate placements on your behalf.

Finalized Block placements can be viewed by the students in their Sonia Portal under the "Placements" tab at the top. Contact Caitlin Ravanelli, caitlinravanelli@suu.edu, if you have questions about the Sonia portal.

Foundations of Reading Assessment:

All SUU Elementary Education students desiring to be recommended for licensure must take the Utah Foundations for Reading  Assessment (UFoRA).  Please take the Utah Foundations for Reading Assessment after you have taken EDRG 3010. This course will provide you with the content to do well on the required assessment. The EDRG 2520 and 3010 Texts are other good prep for the assessment.

A passing score of 240 on the literacy assessment is required before you can be enrolled in the elementary block. Receiving your results can take time; to avoid pushing your block courses to another semester due to not having your score in time, EDRG 3010 and the FoRA should be taken a year (two semesters) before you anticipate taking your block courses.

Candidates who score lower than 240 on the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment on the initial try have a few options depending on their score before they can be registered for Block. 

  • Option 1: Retake the test to obtain a higher score. No learner will be registered for Block courses until they pass with a 240 on the UFoRA.
  • Option 2 (available only for students scoring between 231-239): Candidates whose score on the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment is between 231-239  have the opportunity to submit a FLEX assessment rather than retaking the test. This option will appear in the associated account on the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment website (the same site used for voucher and test registration). FLEX Foundations of Reading requires candidates to provide a written submission to demonstrate their subject matter knowledge. 
    • Candidates who pass the FLEX test or micro-credential option will meet the relevant subject matter test requirement for block registration and for licensure (upon successful completion of block and student teaching requirements). 
  • Option 3: If, after multiple attempts, a student does not pass the test with a score of at least 240, they will have the option of registering for and completing a series of three micro-credential courses. These will be completed over the course of a semester in a K-3 classroom. 

When you have completed the assessment, please send the PDF of your scores to Caitlin Ravanelli at caitlinravanelli@suu.edu

Additional Resources

While more information will be given when the semester starts, here is some basic information about the elementary block.

The elementary block consists of five courses taken all at the same time to prepare you for student teaching. Tentatively, classes will be held from 9:00am – 11:00am on Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 1:00pm – 3:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays (see chart below). Attendance is required to pass the elementary block courses.

  • ELED 3460, Methods of Language Arts
  • ELED 3470, Methods of Mathematics
  • ELED 3480, Methods of Science
  • ELED 3490, Methods of Social Studies
  • ELED 3570, Methods of Classroom Management

*Wednesdays from 11:00am - 1:00pm will be reserved for block meetings, group work, debriefing, etc.

Tentative Weekly Course/Practicum Schedule:

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00am-11:00am Practicum Practicum Methods Courses Methods Courses Practicum
11:00am-1:00pm Group Work
1:00pm-3:00pm Methods Courses Methods Courses Methods Courses Practicum from *1:00pm-3:30pm

Besides the five elementary methods courses, you will be spending time in three different practicum settings throughout the semester to give you diverse teaching experiences. These practicum experiences are required to pass the elementary block courses. Practicum is a service-learning experience, so practicum students cannot be paid for time spent in the schools. You will plan and teach lessons, supervise children, and learn from your mentor teachers in different practicum settings.

  1. Iron County School District
    1. Spend 2-2.5 hours per day on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays (approximately 90 hours during the semester)
  2. Charter School in Washington County (St. George Area)
    1. Spend one full week, Monday - Friday (approximately 35 hours)
    2. This date is not set until the school year starts
    3. Carpool with peers is encouraged
  3. Canyons School District
    1. Spend one full week, Monday - Friday (approximately 35 hours)
    2. This date is not set until the school year starts
    3. Carpool with peers is encouraged

*There will be one overnight retreat at the SUU cabin to learn more about integrating lesson plans. The date will be announced at the beginning of the semester.

*Course assignments, lesson planning, content knowledge, a positive disposition, effective teaching, group work, and reflection are required in the block.

While more information will be given when the semester starts, here is some basic information about the online elementary block.

The elementary block consists of five courses taken all at the same time to prepare elementary education majors for student teaching.

  • ELED 3460, Methods of Language Arts
  • ELED 3470, Methods of Mathematics
  • ELED 3480, Methods of Science
  • ELED 3490, Methods of Social Studies
  • ELED 3570, Methods of Classroom Management

Besides the five elementary methods courses, elementary block students will be spending time in a practicum setting (in a general education K-6 grade classroom). After applying for Block, you will need to log into your Sonia Portal and select your school preference(s). See video for instructions. 

Once this step and any other admission requirements have been met, you can be admitted to the online elementary block by Shirley Wilson, wilson@suu.edu, 435-586-7802 Please talk to your online academic advisor, Seth Aiono at sethaiono@suu.edu, 435-865-8103. A face-to-face practicum experience is required to pass the elementary block courses. Some things to know about this face-to-face practicum:

  1. The practicum must be face-to-face in your local, accredited elementary school.
  2. The practicum placement must be in one general education, K-6 grade classroom for all your required hours.
  3. The practicum needs to be arranged by Caitlin Ravanelli, caitlinravanelli@suu.edu, 435-865-8320, before you will be registered for the online block courses by Shirley (see above). Students should NOT arrange their own practicums.
  4. The practicum student will spend two hours per day (10 hours per week) in the practicum classroom for the full semester (this time will count for all 5 elementary block courses). This is a requirement; a student cannot do half of their weekly hours in one day and the other half another day. The 10 hours must be spread out throughout the week.
    1. The 2-hour block of practicum time each day will be scheduled by the practicum student and mentor teacher
    2. Planning and teaching lessons
    3. Supervising children
    4. Learning from the mentor teacher (you will have the same mentor teacher all semester)
  5. Practicum is a service-learning experience, so SUU practicum students cannot be paid for time spent in the schools for practicum hours.
  6. Practicum students will complete two separate, week-long experiences in their practicum classroom
    1. The first week-long practicum experience will take place near the beginning of the semester
      1. The experience will include observing, helping, and getting to know the students, procedures, schedule, etc. of the classroom while spending full teacher contract days/hours at the school during that week.
    2. The second week-long practicum experience will take place near the end of the semester
    1. The experience will include taking over the classroom and solo-teaching; including planning, implementing lessons, managing the classroom, and taking over any extra duties (bus, recess, lunch, etc.) while spending full teacher contract days/hours at the school during that week.
    2. The practicum students will be required to film themselves teaching a lesson during this week.

*Course assignments, lesson planning, teaching, discussion posts, reflections, etc. are required in the online block. There will be due dates, but when students complete the assignments is up to the student's discretion.

*The online elementary education block and the face-to-face elementary education blocks are completely separate.

Are the online block classes only offered in the fall?

Online Block is offered Fall and Spring each year. It must be taken immediately before your student teaching.

Am I responsible for finding my own practicum setting?

No, please reach out to Caitlin Ravanelli (caitlinravanelli@suu.edu) regarding practicum placements. All contact with districts must go through Caitlin. You will request a placement through your Sonia portal (see instruction video); she will then contact your chosen district to secure your placement. You cannot begin your practicum hours until she has given you approval that your practicum has been received. Once your placement is finalized, she will notify you and you will be able to view your placement in your Sonia portal.

What are the expectations from your program in regards to Two weeks of Block experiences in schools with a high number of diverse learners?

In “online block” you will still do two different week-long practicum experiences like the face-to-face block, but unlike the face-to-face block, you are not to travel to accomplish them. Please do both of these week-long practicum experiences in the same classroom you are doing all of your other hours in.

What are the steps I need to take to find a classroom(s) in which to do the practicum?

  1. Request a practicum placement by selecting your preferred placement location within the Sonia portal.
  2. Wait for a reply from Caitlin that your placement has been confirmed before beginning your practicum hours.

Contact

Department of Teacher Education