virginia theological seminary

DEPARTMENT OF FIELD EDUCATION

MIDDLER FIELD ED. ORIENTATION

VIRGINIA THEOLOGICAL

SEMINARY

THE PURPOSE of FIELD ED.

VTS’ Field Education program currently is designed:

Primarily for M.Div. seminarians To provide experiential, contextual learning opportunities to assist me

with:

Integrating my study of Christian tradition and my practice of Christian ministry

Developing my liturgical & leadership abilities

Enhancing my personal and professional growth, and

Engaging in ongoing theological reflection on the practice of ministry

FIEL

D

EDUCATI

ON

FIEL

D

EDUCATI

ON

FIELD EDUCATION

skills

SELF

Traditional field ed.

12 hrs.

per week

3 credits per semester

Required 9 credits fulfilled in 3 semesters

HYBRID FIELD ED.

Weekday option

January Term Intensive

Summer Term Intensive

Extra, non-credit semester

Language alternative

HYBRID FIELD ED.

Required 9 FE

credits

Fall Semester (Middler Year)

January Term Intensive

(Middler Year)

Spring Semester

(Middler Year)

One Year Field Ed. Students

A Middler committed to a site for one year

A Senior who changed field sites

An Anglican Studies student

One Year Field Ed. Students

Requires an accelerated startup

Involves a faster pace than a two year seminarian

Chaplains

International students

MIDDLER TRANSFERS

ADDITIONAL TRANSITIONS

Leaving

Entering

Engaging

SUPERVISION

SUPERVISION (from the supervisor’s standpoint)

SUPERVISION (from the seminarian’s standpoint)

Suggested Meeting Content

Seminarian Learning Covenant

Ministry Events

Formation Issues

Seminary Life

Sermon Feedback

End of Semester Papers

Leadership Project

Personal Adjustments Affecting Ministry

your SUPERVISOR’S COVENANT with vts

Leadership emphasis is addressed in at least four ways:

Seminarian Learning Covenant

Seminarian Report

Field Education Site Reflection Paper

Leadership Project

Leadership Emphasis in Field Education

The seminarianlearning covenant

* Field education, not field work

* Stipends

* Timeline for covenant

* Example of covenant

*Your Field Ed. goals

*Usually 2-3 per semester or year

*Develop in consultation with supervisor

*May be revised as needed

*Basis for Field Ed. grade

Seminarian Learning Covenant

Seminarian and supervisorEnd-of-Semester Papers

*Brief (2-3 page) paper at end of each semester

*Choice of questions

*Discuss with supervisor

*Supervisor writes response

*Seminarian submits both to Field Ed. Dept.

*Basis for Field Ed. grade

SEMINARIAN REPORT

* Description of congregation/site

* Obtain information from a variety of sources

* Discuss paper with supervisor

* Supervisor writes response

* Basis for Field Ed. grade

Field Ed. Site Reflection Paper

REQUIRED SIGNATURES

Both signatures on:

Learning Covenants

Response to Report

Response to Reflection

Paper

DUE DATES

Fall Semester

9/30: Learning Covenant

CPE Evaluations

12/1: End of Semester Papers

Declare plans, if decide to change sites for Sr. Year

Spring Semester

5/11: End of Semester Papers

Leadership Project

*Specific leadership role at FE site

*Develop in consultation with supervisor

*Lay co-leader(s)

*May be completed in Middler and/or Senior year

*Basis for Field Ed. grade

YOUR LAY COMMITTEE

Group of 5-7 lay persons at your site whose purpose is to:

Journey with you as fellow disciples

Support and challenge you

Learn and grow together

Monthly two hour meetings

Lay Committee Orientation and Assessment Workshops

Lay Committee Guidelines

colloquy

Theological reflection

5-7 students

2 mentors

4 methods

Middler Year

Calendar Issues

*Fall and Spring Breaks

*Christmas

*Summer

*Hybrid Field Ed. Students

THE SECOND THREE YEARS PROGRAM

*M.Div./Anglican

*3 yrs. post grad

*Mentoring

*CE Funds

*Residencies

*Other resources

Recommended readings

Floding, Matthew (ed.). Welcome to Theological Field Education! Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 2011.

Pyle, William T. and Seals, Mary Alice (eds.). Experiencing Ministry Supervision: A Field-Based Approach. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.

Stern, Howard W. and Duke, James O. How to Think Theologically (3rd ed.) Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2013.

Whitehead, James D. and Whitehead, Evelyn E. Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry (revised ed.). Lanham, MD: Sheed and Ward, 1995.