Faculty Handbook

Supervised Fieldwork and Advisement

  • Definition of Advisors’ Responsibility

    Advisors are typically assigned between seven and nine students who form the Conference Group for the academic year (semester only advisement in the case of some programs). The advisor meets with all students once a week through the academic year (Fall and Spring) during the scheduled Conference Group meeting. Additionally, advisors visit each student in his or her placement site at three times per semester, typically for a half a day at each visit. Advisors also schedule individual conferences with each student regularly. After Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement, the advisor continues to provide academic advice to all advisees (through graduation). In the instances in which advisors leave Bank Street before all advisees have graduated, the advisement records are transferred to the program director or department chair.

    At the end of the first semester, students generally receive IP (In-Progress) grades, which are converted to a Pass or a No Pass when advisors turn in the final Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement grades at the end of the year. Occasionally, the year of Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement is interrupted or must be extended; advisor, student, and program director or department chair review the circumstances and design an appropriate plan. In these instances and when an advisee is experiencing difficulties, the advisor should consult with the program director and/or department chair(s) as soon as the problems emerge. Each program has a system for documenting student work in the field; advisors are responsible for maintaining advisement files for all advisees throughout the Fieldwork year and through graduation. Student placement information is also documented using the student placement form. In addition to program, department, and divisional monthly meetings, advisors may be asked to participate in open houses for prospective students and registration, on a rotating basis.

  • Advisement Groups

    Monthly meetings for small groups of advisors (Advisement Groups) are available, as are individual conversations with program directors and/or department chairs. Interested advisors are urged to speak with their program director, department chair(s), or the deans. Advisement Groups for faculty advisors generally meet over the course of the entire academic year (September through June). For more information contact your department chair.

  • Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement Feedback Forms

    The Graduate School requires that Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement evaluations be completed at the end of the experience. These will be sent directly to students via Watermark Course Evaluations on the last synchronous session or the last day of class, according to the website schedule. If no date is listed, they will be sent on the last day the course meets for the term, i.e., last day of Monday classes for fall. Once all grades are submitted two weeks after the end of the term, the feedback will be emailed to you. If you want to have your evaluations made available earlier, please email Gretchen Adams, gadams@bankstreet.edu, with the date.

  • Cooperating Teachers – Courtesy Course Vouchers

    In recognition of the mentoring and supervision provided to our fieldwork students by cooperating teachers, the Graduate School provides one courtesy course voucher per term. These vouchers allow cooperating teachers to register for one Graduate School course or institute, or a Continuing Professional Studies offering. Voucher information is sent via email to all cooperating teachers at the end of each term.

    How to use a voucher:

    • Vouchers are valid for one of the four terms (summer I, summer II, fall, spring) following the placement.
    • Voucher should be brought to the Business Office in lieu of payment.
    • Vouchers can be used for only one course per term for 1, 2 or 3 credits in either the Graduate School or Continuing Professional Studies. Vouchers can be used for only one course per term for 0 credit in Continuing Professional Studies. Voucher credits cannot be split. Vouchers used for 1 or 2 credit course are considered redeemed with the value of the remaining credits lost.
    • Vouchers do not cover registration or materials fees.
    • Only one Courtesy Course voucher may be used each term.
    • Recipients receive one Courtesy Course per semester, whether they work with one or more student(s) for one or more placement(s).
    • Vouchers are not redeemable for cash and cannot be applied to a prior balance.
    • Federal law mandates that Courtesy Courses (valued in excess of $600) are considered income and are, therefore, taxable under IRS rules. Anyone who uses a voucher (valued in excess of $600) will be sent a 1099 form (Statement of Miscellaneous Income) at the end of the year.
    • Vouchers are not transferable; they are for the cooperating teacher’s use only.

    All cooperating teacher voucher questions should be directed to Shaneka Wynter, swynter@bankstreet.edu.

  • Local Travel Reimbursement

    Advisors may request reimbursement for their travel to and from their students’ field sites. If a car is used, the mileage is approved at the prevailing rate per mile between Bank Street College and the field site or home, whichever is closer. Parking charges are not reimbursed. In cases of urgency, when the advisor must travel by taxi, they need to obtain permission from the Assistant Dean of Finance and Operations for the additional cost reimbursement. Reimbursement request forms are available in the Graduate Suite.

  • Academic Regulations

    Advisors are responsible for knowing and explaining academic regulations and requirements to their advisees and students are responsible for adhering to policies as outlined in the Catalog. The list below outlines such regulations and denotes the publication(s) they may be found in and, where applicable, the office(s) that provides that information.

  • Course Waivers/Substitute Courses

    Each Bank Street degree program has an established set of requirements, which are stated explicitly in the Catalog. In some instances, however, advisors may approve a request from a student to waive a Bank Street course because of prior study. In such cases, the student must follow the procedures on the Waiver Form including obtaining the approval of the relevant Bank Street course instructor. Students must take the equivalent credits to make up for the waived course in order to meet the requirements for the degree.

    Course waivers should not be confused with transfer credits from other graduate study which should occur during the first semester the student is matriculated. The transfer of such credit will be subject to the usual review for approval by the appropriate academic department at Bank Street, as well as to the general policies of the College. The full requirements and policy are stated in the Catalog.

  • The Integrative Master’s Project

    All programs require a final, Integrative Master’s Project. For most programs, there are five options: the Mentored Directed Essay, Site-Based Inquiry, Collaborative Student-Faculty Inquiry, Independent Study, and the Portfolio. Some Educational Leadership programs require a professional seminar option. The Integrative Master’s Project Committee establishes policies and reviews major procedures connected with these integrative experiences required of all students. Faculty members are asked to participate as mentors, readers, and Portfolio advisors.

    The Guide to the Integrative Master’s Project provides in-depth information on the options, along with timelines and other important details. Please visit IMP webpage for more information.

  • Supervised Fieldwork Placements (SFW)

    The SFW Information form tracks cooperating teacher information for each placement. Each academic year, advisors receive a Student Placement Information form for each of their advisees currently enrolled in fieldwork. These forms ask for information on the cooperating teacher name, grade, email, placement type and dates and need to be completed for all placements.

    Completed SFW forms are entered into the Graduate School’s placement database. It is critical that advisors fill out student placement forms accurately and return them by the end of the Add/Drop period each term.