In the spring, I will have a student teacher in my classroom for eight weeks. This will be my first experience as a master teacher. Besides advising him/her in the areas of classroom management, curriculum, and/or organizational skills, does anyone have any specific tasks or questions I should be asking him/her? Any advice or help you have to offer would be great. I really want to make this experience worthwhile for the student teacher. Thanks!
I will also have my first student teacher coming into my classroom next week. The university that he attends is hosting an information session for cooperating (master) teachers next weekend. I will let you know what suggestions are presented and pass on any useful information.
I would have the class write letters to the person to welcome them to your room. I would encourage them to take pictures of themselves working with the children and/or any projects that they did or found interesting in your classroom and school. I would encourage them to start building their classroom library by listing titles that you and they used, and possibly ordering from your class book orders. A previous poster mentioned that student teachers can receive a bonus for student teachers of some sort from Scholastic, so you can inquire about that if they want to order anything. I would make my expectations clear about planning, and that you should expect to see some sort of plans from them, especially in the beginning. Good luck! I'm sure that you will enjoy having a student teacher, and they will enjoy their time in your room.
I have had many student teachers and have really enjoyed the time with them for the exception of two. I always have a place (hopefully a desk) that they can call their own space. My room is wide enough that the desk can be up front on the left side of the room across from mine. I want the students to see that we are a team. The first day is mainly for observation and getting setted in, but I give them an opportunity to read a story to the children. This also gives me an idea of how the student teacher interacts with the students.
At the end of the first day, we sit down and talk about expectations. They often have objectives that they have to meet such as a unit plan etc. I expect my students to complete "detailed" lesson plans complete with objectives, standards, and easy to follow plans. I do not accept lesson plans that they found on the internet and just print them out. I want to know that they are capable of using the materials we have in the classroom and how they are going to incorporate them into a lesson. I certainly welcome them using technology, but not to just get a quick lesson.
Ask for written plans at least three days before the lesson is going to be taught so that you have time to read them, discuss them, and see any revisions before the lesson day. Under no circumstances should you allow a student teacher to just "wing it". Lesson plans are a must. As a lesson is being taught, I write comments in a spiral notebook that is meant for my ST and myself. It is up to the ST whether the info is shared with the college superivisor. This helps me remember the good as well as the bad to discuss with her afterwards. She/He are also encouraged to take it home, read it over again, and write questions they would like me to answer.
Have fun, but set professional standards. Expect your ST to dress professionally and to act as a professional toward the students. They are not their best friend or their babysitter. Encourage them to become involved in schoolwide activities or to help another coworker with a simple project. (putting up a school community bulletin board, attending Open House, helping with a book fair etc.) If these occur, be sure to include those in their recommendation letter to a prospective employer.
I always tell my students if they have a lousy lesson, that it is OK. Take time to review what was good and what need changed and then teach it again. That's what good teachers do.
If you do have a bad experience, don't hesitate to contact the college supervisor to help you. I had have two girls who never should have made it as far as they did, but most have been amazing and we have had so much fun.
Good luck with your new experience. You'll be surprised how much YOU learn too!
Is the student teacher doing the first portion (observation) or the second portion (soloing) in the eight week period?
When I did my master teacher assignment last year, my student teacher was in his solo practicum. The university had a master schedule listing everything he was responsible for doing. Technically, they would have preferred it if I had not been in the room!
I explained that I wasn't comfortable with that arrangement, and that there was no "lounge" per se where I could go. My job was to observe him twice to provide feedback, and to complete forms for his credentialing advisor. He was responsible for everything (lesson plans, instructional methodology, homework, grading, etc.).
He wasn't happy because he wasn't being paid for working, and I wasn't happy because the school didn't support him. He was a returning vet from Iraq, and he was trying really hard to get back on his feet after finding that his old job was gone when he returned.
The program did not support him well, and I wound up teaching him strategies, planning methodologies, grading methodologies, etc. He was a decent guy in a bad school that was more of a diploma mill than anything else.
Talk to the credentialing advisor to see what the university expects from you. Different schools use very different approaches.
When I have student teachers I always make sure that I copy an extra worksheet for them to have...I buy them a HUGE 3 ring binder and dividers and have it ready for them when they get there their first day. Then they can put the worksheets in the binder as they are copied. I also make sure to send them away with copies of my favorite ditto books. My master teacher did that for me and I still use a lot of those dittos as backup to my cirruculum. That way their first year they don't have to go out and buy ditto books on simple things like nouns, verbs, ect.
01-08-2007, 08:20 PM
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