Student Teacher Tutorial

The Student Teaching experience is one that you have worked hard to get to. It is the time you get to display to yourself, your Cooperating Teacher, your Faculty Supervisor, and your class what you have learned in your training. Are you ready?

You have hopefully noted that there are certain Responsibilities of the Student Teacher that are listed in your Student Teaching Handbook. It is critical to your success that you are thoroughly familiar with these responsibilities. While all procedural issues may not be covered in this section, these are basic and substantial guidelines that you should be familiar with. Please review the below section and answer the questions at the end.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT TEACHER

The student teaching experience encompasses several areas: orientation, observation, planning, teaching, and evaluation. The initial orientation period will be followed by a time of observation and limited classroom participation. This important phase of the student teaching experience is designed for you to become acquainted with classroom procedures and materials. During the teaching phase you will be responsible for implementing a one to three week unit as part of the requirements for the Teacher Work Sample. This unit is required to successfully fulfill student teaching and complete the Teacher Education Program.

To avoid any potentially serious issues, it is essential that you notify either the Faculty Supervisor or Cooperating Teacher as soon as any concern with your assignment(s) arises. During student teaching, you need to meet the same expectations placed upon other teachers in the school district. This includes following the school district's calendar, attendance policy, call-in procedures, etc. If you are ill and must be absent, call the Faculty Supervisor and Cooperating Teacher as soon as possible. Be sure that you always have emergency lesson plans available for a substitute teacher. You may not be absent for job interviews. Contact the Field Placement Administrator immediately if you cannot complete your student teaching assignment for any reason.

In order to receive full credit for the student teaching experience, you are required to complete all assignments as noted by the Faculty Supervisor and the curriculum module. These may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Daily Lesson Plans
  Written daily lesson plans are required of all student teachers. Your Cooperating Teacher should be considered a resource person in this effort. The plans should be submitted to the Cooperating Teacher at least 24 hours prior to teaching the lesson. Organize all your lesson plans in a notebook and make them available to the Faculty Supervisor when he/she visits.
• Teacher Work Sample
  You are required to design and teach a one to three week unit of instruction. The development of this unit should be carefully coordinated with the regular classroom program. Consult with the Cooperating Teacher and Faculty Supervisor for suggestions and assistance.
• TaskStream Directed Response Folio
  You are required to create a TaskStream Directed Response Folio documenting your progression through the Teacher Education Program. Sample assignments and artifacts are included in earlier sections of this handbook. Be sure to keep all assignments completed for all courses for possible inclusion in your portfolio.

In addition, the student teacher is responsible for the following:

• Becoming familiar with the school's programs, calendar, policies, community, client base, and services.
• Insure that you submit the appropriate Mid-Term and final Evaluation forms to the Cooperating Teacher and the Faculty Supervisor via TaskStream. You must also provide the Final Grade form to the Faculty supervisor via TaskStream.
• Participating in an observation cycle of master teachers noting routines, student learning styles, teaching style, delivery of curricula, and classroom management.
• Developing lesson plans collaboratively with the Cooperating Teacher that satisfies state standards and local school district curricula.
• Collaborating with the Cooperating Teacher on designing and implementing the Teacher Work Sample during the student teaching experience.
• Maintaining informal anecdotal records (noting students' learning styles, teaching strategies, what works with students, positive experiences, reactions, etc.).
• Studying the school district's progress reporting system. The Cooperating Teacher will model collecting appropriate student class work, diagnosis, and writing/scoring the student progress report.
• Collecting artifacts and data for the TaskStream Directed Response Folio and maintaining back-up copies of portfolio artifacts.
• Participating in the professional activities of a classroom teacher.
• Conferring with and/or observing teaching staff involved with students instructed in special programs or services (speech, ESL, Honors (gifted) programs, special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.).
• Contacting your Cooperating Teacher prior to your arrival at the school regarding the material you will be responsible for at the start of your student teaching. Prepare any materials, lessons, etc. needed to begin your student teaching.
• Reviewing the school's regulations. As a "co-teacher" in the system, you will enforce the student regulations and observe the teacher regulations as if you were a contracted teacher in the school.
• Carefully planning effective lesson plans. There is no adequate substitute for thorough planning.
• Utilizing a variety of teaching methods in the classroom.
• Providing an effective learning environment for all students.
• Maintaining effective classroom management procedures.
• Completing the required number of weeks according to your State Department of Education regulations.
• Notifying both the Cooperating Teacher and Faculty Supervisor if you must miss school due to illness.
• Submitting complete lesson plans to the Cooperating Teacher if you must be absent due to illness.
• Fulfilling your commitment to student teaching and the school. Do not request time off to attend other functions such as weddings, job fairs, travel, etc. If you are absent due to illness for more than five days during the semester, you must make up those days before completing student teaching.
• Completing an end-of-course survey and submitting it to Academic Affairs.

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. You are not expected to be perfect, so you should not be judged against "Master Teachers", only yourself. 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 you are right on target and making appropriate progress. A teacher can be satisfactory and still have room to grow and improve. It is possible for you 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 you have had a successful experience. The grade reflects your growth during the student teaching experience and is not an indication that you equate with a "Master Teacher".

Questions

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