Cooperating Teacher Tutorial

This review touches upon highlights presented in the MAED/TED program handbook. Please familiarize yourself with this item before continuing this review.

The Cooperating Teacher is a vital link to the student teaching process. This individual, in conjunction with the university and the Faculty Supervisor, is responsible for providing a quality experience for the student. The following items describe the qualifications and the responsibilities of the position.

Cooperating Teacher Qualifications

• Must have at least two years of teaching experience and a Bachelor’s degree.
• Must have a current certificate which WILL NOT expire during the student teacher's placement term
• Must be able to oversee, evaluate, and provide feedback on a daily basis

Responsibilities of a Cooperating Teacher Are to…

• Complete the Cooperating Teacher tutorial
• Register for TaskStream as a Cooperating Teacher. Instructions are found in the documents you received from the university
• Submit a required W-9 form for stipend payment. Some districts, including Department of Defense Dependent Schools, prohibit payment of a stipend to individuals. If you are unsure of your district regulations regarding this, please check with your Personnel Office.
• Submit Mid-Term and Final Evaluations of the student teacher to TaskStream
• Assist in orienting the Student Teacher to the school, classroom, and students
• Orient the Student Teacher to district policies, rules, and regulations
• Supervise the Student Teacher on a daily basis
• Phase the Student Teacher into the teaching cycle. Student Teachers will begin their experience as an observer and will GRADUALLY expand their responsibilities in the classroom. The Student Teacher should be fully in charge of classroom instruction for the FINAL 3-4 weeks of the experience
• Provide prompt and substantive feedback to the Student Teacher
• Work with the Student Teacher to develop a schedule of responsibilities
• Work with the Student Teacher to complete the Teacher Work Sample
• Set and communicate standards for the daily lesson plans the Student Teacher is expected to develop
• Review the Student Teacher's lesson plans and suggest revisions where necessary
• Communicate the Student Teacher's progress to the Site Supervisor on an on-going basis
• Complete evaluations of the Student Teacher's progress using the forms provided via TaskStream
• Collaborate with the Faculty Supervisor to assist the Student Teacher in developing skill and knowledge deficiencies
• Immediately inform the Faculty Supervisor of any concerns regarding the Student Teacher
• Establish a time to talk with the Student Teacher about his/her activities, impressions, reflections, suggestions for goals, and areas of improvement
• Model the collection of appropriate class work, diagnosis, and writing/scoring the student progress report

What the University does for the Cooperating Teacher

The university works closely with the Cooperating Teacher  in helping provide a quality experience for the Student Teacher. As a Cooperating Teacher you will receive the following from the University;

• A contact within the Center for Field Placement. A Field Placement Administrator (the individual who works directly with all three parties) will make contact a minimum of 5 times during the student teaching process. This is your initial point of contact.
• A stipend for the work you do with the student teacher.
• Support for your efforts!
• All needed instructions and documents for a successful experience

Things to consider when evaluating the student teacher!!

Student teaching is a unique experience. It is exciting, yet stressful in many instances. Student teachers are just like student drivers in that they are still learning and need that guidance from an experienced individual. The evaluation process should be looked upon as a growth process. Student teachers are not expected to be perfect, so they should not be judged against "Master Teachers", only themselves. A continuum is provided, with 5 being excellent down to 1 being unsatisfactory. It should be understood that the "Satisfactory" category is a good thing. It does not equate to a "C". It indicates that the student teacher is right on target and making appropriate progress. A teacher can be satisfactory and still have room to grow and improve. It is possible for a student teacher to earn all "satisfactory" marks and receive a grade of "A" for the experience. Though the grading is still subjective, remember that even the best of "Master Teachers" will tell you that they have room for improvement. A grade of "B" or better indicates that the student teacher has had a successful experience. The grade reflects their growth during the student teaching experience and is not an indication that they equate with a "Master Teacher". Thank you for taking the time to mentor our students.

Questions

Please select the correct answers to the questions that follow..