Field Experience & Reflection
1. Field Experience Primer
To prepare for doing your hands-on field experience this assignment gives you a chance to explore your preferred career in a little more detail.
Student Instructions and Forms
- Sign Releases: Have your parent/guardian sign these three forms:
- Parental Consent (Spanish)
- Hold Harmless Agreement (Spanish).
- Submit all three forms to the Career Technician at Lopez who will file them.
2. Hands-On Field Experience
After identifying a few careers they are interested in pursuing, students take the initiative to contact someone from an industry of interest who is willing to advise them. The student’s goal is to work hands-on with that field advisor for at least eight hours in a job shadow or mentored capacity. Students will conduct the field experience outside of regular school hours and document their experience with photos or video.
After the field experience students reflect on how it went, what they learned, and what does it mean for their future. Their field advisor also evaluates them on their involvement. The reflection and photos become key artifacts in their Capstone binder.
After the field experience students reflect on how it went, what they learned, and what does it mean for their future. Their field advisor also evaluates them on their involvement. The reflection and photos become key artifacts in their Capstone binder.
Student Instructions and Forms
- Interview a Potential Advisor: Follow these instructions to set up a Field Advisor Interview. (You probably already completed this as a part of the Capstone Introduction class).
- Get Advisor's Decision and Affiliation: After meeting with a potential advisor have him/her sign the Field Advisor Decision Form AND the Worksite Affiliation Form. Submit both forms to the Field Experience Counselor who will file them. (You probably already completed this as a part of the Capstone Introduction class).
Note: Student must get approval by Lopez BEFORE starting field experience.
- Log Field Experience: Once approved, start fieldwork and log your time with this Field Experience Timesheet. Note: Field experience should be conducted outside of regular school hours. All eight hours must be completed with one field advisor. The hours can be spread across several days, but not spent with different advisors. After showing the signed form to your Advisory teacher put it in your Capstone Binder.
- Take Photos and Ask Questions: During field work take photos or video of you participating in the field and ask helpful questions like these Fieldwork Sample Questions.
- Get Evaluated: At the end of field experience have the advisor fill out this Field Advisor Evaluation of Student. After showing the signed form to your the Field Experience Counselor put it in your Capstone Binder.
- Thank the Advisor: Send a personal thank you letter, card, or email to your Field Advisor. If you send a letter put it in proper business block letter format.
3. Field Experience Reflection
After the fieldwork is completed students will organize their photos or video and then write a reflection paper about their experience.
Instructions
- Write a Reflection: Follow these instructions to write the Field Experience Reflection.
- Include Photos: Add photos as an addendum to the reflection paper by laying them out in a word processor or desktop publishing program. Write a caption to explain each photo.
- Optionally Include Videos: If you have video clips of your fieldwork, post the files on your Google Drive or Dropbox (see Online Storage) and include a web address to them at the end of your reflection paper.
- Upload Your Photos/Videos: Upload your field photos to Lopez. The field photos should be uploaded as individual files. Do not put them in a Google doc. See the Capstone FAQ for complete instructions.
- Submit for Approval: Submit the paper and visuals to your Capstone Introduction teacher or Capstone Advisor for evaluation. If approved you can get the Field Experience Reflection requirement signed off on your Capstone checklist.
Note: At this point you need to ask a teacher to serve as your Capstone Advisor (if you are in a Capstone class that teacher will be your advisor) and identify a target presentation date. Get both of these entered on your Capstone checklist.
Want to Help?
Are you willing to mentor young adults? It's a rewarding opportunity to positively impact student lives and invest in the next generation. If you need more info or want to help, please contact Jennifer Bowen, our principal, or Katie Gonzalez, our guidance counselor.
Are you willing to mentor young adults? It's a rewarding opportunity to positively impact student lives and invest in the next generation. If you need more info or want to help, please contact Jennifer Bowen, our principal, or Katie Gonzalez, our guidance counselor.
