Cooperating Teacher Orientation

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Cooperating Teacher Orientation

• MSUM Field Experiences
• 2006

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Dear Cooperating Teacher,

• Thank you for your willingness to welcome a
  student teacher into your classroom. It is our
  hope and expectation that your experience as a
  cooperating teacher will be enjoyable and
  rewarding!

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In this Orientation you will find information
about.

• Expectations of the cooperating teacher, student
  teacher, and university supervisor
• How to prepare for your student teacher
• Timelines

• How and when to fill out forms
• What to do if there is a problem

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Expectations of Cooperating Teacher
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Guide Planning Evaluation

• Ask to see plans in advance of teaching. What is
  the purpose for the lesson? What are the
  strengths of the plan?
• Check for sufficient management plans. Are
  procedures for handling supplies and movement
  present and adequate? Will your students
  understand the procedures?
• Help the student teacher move to longer-term
  planning. How does the lesson align with
  previous and future lessons?
• Expect a variety of instructional strategies. Are
  different strategies included? Which seem easiest
  for your student teacher to implement? How can
  you assist him or her in successfully trying
  alternate strategies?
• Relate the planning and evaluation to student
  learning. Do assessment activities align with
  objectives? Does the student teacher assess
  student learning?

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Guide Discipline Management

• Explain the discipline procedures that you have
  found most successful.
• Allow your student teacher to establish authority
  in ways that may be different from your own.
• Help your student teacher plan for management in
  your classroom and debrief management issues
  after lesson implementation.
• Give both specific hints for classroom procedures
  and the rationale for their use.
• Think about and explain your classroom
  procedures. Where and when can students sharpen
  pencils? When is it ok for students to use the
  bathroom? How do you correct homework?
• Let your student teacher "hear you think." This
  will help in his or her own metacognition.
• During your observations, collect evidence
  related to your student teacher's management and
  discipline and help him or her draw conclusions
  from the evidence as you debrief. (For instance,
  you can record the amount of time spent during
  transitions or write down names of children who
  were not on task during the student teacher's
  lesson.)

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Guide Relationships with Students

• Help student teachers understand that while they
  need to develop a good relationship with the
  students, they do not want to become their
  "buddy.
• Help your student teacher analyze student
  performance to discuss instructional
  implications.
• Keep student need and interests at the center of
  discussions concerning planning, instruction and
  management.

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Guide Relationship Between Cooperating Teacher
Student Teacher

• Give clear expectations
• How far in advance do you want lesson plans?
• Do you expect long-term plans?
• How closely must the student teacher follow
  the adopted texts? May he or she try things that
  are not in the texts?
• What do you expect in terms of instructional
  strategies? Is cooperative learning ok? Do you
  want to see direct instruction?
• Will you ever intervene during a lesson? Under
  what conditions?
• Who grades what? Which papers will the student
  teacher be expected to grade?
• How much noise do you tolerate?
• How much latitude does the student teacher
  have in changing the discipline plan? Moving the
  desks?
• What time should the student teacher be there
  in the morning? How late should she or he stay
  after school?

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The best student teaching experience happens when
the cooperating teacher.
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• Makes the student teacher feel welcome and
  comfortable in the classroom.
• Acquaints the student teacher with the school
  building, resources, other faculty and staff.
• Explains classroom procedures, schedules, etc.
• Assists the student teacher with instructional
  planning and evaluates plans before instruction.
• Gradually turns over teaching responsibilities to
  the student teacher until the primary
  responsibility for teaching is the student
  teacher's for at least one week.
• Provides ongoing, evaluative feedback.
• Provides the student teacher with a place to
  work. Even if your school has a space problem, a
  small table and chair will give the student
  teacher of place of his/her own to work.
• During the observation period, provides student
  teachers with seating charts so that they can
  learn names and observe specific student
  characteristics and behavior.
• Points out mistakes student teachers make as
  quickly as possible. The students expect
  constructive criticism.

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• Lets student teachers know from time to time that
  they are doing a good job (if this is true). A
  compliment from the cooperating teacher can be a
  real day brightener.
• Keeps in mind that this experience is probably
  the most important task that your student teacher
  has ever faced. Remember your own student
  teaching experience and how much you wanted to
  succeed. Many student teachers expect to have
  100 good days and become depressed after a class
  has gone badly. Share some of your "bad day"
  experiences. Above all, keep your sense of humor.
• Expects big things from your student teacher and
  let him/her know this.
• Expects well-planned lessons from the start. You
  are the expert and should carefully review lesson
  plans prior to the class presentation. Many times
  you will be able to spot trouble areas and
  potential mistakes before they occur.
• Calls upon student teachers to do something extra
  when you are faced with a time shortage. This
  often makes the student feel that she/he is an
  integral part of the classroom and that you have
  confidence in her/his ability to do the extra
  task.
• Encourages innovation. Urge student teachers to
  be creative.
• Holds conferences with the student teacher as
  soon as possible after your classroom
  observation. This can be done in an informal
  manner over a cup of coffee.

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Things you need to know

• A student teacher can never be used as a
  substitute teacher. She/he is not licensed and it
  is illegal.
• A successful student teaching experience is based
  on open, honest communication among all parties
  involved. You are encouraged to contact the
  university supervisor at any time to express
  concerns or to share reservations.
• Final evaluation forms are due the last week of
  the student teaching assignment. Please share
  this evaluation with your student teacher. The
  university supervisor assigned to your student
  teacher will give you instructions on where to
  find the form and how to fill it out.

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• Midterm evaluation form The cooperating teacher
  will fill out a midterm evaluation of the student
  teacher. The cooperating teacher and student
  teacher will meet to go over the midterm. The
  student should set goals for the second half of
  student teaching.
• Dispositions final evaluation Please fill this
  out at the end of student teaching and share it
  with your student teacher.
• Your student teacher will fill out a
  dispositions self-evaluation and set goals at
  midterm. The university supervisor will provide
  this form. The student teacher will share the
  goals with you and ask for your feedback.
• Final evaluation Fill out a final evaluation for
  the student at the end of student teaching. Use
  the same procedure as with the midterm, but
  without the goal-setting. Please give one copy to
  the student teacher.
• All forms are submitted online at
  www.mnstate.edu/fieldexp. If you have difficulty
  accessing the forms, please contact the
  university supervisor.
• The Student Teaching Handbook can also be found
  at the Field Experiences website.

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Expectations of the Student Teacher
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Professionalism

• Attendance Student teachers will follow the
  calendar of their cooperating school. They are
  expected to work the same hours as their
  cooperating teachers, unless told otherwise by
  the cooperating teacher. They are also expected
  to be in attendance every day of the scheduled
  term (including in-service and conference days)
  except in the case of illness or emergency. The
  one exception to this policy is attendance at the
  Minnesota Career Fair, which is considered an
  excused absence, but must still be cleared with
  the cooperating teacher and university supervisor
  ahead of time. Student teachers should offer
  to make up absences. If more than three absences
  are incurred, make up of the missed time is
  mandatory.
• Dress Code Clothing should be professional, not
  too revealing, clean and in good repair.
  T-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, exposed body
  piercings (other than ears), tattoos and unusual
  hair colors are not appropriate for the school
  setting. (Student teachers are encouraged to
  participate in special dress days. For instance
  school spirit day, pajama day, casual Fridays,
  etc)

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Professionalism

• The student teacher is expected to
• Show initiative
• Take pride in her/his work
• Be prepared, reliable and responsible.
• Seek ways to improve performance
• Welcome constructive feedback
• Show respect to those in supervisory roles

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Required Activities of the Student Teacher

• Lesson Plans/Thematic Units The student teacher
  and cooperating teacher should decide early on
  what topics will be covered in different
  subjects/periods. They should also discuss when
  the student teacher will be teaching part of the
  day, which subjects he/she will be teaching and
  when he/she will be teaching all day. Detailed
  lesson plans are required and should be approved
  by the cooperating teacher before each lesson the
  student teacher teaches. At least once during
  the placement the student teacher should develop
  a full unit or a sequence of lessons on a broad
  topic.
• Videotaping The student teacher should
  videotape herself/himself some time during the
  placement. The cooperating teacher will be asked
  to do a formal observation in which s/he takes
  notes throughout the lesson.
• Journal The student teacher is required
  to keep a reflective journal during student
  teaching. The journal is shared with the
  university supervisor during classroom visits.
  Students know that the journal time can wait
  until after school. However, there may be
  occasions when the student will want to write
  something down right away so as not to forget!

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Timeline for Student
Teaching Stages 1 2

• Stage One. During the first week in the
  classroom, the student teacher should spend time
  observing classroom procedures and learning the
  names of the students. She/he may begin assuming
  a few administrative and procedural tasks such as
  roll taking and grade recording if the
  cooperating teacher feels it is appropriate. The
  student teacher may also begin assisting
  individual students or small groups with lessons
  or projects at this time. This is a transition
  time for the student teacher and open
  communication between him/her and the cooperating
  teacher is essential in clarifying roles and
  expectations.
• Stage Two. This stage will comprise the major
  portion of student teaching. The student teacher
  and the cooperating teacher may plan lessons
  cooperatively, with the cooperating teacher
  giving final approval prior to each activity or
  lesson. A gradual increase in teaching
  responsibilities for the student teacher should
  begin to occur at this time until a full teaching
  schedule is assumed. Feedback at this stage is
  very important so that the student teacher can
  effectively evaluate his/her teaching
  performance.

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Timeline for Student Teaching
Stages 3 4

• Stage Three. The Minnesota Board of Teaching
  requires a minimum of one week (or five
  consecutive days) of full-time student teaching.
  MSUM recommends at least 2 weeks. During this
  stage, all activities normally assumed by a
  classroom teacher, including instruction,
  classroom management and pupil supervision should
  be performed by the student teacher as readiness
  is demonstrated.
• Stage Four. At the close of the student teaching
  experience, the classroom responsibilities will
  return to the cooperating teacher. Opportunities
  for the student teacher to observe in other
  classrooms in the building should be provided if
  at all possible.

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Expectations of theUniversity Supervisor
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What the student teacher can expect from the
University Supervisor

• Provide orientation to the student teaching
  experience at the beginning of the semester.
• Serve as a support to the student teacher by
  answering questions and providing consultative
  assistance.
• Formally observe the student teacher 4 times in
  the classroom, giving written and verbal
  feedback.
• Assign grade in consultation with the cooperating
  teacher.

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What the Cooperating Teacher can expect from the
University Supervisor

• Serve as a liaison between the university and the
  cooperating teacher by interpreting the
  university program.
• Provide extra support to the cooperating teacher
  if the student teacher is experiencing
  difficulties with student teaching.

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Helpful Tools
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• Cooperating Teacher Checklist
• Before Your Student Teacher Arrives
• _____ Prepare your students for having a student
  teacher.
• _____ Set aside an area in the classroom for
  your student teacher.
• _____ Put together a student teaching survival
  kit, including the following.
• Daily schedules
• Class lists
• Fire drill procedures
• Classroom and school rules
• Discipline policies
• Particular student needs
• Phone number to contact you in the case of an
  emergency
• Other things you think are important
• Meeting With Your Student Teacher
• _____ Discuss the basic responsibilities of the
  student teacher.
• _____ Orient the student teacher to the
  classroom and the school.
• _____ Review any relevant special calendar
  dates.

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Contact us with any questions you may have.

• Dr. Lynn Mahlum
• Director of Field Experiences
• 218 477 2256
• mahlumly_at_mnstate.edu
• Renee Kerzman
• Assistant Director
• 218 477 2022
• kerzman_at_mnstate.edu
• Tracy Heng
• Administrative Assistant
• 218 477 2217
• hengt_at_mnstate.edu

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Thank you for participating in the Cooperating
Teacher Orientation!!!(Be sure to go to the
next slide!)
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To receive CEUs and a chance to win a 100.00
gift card, click on this button and fill out the
survey.
Click Here
Once each week, we will send CEUs to teachers who
have submitted the survey. We will also enter you
in the drawing. The drawing will take place the
day student teaching begins for the semester.