{"id":369,"date":"2012-03-30T16:12:57","date_gmt":"2012-03-30T21:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.maryville.edu\/ed\/?page_id=369"},"modified":"2018-12-13T16:33:33","modified_gmt":"2018-12-13T22:33:33","slug":"roles","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/ed\/roles\/","title":{"rendered":"Roles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cooperating Teachers<\/h2>\n

<\/a>The Role of the Cooperating Teacher<\/h3>\n

Classroom cooperating teachers are critical to the success of the student teacher program.\u00a0 Their daily guidance aids the student teachers’ transition from the role of student to classroom teacher.\u00a0 Through role modeling, informal conversations, and formal conferences, the cooperating teacher provides the student teacher with guidance in developing teaching procedures and techniques, selecting activities, gathering resource materials, and developing relationships with students and co-workers.\u00a0 To a great extent, the cooperating teacher can determine the success or failure of the student teacher.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Initial Contact With Student Teacher<\/h3>\n

Fall Semester<\/h4>\n

Cooperating teacher and student teacher are to connect via phone, e-mail or meeting by July 15th to plan for the first day of student teaching which begins in August on the date your district has established for back-to-school meetings for teachers.<\/p>\n

Spring Semester<\/h4>\n

Cooperating teacher and student teacher are to connect via phone, e-mail or meeting no later than August 3rd to plan for the first day of\u00a0 “August Experience<\/a>“.\u00a0 This experience gives our spring student teachers the opportunity to learn as much as they can about what goes into the annual\u00a0back-to-school activities from a teacher’s perspective.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0These 30 clock hours are not evaluated.\u00a0 The student teacher is expected to assist you with classroom set-up, attend meetings, become familiar with the school culture and the children in the classroom.\u00a0 We have found that this experience helps our student teachers become acclimated to your classroom and also helps alleviate fears associated with this important, culminating experience.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Student Teaching Timeline<\/h3>\n

Student teachers should experience several different levels of involvement depending on their readiness and the immediate situation.\u00a0 Maryville students will come to you with a great deal of prior experience in classrooms.\u00a0\u00a0You should be able to increase their involvement in the teaching process fairly quickly.<\/p>\n

This is what a 16 week experience may look like.\u00a0 Adapt it as appropriate for the length of time your student teacher will be with you and their ability to jump into instructional roles.<\/p>\n

Week One<\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. Establish a timeline for increasing teaching responsibilities of the student teacher.<\/li>\n
  2. Provide opportunities for observation of and participation in planning and implementing lessons.<\/li>\n
  3. Allow opportunities for the student teacher to work with individual and small groups of pupils and learn all the pupils’ names.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Weeks Two – Three<\/h4>\n

    Provide the student teacher with opportunities to:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Observe you in the act of planning and teaching.<\/li>\n
    2. Assume some supervisory responsibilities such as homeroom or opening activities, recess or hall duty, keeping records, etc.<\/li>\n
    3. Plan and implement lessons in several different areas of the curriculum and\/or different periods during the week.<\/li>\n
    4. Plan and implement lessons for one group in one subject area or period for one or two weeks.<\/li>\n
    5. Discuss and agree on the Student Work Sampling Project.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Weeks Four – Five<\/h4>\n

      Provide the student teacher with opportunities to:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Assume responsibility for planning and implementing lessons for areas of the curriculum or two or three periods of instruction daily.<\/li>\n
      2. Participate in classroom management and discipline of pupils.<\/li>\n
      3. Assess pupil progress, diagnose needs and develop materials and\/or lessons that address these needs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Weeks Six – Thirteen<\/h4>\n

        Provide the student teacher with opportunities to:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Gradually increase the load until a full teaching load has been assigned.<\/li>\n
        2. Assume responsibility for total planning and teaching for a minimum of two weeks.<\/li>\n
        3. Plan, implement, and evaluate units of instruction.<\/li>\n
        4. Participate in parent conferences, planning sessions, staff meetings, and all supervisory responsibilities.<\/li>\n
        5. Meet with you regularly to evaluate progress.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Weeks Thirteen – Fifteen<\/h4>\n

          Provide the student teacher with opportunities to:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Gradually decrease the load.<\/li>\n
          2. Reflect on growth as a teacher<\/li>\n
          3. Recommend other classrooms in which the student teacher can observe as well as resources the student teacher can develop into a file.<\/li>\n
          4. Complete their portfolio.<\/li>\n
          5. Complete final evaluation conference.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            For a\u00a0list of expectations and assignments that your student teacher will be required to complete, select “Student Teaching\u00a0Requirements<\/strong>”\u00a0 in Key Resources <\/strong>below.<\/p>\n

            <\/a>Conferencing with the Student Teacher<\/h3>\n

            One of the most important aspects of guiding a student teacher is feedback.\u00a0 The student teaching experience needs to be undergirded with a strong conference structure.\u00a0 It is in this phase of student teaching that student teachers receive the individual guidance from competent professionals which enables them to analyze their growing understanding of the relationship between theory and practice.\u00a0 With appropriate guidance during conferencing, the student teacher will be able to organize, assimilate, synthesize, and reflect on the student teaching experiences.\u00a0 It is is important to have a regular daily or weekly time to meet, as well as conferencing following observations.\u00a0 The following suggestions should facilitate the desired results from the conferencing time:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Schedule conferences after each significant teaching performance at a time\/location when there will be minimal interruptions.<\/li>\n
            2. Make feedback a problem-centered analysis of student teaching performance and include both positive comments and constructive criticism leading to the improvement of weaknesses.\u00a0 The basis for comments should be derived from the cooperating teachers’s observations of lesson plans, presentations, classroom\/behavior management skills, and performance of other teacher-related duties.<\/li>\n
            3. Encourage the student teacher to ask questions regarding observations\/feedback.<\/li>\n
            4. Guide the student teacher in considering alternative ways of doing the same thing to promote effective teaching strategies and flexibility.<\/li>\n
            5. Foster self-evaluation during constructive criticism by asking questions beginning with “Why do you think…?”\u00a0 These questions will elicit responses that encourage the student teacher to analyze performance and develop reflection skills.<\/li>\n
            6. Make specific suggestions for improving identified weaknesses when the student teacher is unable to offer suitable strategies.<\/li>\n
            7. Identify a primary focus for the next observation that the student teacher should concentrate on for improvement.\u00a0 Give a copy of the observation notes to the student teacher and keep one in a file.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              Special Conferences<\/h4>\n

              The cooperating teacher should not hesitate to contact the\u00a0university supervisor for a conference regarding the progress of the student teacher if necessary.\u00a0 The student teacher’s future as well as the future of education depends on a successful student teaching experience.\u00a0 Addressing problem areas quickly provides opportunity for correction and redirection.\u00a0 If the student teacher is in danger of being unable to complete his\/her student teaching experience successfully, the university supervisor and the school administration should be informed immediately. Maryville uses a Problem Solving Protocol<\/a>\u00a0that should help all parties in solving problems between various parties; please make use of this if problems arise!<\/p>\n

              <\/a>Visitation by the University Supervisor<\/h3>\n

              The University Supervisor will observe the student teacher frequently, write formal observations of the student teacher’s progress, and discuss the results with the student teacher in a conference following the observations.\u00a0 The cooperating teacher will be included in the initial and final evaluation conferences and at other times as necessary.<\/p>\n

              <\/a>Related Professional Activities<\/h3>\n

              The student teaching experience should not be limited to the classroom.\u00a0 Cooperating teachers should arrange for the student teacher to observe\/participate in a variety of school-related activities to enhance the teacher preparation process regarding the total school environment and teaching responsibilities.<\/p>\n

              These additional experiences should include:<\/p>\n