Hi
I will have my first student teacher this fall and want to give her the very best experience. Is there something your CT did for you that made her/him stand out? Anything that was particularly helpful, or not.
Thanks!
The best thing my CT did for me was to have a place for me set up when I arrived. It was just a small table and chair, but she had pens, notepads, a calendar, and some other little desk items. It made me feel and the students realize that I was there as a colleague and teacher.
I remember all too well my student teaching experience. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best I could've had. I left still having a million questions about everything a teacher does. I REALLY wanted to look at a gradebook to see how it was laid out. I wasn't allowed to - she said it wasn't legal. I wouldn't have a problem showing my student teacher my gradebook - I'd just cover the kids' names. I also needed more guidance in how to follow state guidelines to match textbooks and knowing what to teach. If you have SPED students, it would be nice to explain IEPs or anything else that goes along with it.
Those are the main things I fumbled over when I got my first teaching job, because it was never discussed with me.
I love the idea of giving her a special place - and just giving some general guidelines (what to wear, when she feels comfortable handling a lesson, asking questions, etc...).
I just finished my student teaching experience in a pre-k class. i don't know what grade you teach, but the first thing i realized was she made she i knew the surrounding teachers and helped me get comfortable with them. She also included me in new ideas she was about to bring into the classroom. Really just making sure she feels welcomed in the class and at the school.
Also my CT had a binder ready for me with school policies, phone numbers, fire drill information, class list, ECT. It helped a great deal because most proffessors require that in the portfolio.
I am also getting my first student teacher next year. I have been searching for some good ideas. Here are a few of the better ones I have found.
Have a binder ready with schedules, policies, behavior management, class list, school handbook, 3rd grade policies, teacher dress expectations, standards, school calendar, lesson plans pages,
Have kids write to introduce themselves BEFORE she comes
Have desk ready with a few supplies such as paper clips, sticky notes, pens, clipboard, stapler, etc.
I am going to work on the first one this suummer. I am going to have a binder ready for her. I am going to include such things as our schedule, a copy of the state standards, lesson plan pages, teacher dress guidelines, etc. I think it may make things go smoother in the beginning. Hopefully she will feel welcome from the first day!
I have been a coop and now supervise student teachers as one of my responsibilities in the college where I teach...
The desk and space idea...wonderful! They love this because it makes a statement to the students...I am a teacher, too...and coops who have made the effort to create that space...it just means a lot to the student teacher...
Think about a journal type of communication...I used this throughout my student teachers' stay...each day...I would write how that day went for he/she...then the student teacher would get the chance to write his/her thoughts back to me...would leave the journal on my desk in the morning...it then became an excellent resource for them to keep...could go back and read comments I had made about a particular lesson or possibly behavior management...
I always made time for this...just don't always get the time to sit down and have long chats...so I used the journal...my student teachers who now teach say...they have it in the desk drawer...
Also...allow your student teacher to include a letter to parents in that newsletter you send out...self-introduction gives them practice for greeting parents...they can tell a little about their college background, past things they have done (hobbies), and where they are from...again...makes them feel important.
Final word...I have been blessed in knowing many coops who are caring and really want to see the student teacher progress...however, there have been a few who have tried to include them in the "discussions" colleagues will have about each other...yes, I'm sorry...it is true...please stay away from that...faculty lounge types of conversations...that we all know just should not happen...but do because of the need to vent...just keep your student teacher out of those...some have talked with me about occurrences like I have described because they feel so uncomfortable...my advice to them has been to excuse themselves from the gathering...
Other than that...thanks to all of you who take on the responsibility of teaching the next generation of teachers...they are so excited about getting into the profession...it's our responsibility to make sure they stay excited and positive!
I'm still currently student teaching, so I think this question is right up my alley.
As far as the gradebook is concerned, it must be dependant on the state you live in because my CT's allowed me to do all the grading for my classes, which I think is also important. ST's need to know what it is like to grade things and/or enter grades into the school's computer system.
First and foremost, make sure you introduce your ST as a fellow teacher, not a student teacher. Students, no matter what age, will only hear that he/she is a student and may not give her the respect she deserves as a teacher if they know he/she is not technically a teacher. I had 2 CT's - one who introduced me as a student teacher, the other who just introduced me as a visiting teacher who would be here for 2 months. I'm sure you can guess which class gave me the proper respect.
Second, the desk space is definitely important. He/she should feel welcome there, even though it is still technically your classroom, they will be there for a while so it is important. One of my CT's does not allow me any space for her at her desk so I have to sit among the students. It is incredibly hard to feel like "one of the teachers" if I have to sit with the students.
Third, one of my CT's allowed me to make copies of everything she had - lesson plans, ideas, worksheets, activity sheets - everything. Even though I don't plan to teach that particular grade level, I know I'll be ready just in case I do end up teaching it. Be generous and share everything you have.
Hope this helps and good luck to both of you!
I did my student teaching in an eighth grade science classroom. I think the most important thing my coop. teacher did for me, was to let me be the "teacher". After a few weeks of being in the classroom, she stepped back and made it clear to the students that I was now their teacher. It was kind of a sink or swim type of situation but she was always there as my life jacket. I did everything!! I took care of classroom management, all lessons, parent teacher conferences (she was there also), grading, and she made me assistant superviser of her after school science club (she even got me a shirt to mach hers). I almost sank a few times but she was always there to help me. She let me make my own mistakes.
She told me later, that at the beginning of my teaching she had some students coming up to her saying they did not like the way I taught. She would explain to them that I was learning and to give me a chance. Later in the semester they began coming up to her and saying that I have gotten a lot better and that I would make a great teacher.
That was the best compliment I could ever get.
I had the most wonderful cooperating teacher. She was much older but I swear she had more energy than me!
She did everything that was listed above and also a few other things.
1. She eased me into taking over. On the second day, she gave me something small to do but it made me feel a part of the class. Then each week she gave me one subject to take over until I was teaching everything. Before I left, she took over one subject each day to allow the kids to get used to her again. It was fantastic.
2. She included me in everything both in the class and out of the class. The planning, meetings, and even parent conferences. The conferences were one of the most valuable experiences. It showed me what they were really like and made my first real experience with conferences a whole lot easier.
3. She was easy to get along with and very approachable. She helped me evaluate what was good and was bad with my lessons and gave me positive suggestions on how to improve. She made me feel equal but still provided me with the guidance necessary to help me learn.
4. The last thing I can think of right now is that she wasn't always on top of me during my lessons. She would go in the hall or she would go in the classroom next door (it had an adjoining door). She was never far but it allowed me to not feel like I was on display. She didn't have to worry if that was allowed or not because the principal allowed it because I was approved to sub in the district.
All in all, I had a wonderful experience and I am still very close to her. She even had a special role during my wedding ceremony. I am not saying that you have to become the best of friends, just make him/her as comfortable as possible. If he/she doesn't learn from you, they will never learn anything. Student teaching is the most important part of schooling and you need to make it a good experience.
I have had a student teacher for five of the last six years, and the number one thing I had them do with the greatest benefit was to teach the same lesson multiple times.
I would sit down with the ST and choose an upcoming skill or lesson. The ST would plan a lesson and then teach it to my class. Afterward, we would debrief and discuss how it could be improved. Then, the very next day, the ST would teach the new and improved lesson to another class in the grade level, and then debrief with that teacher. And so on.
The "tweaks" and improvements which we make over the years could thus be done in a matter of days. In some cases, the ST taught the same lesson 4 times in 4 days! A great opportunity to test approaches in instruction and management. We would finally discuss what was learned over the various "reincarnations" of the same lesson, and how these learnings could be applied to lesson planning and delivery overall.
I love the idea of giving the student teacher their own space in the classroom. I did not get that opportunity when I was student teaching and I know it would have helped me to feel like I was more a part of the classroom.
I also definitely think that when the student teacher completely takes over teaching, the cooperating teacher should definitely leave the room! My CT never really let me completely take over the classroom. She was constantly there and would always step in, which I felt underminded my authority with the kids. One day during center rotations, she walked in to the room and a few kids were off task. She asked if I had reviewed what they should be doing in centers that day and they said no. Actually, I had told them exactly what to do, but not exactly in the way that she probably would have and I hadn't been "in charge" for very long so they weren't used to my style. She actually became visibly angry in front of them and shook her head like I was the worst teacher in the world. After this incident, the students learned that they really didn't need to listen to me or take me seriously as a teacher.
Finally, if you give parting gifts to the student teacher, give them new items, not hand me downs(unless you spring clean and offer items you don't want anymore to them). My parting gifts from my cooperating teacher were two teaching books that while they were great books, were clearly used. To me, it felt like the gifts were an afterthought and I did not feel very appreciated. I know this is trivial, but I think it is important to a student teacher to feel like their time was valued.
Purple: Did you have my CT?? My gift was clearly an afterthought-a construction paper card that said "Thank you!" and was signed by each kid. My CT made rice krispie treats for that day....but there weren't enough for everyone! Luckily two kids were at a music lesson when she passed them out, she ate one-but I didn't get one!
As for advice:
Just as you would not like having your "toes stepped on", don't step on the ST's toes when he/she is teaching a lesson. Don't jump in and interrupt (unless there is a major problem). Make comments during planning or at the end of the day-when the students aren't around.
Definitely give the ST their own space. Don't give them a student desk tacked on to the end of the student rows. There wasn't enought space for all my materials, I couldn't keep the grade book and student work out on my desk at the same time. A small table would be great-or shelf space somewhere in the room.
If you're going to be doing something like hanging student work from the ceilings, or something where you'll be either climbing ladders or working on the floor....let the ST know the day before. I was going out to dinner one night with my boyfriend after work-I wore a dress and nice (low) heels. I had to climb up and down a ladder that day during planning to hang things from hooks on the ceiling.
One day, during planning or before/after school, give your ST a "technology lesson". Show him/her how to use your overhead (and how to replace the bulb), how to log on the computers-and what "tricks" to try when the students have computer problems, show your ST how to call the office with the phone and the Intercom system, and show him/her how to work the maps!
I just completed my student teaching experience two weeks ago. Helpful hints that I could offer to you:
1. I agree - please try to give your ST their "own" space. My CT had a small desk in the back of the classroom for me and I was so happy. My college required me to full-time teach for four weeks and I needed the space.
2. Allow your ST to ask any questions. My CT was available 24 hours a day if I needed her. Student teaching is daunting because you are there as a visitor and feel as though you are invading. A friend of mine had to transfer schools mid-semester because her CT was not helpful and did not answer any questions for her. Honestly - she was downright rude!
3. Try to explain to your students what the ST is doing. The CT and I explained to the students that I was still learning - as they were - but I was also an equal - especially when I was teaching. I think the students get confused when the teacher tries to teach as the ST is teaching.
4. Give her/him time alone in the classroom. I know it is hard for CT's to release their room to a student but the best experience we have is when we are alone with the kids. My CT was great - after the first couple weeks she was allowing me to be in the room by myself and I believe that I learned more during the time I was alone with my students. Especially with the classroom management.
5. The best advice I can offer - be supportive! Remember that we are still students and we are going to make mistakes. Let us have our bad days - and trust me there are many. We still have requirements outside of the teaching.
I am in my pre-student teaching and have had 3 awesome CT's thus far, we have about 200 hours of field experience even before we enter into student teacing.
The first was a 3rd grade classroom, I observed, worked one-on-one with students, checked papers, general help in the classroom.
My 2nd was a 5th grade classroom, I taught several "making meaning" lessons, group work, gave an oral spelling exam, graded papers, This teacher gave me my own little space to work, the school district game me a computer login id and password, so i could enter grades if needed.
My 3rd was a special education room. I had the chance to read through IEP's and work with each child individually and as a group. I didnt do as much in this experience but I learned a great deal from the CT.
I met with the ST last week and she spent the morning with our class. We talked briefly about next fall and I gave her a list of activities that we participate in over the summer. I invited her to come to all or just one, depending on how much she wants to do. I also gave her the option of helping to set up the class for next year. I told her I didn't want her to feel obligated to help, but wanted her to feel like it was her classroom and she could be as much a part of it as she wanted. I also explained I understand if she doesn't want to, it is the summer before a very busy semester.
Thank you all for your tips. I will keep them all in mind as my ST and I work together.
The best thing my CT did for me was leaving the room. She would go in and out, and sometimes leave for an hour or more (but would check in) so I could really do it by myself. We have pods and she would work in there and I could pop my head in if I needed her. At first, it is so nerve-racking to have a CT watch you~ I was much more willing to try more discipline, etc. when I was the only one in the room. I had the best experience!
I am finishing up my student teaching now, so I didn't have the opportunity to see how a room is set up in the fall. What a wonderful experience to offer her. I wish that I would have completed my student teaching in the fall for that reason.
Just by asking what you can do to make your student teacher comfortable is a sign that she will be. You are obviously going to keep her feelings in mind and are going to try to make this a great experience!
I have been lucky to have two wonderful placements. The things that helped me most included having my own space in the classroom, being treated as a colleague - not a student, and time to have the freedom to teach my own units and lessons without interruption. I feel that I really got a taste of what a teacher's job entails and I can't wait to have my own classroom!
purplecrazy21 I think you had my CT and MissCindy I think you went to my college hahaha!
We too had field experience before ST, and it's so valuable. For every education class we took we had a 40 hour internship in the school system where the college is located. (Except Sped, which was a 20 hour.) You gain a lot from just being there to observe. Each class builds on the one before it and every subsequent internship gave you more and more responsibilities. Student interns begin checking papers, making copies, observing, and just minor interactions with the kids. They move on to teaching small lessons plus all the other subsequent responsibilities. It's a true progression of skills. To the teachers out there who get the opportunity to have interns, please do so! It's a great experience for both you and the student!
The Teacher Ed experience ends with a 12 week crash course in ST, with the final couple of weeks in the semester as a synthesis week with a school design project (all the student teachers get together for this), philosophy paper (you do one of these each time you are in an edu class as well) and several other projects. It really wipes you out.
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1. Ideally the ST would take over the classroom, I regret I did not get to. Please trust your ST. Take the time to get to know them at the beginning and make them feel welcome to ask questions. Do not push him or her to the side and make them low on your list of priorities. Remember that this is somebody's future you are playing with here. You as a CT have such a huge opportunity to impact this person for life! =) Mine showed me the beauty of co-teaching, but I was supposed to get a full-on experience. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you accept an ST. And make sure you know what is expected of you as a CT.
2. Please, unless they are going to cause damage in some way (be it physical or irrepairable damage to the lesson being learned) do not stop your ST in the middle of a lesson to correct them. This can be undermining in front of the students. My students never saw me as the 'real' teacher. I was on the aide's level and they usually had to be threatened with the presence of the CT before they'd listen to me. (i.e. "Do you need me to get Mrs. Apple?")
3. Help to build confidence by allowing the ST to become involved in all things teacher. This includes staff development meetings, parent teacher conferences, and grading. If you have Sped students it is a little more delicate due to laws protecting IEP privacy, but see if you can get the ST allowed into an informal meeting.
4. I love the idea of having a space for the ST, that would have been awesome. My stuff was deposited next to a center in the morning where I had to protect it for the first little while from grubby little angel hands. I had no desk so I had to also watch where I laid my lesson plans and other papers. There was a table where everything got deposited and it was so easy to lose my things under the pile she and the aide helped to produce.
5. If you have an aide or someone else in the school with whom you are having issues, please please resolve it without getting the ST caught in the middle. Don't share gossip. Don't put them in that awkward position. It's an uncomfortable thing, especially if they want to help but realize it's not something they should get involved with. The friction in my room got pretty thick before I left. The kids could feel it, too.
I am sorry if it sounds like I had a bad ST experience. It wasn't always bad! I had many good days with my kids and I miss them terribly. My teacher offered good advice for the first half of the time I was with her, but her priorities got rearranged and unfortunately I was shuffled to the bottom. I like the previous suggestions a lot.
I hope your CT experience is one that makes you smile when you look back on it in the years to come!!
I had 2 experiences. In each room, the CT had a space for me. However, my one space was in the back of the room and I seemed disconnected from the rest of the class.
When I left my first experience, the students had each drawn a picture and wrote a couple sentences and they binded into a book for me. I still have it and it brings back great memories.
Always let your ST feel like you have time for her. I always felt rushed when I tried to talk to one of my CTs. Without having some answers, it made ST a little harder.
I hope this helps, if I think of more things, I'll post them.
I just finished my student teaching this past semester and had a wonderful experience. This is going to be kinda random, but here are some of my thoughts, etc.:
-On my first day, my cooperating teacher gave me the task of walking the class to specials and lunch. This gave me the opportunity to meet the other teachers in the school, but also assert my independence and authority.
-Explain to your student teacher why you do things the way you do. I know I got a ton of good ideas just through her reasoning for procedures.
-Gradually release the responsibility. I started doing read alouds after lunch the first few days and took on teaching my first subject the second week. She asked what I was most confortable with and we started there. By the time I took over the subjects I was less confident in teaching, I'd seen enough modeling that I was ready to jump into it.
-Be open to new ideas. I really loved that my CT allowed me to bring in my own ideas and input into lessons she's been teaching for years. You'll probably be able to gain some quality resources yourself!
-Don't be afraid to give you ST odd jobs. I know some people get mad about having to make copies, take down bulletin boards, etc., but those are the things that they'll have to do during their real teaching experience... May as well get used to it now.
-From the beginning, my CT let the students know that her and I had equal authority. Of course I was still learning, but they still needed to show me the respect that they showed her.
-Make the best of having TWO of you in the classroom. From about the third week on, we split the kids into two groups for reading so we could better meet their needs. We did the same stories, but did different skills and activities based on the needs of the students in our groups.
-Be real with your ST. No teacher is perfect and it's totally fine to let your ST see your imperfections. We all have our "off" days and you shouldn't feel like you have to appear to completely have it together everyday.
-I came in after Christmas break, but take advantage of having a ST in the fall. Show her how to start off the year on a strong point. This is one thing I really wish I'd seen now that I'm going into my first year.
Okay, I'll stop rambling... Good luck to you and your student teacher!
I am student teaching this semester in a second grade classroom.
Ideally I would love 3 things:
1. My own space in the room
2. An input in the classroom, theme, decoration, curriculum planing,etc. which basically means I'd like to have a say as well as the freedom to be creative.
3. A basket/bin in the copy room with a request from all the teachers in the school to leave one copy of every work sheet/assessment/anything that they use! It is the best way to build your own great resource book.
I student taught last spring and had a wonderful experience. I am the type of person who is critical of my work and a worrier. My cooperating teacher was extremely supportive and was always asking how things were going. We chatted all of the time and it really helped to keep the communication open between us. She would call me at night sometimes to check up if I had an observation the next day or just to laugh about something that happened during the day. I felt very comfortable with her so I was able to make mistakes, learn from them, ask her for advice and grow as a teacher. She also would leave cute little gifts and cards each time that I had an observation. For example, I would come in in the morning and on my desk there would be a card with one of those little Chinese take out food containers. In it woudl be something as simple as a few of those magnet clips for the blackboard or a package of stickers. It meant so much to me and took away some of the nerves I was feeling every time she did that. On my last day the kids threw a surprise party for me. It was so cute and they were so excited! When I entered the class after lunch all of the students jumped up and yelled "Surprise!" We had cupcakes and they had each made me a card. It is definitly one of my favorite memories because the class was so excited about the celebration! Sorry I keep blabbing but I just wanted to share my great experience. All I would say is be supportive, make the teacher feel welcomed/special, and provide advice on lessons, etc because this is the student teachers very important time to learn and grow. good luck!
I just got done with a very hard student teaching experience. My first lead teacher didn't want to have a student teacher. She told me up front that she was going to have a very hard time giving up her class. That should have been a clue for me to bail! She treated me like I had no experience in the classroom, she was in fact very rude, I had no where to put my things and she didn't want to share her desk. So I had to find a corner under the computer desk for my bag and coat, and I did not have a desk to work from. She would never talk to me about little things that bothered her, she would instead call my college supervisor and complain on a daily basis. I was expected to be at the school when ever she was there, as well as on Saturday. I was spending 12-14 hours a day at the school. I ended up getting very sick, and when I said I may need to go to the doctor at some point, I was told, "Teachers only go to the doctor after school hours and there work is done." There was no compassion. The following day my lead teacher calls me and says she has a migraine and has to go to the chiropractor, and I have to be her sub. I never knew she was unhappy until I got in trouble with my college supervisor. Thankfully I was able to get another placement and had a positive experience. So my advice to every lead teacher out there, please talk to your student teacher first about issues, if that doesn't resolve the problem, then address it with the college supervisor! Don't set them up to fail.
I would have to agree that it is important for the ST to enter grades into the computer; however in our district it isn't allowed. STs do not have legal access to the information certifcated teachers do, so it has to be done this way.
One way I assure my STs have the "grade book" experience is to give them their own paper grade book when they arrive. It is easy to have them average teh grades weekely, then I enter them into the computer.
05-07-2007, 03:25 AM
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