Hi. I have my 1st "ever" student teacher. I have taught for 8 years now, after returning to work since raising our three children, and expected at least some common courtesy when she arrives in the morning and leaves at night. She's been in my room one week, and when she comes in, in the morning...naturally I say, "good morning" or "hey". But she just looks at me and gives me a smirk. She walks out of the room a lot without saying anything, and sits at the desk I gave her to eat lunch (in the dark), instead of shadowing me through the day.
Her supervising professor came to me and said she was having difficulties with her and wanted to know if I had any concerns. I was shocked to hear that she was treating the professor the same way! What should I do? The supervisor asked if I want to have her leave my room and place her in another building!
When I asked the student teacher to stay at the end of the day, to discuss some things, she yelled at me and said she'd ask me questions if she had any!!! She acted shocked when I ask her to tell me she was leaving the room. I suggested "hey, I'm going to the bathroom be right back" and "i need to make some copies, I'll be back in a bit".
Then her mother called our building principal the next day and complained that I was negative and critical of her daughter.
I'm sick over this. I was so excited about getting a student teacher in my room, to share my excitement of teaching!
I've lost two nights of sleep over this so far. and I'm certainly very worried.
Please help...someone. What would you do?
As a student teacher, I know how thrilled I am when the teachers and my C.T's in my building are friendly and try to get me as involved as possible, I am sorry you are having this type of an issue. I know that we are told as student teachers that if there is an issue to sit down with our supervisor and C.T ... I would do the same on your end. Have a meeting with both of them together and share your concerns before telling her to go somewhere else, perhaps something will change then?
Please don't shy away from student teachers though...I PROMISE we are not all like that!
I had a talk with my student teacher and ignored my principals claims that I was being too critical and negative.
Today my student teacher came into my classroom and actually said "good morning". She spoke to me several times through out the morning...even asking about using some of the materials I had shown her. I don't know what the difference was, but I know she was failing my evaluation up until this morning.
Thanks for the encouragement and allowing me to get this off my chest. I think I'll sleep tonight!
Run as fast as you can. I had my first student teacher last year and she was like that too! I kept giving her the benefit of the doubt and she ended up failing and everyone blaming me! If i had agreed she should go someone else would have had to take the heat!
I sense so on going problems with this person. Also, the fact that her mother called the principal doesn't sound good. It's an indication that the daugther has had problems in the past, and that mother has stepped in before. It makes you wonder if this student teacher is capable of being with her own class and if she is capable of dealing with parents in the future.
If you do decide to torture yourself, and keep the student teacher, I would call in the supervisor for a meeting with the three of you and document concerns, and expected behaviors. I would also request that her final evaluation/sign off be held on her very last day of her assignment in your classroom. I've had a student teacher in the past who, once receiving her final evaluation days before her last day of her assignment, stop working in the classroom and became very disrepectful to children and other teachers. (Little did she know, I reported this to the supervisor and mentioned this on her reference.) I actually surprised her with : "as of now you may pack your belongings and leave the room"
(Of course this was OKed with the supervisor and principal after reporting their behavior.)
I'm also concerned with her ability to manage a class, communicate with parents and most of all treat children in a healthy way. There seem to be a lot of warning signs that she may have some mental health issues.
Okay...now I'm really worried. i hadn't even thought of mental issues!!!
I don't know anything of this student teacher, except she was 4th in her graduating class.
Friday went a lot smoother, with her coming in to say "good morning" for the first time. At the end of the day, she even said, "well, I'll be back on Monday". SHOCKER!!
Monday is a half day, with the afternoon at a Pumpkin Patch (field trip). I hope it goes well.
Sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry. You're the one who knows best because you're with her everyday. How is she with the children? Talk with the college supervisor to get some information and ease your mind.
my student teacher has every lesson this week except for Math, Science/SS and Literacy Workstations. I am making myself leave the room occasionally, hoping she'll sense that I'm trusting her to do her best!
I almost have to laugh about it, because she was so defensive stating "you think I have to do everything just like you?" and "don't you think they'll get what they need from me, while I'm here?". Because since she told her Supervising Prof. that "it doesn't mind me when they are chatty"...they are becoming extremely chatty and not paying attention to her directions and instruction.
Yeah...hopefully she is beginning to see why I have to keep a reign on their talking. It's not just because I don't like their chattiness...it's because others can't learn with all the distraction and noise. Students need to know that this noise level bothers others.
I'm seeing two things. 1) My quiet students are NOT participating (after all my hard work to get them comfortable to raise their hands and voice their comments). 2) My ADHD, Autistic and rude students are getting worse. My autistic student is becoming bossy, pushy and annoyed. My other autistic student is having melt-downs left and right because he is having trouble with the change in routines.
I feel bad for them. But I want to hear her (at the end of the semester) say that their were some things she would do different. Maybe say "I should have encouraged them to follow the classroom rules."
spent the day at an autism workshop and ran into some gals I taught with at another school...low and behold!...they know my student teacher WELL! I find out that she is an introvert and almost quit college after 2 weeks. Didn't know how to behave on campus and make friends, as well as had trouble talking to profs and other adults around campus.
sounds like my student teacher could have some social skill issues and maybe some other issues.
I'm done with her. Today she was to return a reflection to me, stating "what went well," "what she would do differently" and "goals for the future lessons".
Instead of filling out the reflection, she brought MY copy back to me from the reflection I did on her lesson and wrote (under goals): I will try to help students make connections to their own lives.
No reflecting on herself as a teacher, no constructive criticism...just a goal (and a pretty vague one, at that!).
DONE. I contacted her Supervising Prof. and left a message for her to pull her out.
SHE'S DONE.
I'll pack up her things and have her desk out of my room before the kids arrive on Monday.
I hope you have a frank conversation with your former student teacher's supervisor. There is a lemon law with cars that states we may not pass on a problematic automobile to an unsuspecting party.
This same rule applies to edgy student teachers. That supervisor needs to "shadow" this student teacher. Young children should not be subjected to dismal social skills. We are role models... for goodness sake.
You can rest assured that the student teacher's supervisor is being very cautious. Although, I'm not sure she is going on to another placement just yet. The Dean and Chair of the Education Dept. are waiting to talk to the student teacher Monday morning. The impression I got from the supervisor, is that she may need to find a different area to graduate.
Now, I am left to tell my building principal that I gave her the "boot"! My building principal ( I discovered) is a friend and old colleague of the student teacher's mother. :}
If your principal asks about the student teacher, just show your documentation.
1. On September 28th student teacher arrived without her lesson plans
2. On October 4, student teacher left campus at 1:40 without prior arrangement
3. On October 8,9,10,12,13,14 student teacher left room without alerting me. I thought she had gone home.
4. Student teacher was unresponsive when I spoke to her from September 30-October 29.
You get the picture. I'd do my best to respond unemotionally. My experience with principals has been that they are driven by data/documentation. Good luck. I will check back on how it goes. (I am secretly relieved for you)
First day with out the student teacher. AHHHHHH! Back to normal. Is it a good sign that the students didn't ask about "her"? I had her desk and things removed from our room before they even came in this morning. Out of sight, out of mind...I guess.
At the end of the day, both the teaching assistant (who is there from 8:30-10:00 a. m.) and the sped. aide thanked me. They both said that the tension was just driving them crazy and they felt so awkward and uncomfortable from the start with this student teacher. I also was told of some things she had done while I was making myself "scarce". Here, I was thinking I was helping to build her confidence and she was being mean and nasty to my students.
I alerted my principal on Sunday before returning to the building today. Unfortunately, she was ticked off and stated that I went over her head. What she doesn't realize is that I know she and the student teacher's mother are friends. I'm not going to help "her friend's daughter" get a job in this field, I don't care how mad she gets!
No one should have to work with another adult who behaves this way.
You definitely made the right decision, especially when it became a conflict with the well-being and behavior of the students. You don't want her to in any way let her affect the kids negatively. I'm glad she's gone and that you are back to square one, without her!
Congrats to you for taking the initiative. That's certainly not easy to do. Deep breath and done!!
10-22-2009, 11:17 PM
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