Faculty and Staff - Roles and Responsibilities

University Field Supervisors (UFSs)

The UFS is a Pepperdine TPP employee assigned to work with a teacher candidate (TC) in Clinical Experience 2 and 3. The role of the UFS is to support the TC and provide quality feedback to enhance teaching skills, strengthen classroom management, and enrich content-specific pedagogy. During each of the six visits, the UFS will observe a formal lesson, debrief the lesson with the TC, and complete a formal online evaluation on LiveText. The UFS collaborates with the TC, MT, Director of Clinical Practice/Director of Field Experience, and other school site personnel. They are responsible to ensure that TCs meet professional and university standards of conduct, ethics, and professional development.

Mentor Teachers (MTs)

The MT hosts a TC in their classroom and provides a safe environment in which the TC can observe excellent teaching, work with students, practice classroom management, and strengthen their content-specific pedagogy. MTs must hold a valid California Clear Teaching Credential (or the equivalent) in the content area pursued by the TC, have a minimum of three years of experience in the grade or level of supervision, and be interested in supervising future teacher professionals. The MT works as a team with the UFS, the TC, and other faculty members. Though MTs who work with TCs in Clinical Experience 2 and 3 earn a small stipend, in reality, their work is mostly one of love and dedication to the teaching profession. For TCs in Clinical Experience 2 and 3, the MT will complete two evaluations on LiveText: the mid-term evaluation and the final evaluation.

School Principals

The Director of Clinical Practice/Director of Field Experience collaborates with principals to find excellent placements for candidates. Many principals want to meet TCs and observe them working with students. In some cases, principals may conduct formal lesson observations, write letters of recommendation for TCs, hire TCs who have done excellent work at their schools, and/or recommend TCs to their colleagues who have openings at other schools. On the other hand, a principal has the right to dismiss a TC from a school without warning.

TPP Directors of Clinical Practice and Field Experience

The Director of Clinical Practice and the Director of Field Experience make arrangements for clinical placements, act as a liaison between Pepperdine and the school sites, supervise the UFSs, and ensure that MTs are equipped for their responsibilities.

TPP Faculty

The university faculty are responsible for teaching the courses in the Teacher Preparation Program (TPP). Each seminar professor acts as a resource and instructor for each of the clinical experience courses. The seminar professor coaches TCs in important instructional strategies and concepts and provides opportunities for dialogue about clinical experiences in both the seminar course and privately as needed. Seminar professors ensure that all clinical paperwork is submitted and are responsible for assigning TCs' grades in clinical experience based on the seminar course work, evaluations from the MTs, and observations/evaluations from the UFSs.

Pepperdine University has a non-discrimination policy in hiring faculty and staff. Pepperdine is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate in employment practices. Pepperdine reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists.