RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT TEACHER
The student must first have met the basic requirements
for admission and retention in the teacher education program to be approved for student teaching. The requirements
to be approved for student teaching are
summarized below. Exceptions may be granted for student swhose participation in
college-sponsored activities (e.g., athletics) may interfere with their
full-time student teaching responsibilities. The requirements are also listed in …And Some Are Teachers…,
the policy guide handbook for the Dordt College Teacher Education Program.
1.
Formal
application to student teaching completed.
2.
Grade point
average of 2.60 or above.
4. Full admission into the teacher education program for at least one semester prior to student teaching.
5. Successful completion of level 2 education courses with grades of “C” or better in each course.
6. Successful completion of the Professional Portfolio and level 2 competencies as indicated in …And Some Are Teachers…
7. Acceptable professional dispositions (Christian lifestyle) based on recommendations from Student Services, Education 239 cooperating teachers, and the Education Department.
8. Successful completion of graduation requirements excepting student teaching.
Application for student teaching is made with the Director of Teacher Education. The Teacher Education
Committee, in consultation with the Education Department, approves the student
for placement. Placement assignments are assumed to be in local schools
(schools within driving distance from campus). Students may request a non-local placement as well.
The assignment to a cooperating school is made well in
advance of the beginning date of student teaching.
It is expected that the student teacher will meet with
the cooperating teacher(s) several weeks before the opening day of the
practicum experience. The Director of Teacher Education and the assigned college supervisor prepare and orient the student teacher
from the perspective of the college, and the cooperating teacher or building
principal is expected to provide orientation materials applicable to the
assigned cooperating school.
The student should view the student teaching experience as the beginning of a professional career. Responsibilities are similar to those of full time employees of a school system. Student teaching is full time work and other activities cannot be excuses for neglecting any of the demands of student teaching. The student teacher must be familiar with the duties and expectations of the particular cooperating school to which he/she is assigned and must abide by those expectations. For example, the student teacher should know what time teachers are expected to arrive in the morning, how long they are expected to be available after school, what kind of dress and grooming are appropriate, what procedure is expected for notifying the school in case of illness, whether or not attendance is expected at extracurricular activities, and other procedures and policies related to professional responsibilities. In no case should the student teacher consider him/herself an exception to these expectations because he/she is a student teacher.
While the student teaching experience marks the
beginning of a professional career, the student teacher is still an apprentice.
The student teacher’s role does not include the policy-setting role of a
veteran teacher, and he/she should not try to assume a dominating role among his/her
"colleagues" or in the faculty meetings attended. On the other hand,
the student teacher should try to become as much a part of the school system as
is appropriate. He/she should get to know other teachers, administrators, and
staff. The student teacher should not be a stranger on the school campus.
The following guidelines for the total student
teaching experience are intended to support student teachers, cooperating teachers, and college supervisors as
they carry out their responsibilities.
General
responsibilities
Arrangements for transportation are to be made in
advance. It is
On the first scheduled day of each session the student
teacher must arrive on time, be dressed appropriately, and be ready to meet
students and other school personnel. He/she should report to the principal or
to the cooperating teacher, as was arranged during the introductory visit.
The student should expect gradual involvement in the teaching process. At first, some time should be spent in orientation and observation to ensure awareness of the total teaching process (e.g., teacher responsibilities, schedules, routines). Actively assisting with routine activities and participating in supervisory duties gradually familiarizes the student with the school setting. As confidence and competence grows, more responsibilities should be assumed. Provided that there is careful supervision and planning, the student teacher is typically ready to engage in some teaching very early in the experience. Prolonged observation in the classroom for more than two weeks is not encouraged.
When the student teacher has become more familiar with
most classroom duties and has had opportunities to make, execute, and evaluate
lesson plans in various subject areas, he/she should be ready to assume the
total daily load of teaching. The cooperating teacher, the student teacher, and
the college supervisor plan the full time teaching experience during which the
student teacher is responsible for all classroom activities for at least one
full week per session. When structured appropriately, the experience should
build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that characterize successful
beginning teachers.
Specific responsibilities:
During the internship experience the student teacher
should grow professionally, which implies a wide range of experiences to
develop teaching competencies. The student teacher is expected to complete the
following activities during the student teaching experience:
a. Provide the college supervisor with an
accurate class schedule for each session.
b. Write
and teach a Teaching Unit Learning Impact Project for each session of student
teaching and for each endorsement areas (excepting the coaching endorsement).
Requirements for the Teaching Unit Learning Impact Project are found under
Specific Student Teaching Assignments below.
c. Prepare
written lesson plans. The student teacher
should share these plans with the cooperating teacher before the lesson is
taught and should file them to share with the college supervisor during the
site visits.
d. Complete
required assignments for the student teaching course. A list of required
assignments is found below. Additional information concerning the assignment
requirements is available in the student teaching
syllabus.
e. Read
handouts, policy manuals, curriculum guides, and other materials to gain a
better understanding of the cooperating school's philosophy and purpose that
guides the overall program of the school.
f. Become
familiar with routine procedures such as the school schedule, attendance
checking, distribution and collection of materials, use of school resources,
and opening and closing procedures.
g. Observe
and discuss various teaching strategies with the cooperating teacher(s) and
with other classroom teachers, specialists, and administrators.
h. Become
familiar with instructional materials used in the classroom and available in
the school or through service agencies. Textbooks, manuals, tradebooks,
games, manipulatives, pictures, globes and maps,
reference materials, computer software, videos, teaching kits, teacher-made
units, and other instructional materials are all essential in the educational
process. Media of various kinds (Smartboard/Promethian technology, projectors, TV's, VCR's, computers, audio-tape
players, as well as other tools) can enhance the instructional process.
i. Understand
the importance of basic physical factors such as lighting, ventilation, seating
arrangements, and room decor as part of the learning environment.
j. Develop
and use self-designed instructional materials and use creative teaching
strategies. This may be accomplished through preparation of teaching units and
lesson plans, designing bulletin boards and learning centers, creating games,
and in a variety of other ways.
k. Evaluate
pupil progress through a variety of assessment and evaluation strategies,
including the use of self-developed assessment and evaluation instruments, and
communicate progress to pupils and parents.
l.
Gradually assume
responsibility for classroom management.
m.
Assume full time
teaching responsibilities for a significant time (minimum of one week) per session.
n. Become
acquainted with the school staff members and become familiar with the services
they render (e.g., other teachers, reading specialists, special education
teachers, aides, volunteers, secretaries, and custodial staff).
o. Become
acquainted with the pupils in the classroom. Knowing names, backgrounds,
achievement records, behavior patterns, and special needs of learners is
essential to meet student learning needs.
p. Supervise the work of students during
study periods.
q. Supervise
out-of-class activities in the lunchroom, on the playground, in assembly
programs, and on field trips.
r. Experience
working with individual students, with small groups of students, and with whole
class groups of students.
s.
Attend and participate in functions
involving other faculty members, parents, and community members by attending
t. Complete a dispositions for teaching evaluation form at the close of session I of the student teaching experience.
u. Complete the Iowa Teaching Standards Self Evaluation
Form toward the close of session II. The Mock Evaluation Interview Form
familiarizes the student teacher with the 8 Iowa Teaching Standards and 42
Criteria and provides an initial and natural transition from pre-service
program standards to in-service professional standards.
Although not a requirement for the student
teaching experience, some college supervisors and/or
cooperating teachers require student teachers to keep a reflective log/journal
of responses to the entire student teaching experience. The journal should be
shared with both the cooperating teacher and college supervisor. The student teacher should check with
his/her supervisor and cooperating teacher regarding their expectations.
Specific Student Teaching
Assignments:
During the student teaching experience, the student teacher is required to complete several course assignments. These assignments are intended to allow the student to document competencies related to the Dordt College Teacher Education Program Standards. Descriptions of required assignments are listed below (more detailed descriptions can be found in the student teaching syllabi). Specific standards addressed by each item are suggested in parentheses. The college supervisor is responsible to ensure that the assignments have been completed satisfactorily
1.
Teaching Unit Learning Impact Project
(this project can be used to demonstrate competence in most of the TEP
standards and goals.)
a.
Reflectively consider the impact their instruction has on PK-12 student
learning
b.
Analyze and interpret assessment data, both formative and summative, to
inform their instruction
c.
Implement principles of differentiation
d.
Integrate technology appropriately for learning purposes
e.
Create instructional strategies and learning activities that support the
learning goals of the school and of the Iowa Core Curriculum or of national
or other state/provincial curriculum
The Teaching Unit Learning Impact Project is based on the
Dordt College Teacher Education Standards and Professional Dispositions that
outline the knowledge, skills, and critical dispositions needed for
effective teaching and learning. Proficiency will be demonstrated not only
by the development of the unit itself, but also by student responses to
specific directed questions and required artifacts (charts, graphs, plans,
reflections) that may become part of the student’s Professional Portfolio.
Specific Requirements for the Teaching Unit include:
A.
Title page
1.
the topic of the unit
2.
your name
3.
grade level
4.
subject area(s)
5.
cooperating school
6.
dates
B.
Thematic statement
1.
Describe the importance of the unit.
2.
Indicate how the unit fits in the curriculum (including how it addresses the
school’s curriculum guide and/or the content of the Iowa Core Curriculum or
national or other state/provincial curricula).
3.
Include a statement regarding how your worldview shapes the content chosen,
instructional strategies used, and assessment of this topic.
C.
Outline/Table of Contents
1.
Indicate the major concepts to be taught in outline form.
2.
Organizes the lessons in sequence.
3.
List the sections and artifacts (supporting evidence) included in the TULIP.
D.
Unit Goals
1.
List expected outcomes in terms of student learning.
2.
Select at least two learning goals that are appropriate for your unit, that
are aligned with the Iowa Core Curriculum or with national or other
state/provincial curricula, and that you will be tracking for the purpose of
demonstrating student learning.
E.
Lesson Plans
1.
The TULIP must include a minimum of five lesson plans.
2.
Use the standard format required by your school (if no format is required,
use the format suggested on page 42 in the
Guide to Student Teaching).
3.
Be sure to integrate appropriate educational technology.
F.
Assessment Plan
1.
Complete an Observation/Analysis of Student Leaning Needs during the first
few days of the student teaching experience.
2.
Develop a pre-assessment instrument that will be implemented in advance of
the unit.
3.
Use assessment for learning (formative assessment) that will be implemented
as the unit proceeds.
4.
Develop a post-assessment instrument that will be implemented at the end of
the unit.
5.
Provide an assessment report (make charts/graphs of quantative data to
provide clear, concise evidence of your teaching performance and that
demonstrate a direct relationship to student learning and/or write a
descriptive report based on qualitative data). You will need to analyze the
results of the pre- and post-assessment instruments using descriptive
statistics (determining the mean, mode, median, and range) and/or describe
the impact of instruction based on student learning outcomes.
G.
Reflection Report (focus on the following questions)
1.
Why did you choose this unit?
2.
How did you design the teaching of this unit?
3.
How is this unit connected to prior and future learning?
4.
How is your unit aligned with the Iowa Core Curriculum or with national or
other state/provincial curricula?
5.
What did you do to identify student understanding and progress?
6.
How did your pre-assessments inform your lessons and your assessment
choices? (What did you learn about your students? How did your
pre-assessment inform instruction?)
7.
How did the teaching of your unit change based on your formative
assessments? (E.g., how did you modify your teaching to meet the learning
needs of a particular group of students?)
8.
How was technology incorporated into your lessons?
9.
Was there adequate evidence of student learning? Explain. (Which students
made the most progress and why? Which students made the least progress and
why?)
10.
How did collaboration with colleagues and families support student learning
in the teaching of this unit?
11.
How will this teaching impact project influence your teaching in the future?
2.
The following additional assignments are required:
b.
A Classroom Management Strategies Form. (Standard F)
c.
Iowa Standards Mock Interview Form.
(Standards A-J)
d.
A Professional Collaboration form. (Standard I)
e.
Philosophy of Education paper (completed during the interim seminar or in
Education 300). (Standard H)
f.
Reflection Paper on Strengths, Areas for Improvement, and Professional
Dispositions
for Teaching
(see syllabus). (Standard I)
The professional portfolio is a collection of best
work emerging from a student’s course work and practicum experiences in the
Teacher Education Program. The portfolio is based on the Dordt College Teacher
Education Program Standards described above. The Standards define the knowledge,
skills, and dispositions that beginning teachers should possess. The portfolio
artifacts are intended to demonstrate competence in all ten program standards.
The professional portfolio is an ongoing project while
completing all teacher education courses. Certain key artifacts from core
education courses are required to be present in the portfolio at levels one and
two. Other artifacts are included by student choice. The professional portfolio
required for exiting the teacher education program should demonstrate a
student’s best work throughout the program. It is understood that the required
artifacts or artifacts first selected may not necessarily be the best artifacts
to demonstrate competence in any given standard; therefore, at level three in
the program students are especially encouraged to include artifacts from the
student teaching experience, the capstone course in the teacher education
program. See Chapter three in the Teacher Education Handbook,
…and some are teachers… for details concerning the
portfolio development process. The Handbook is available from the
Director of Teacher Education.
The
following items may have been completed during the student teaching experience
and are suggested for inclusion in the professional portfolio:
1.
Pictures of
bulletin boards or learning displays
2.
Learning centers
3.
Notes to parents
(or other communication samples)
4.
Teaching journal
reflections
5.
Video(s) of
lessons
6.
Examples of
learning contracts (or other motivation strategies)
7.
Documentation of
field trip(s)
8.
Anecdotal records
9.
Classroom
photographs
10.Technology
samples
11.Grading
records/spreadsheets
12.Photographs
of projects
13.Writing
samples
14.Personal
webpage
It is a goal of the Teacher Education Program to support the student teacher in every way possible during the internship. Therefore, the Director of Teacher Education and college supervisors arrange for class visitations, group meetings, and individual meetings. The student teacher should feel free to ask questions about expectations for student teaching. The successful student teacher is one who recognizes problems, discusses them with others, formulates a plan of action, and then carries it out. In order to meet the goal of assisting and supporting the student teacher we have the following expectations:
1.
Communication
with the college supervisor: because you may often return to campus after
office hours, you may feel free to call your college supervisor at home to
discuss concerns or to arrange for an appointment. It is a good idea to contact
your college supervisor at least once a week.
2.
Communication
with the cooperating teacher: your cooperating
teacher should set up a regular
conference schedule to review your teaching growth. A daily review is
most helpful. If the cooperating teacher does not schedule this, you should
suggest it.
3.
College
supervisor visits: You should expect and welcome several on-site visits by the
college supervisor. Supervisors are encouraged to make at least seven visits
during the full semester student teaching experience (one visit every two
weeks).
a. Visit
one typically takes place during the first two weeks of the student teaching
experiecne. This visit
is designed to check on adjustment to the student teaching environment and also
includes a classroom visit.
b. Visit
two takes place during the third or fourth week of the experience. This visit
typically includes a classroom visit and a discussion of the Midterm Evaluation
Form.
c. Visits
three through seven will be scheduled at appropriate times during the
remaining weeks of student teaching. The exact
arrangements for these visits should be set up with the college supervisor.
NOTE: The college supervisor usually attempts to arrange and schedule visits in consultation with the student teacher; however, unannounced visits are appropriate.
NOTE:
The college supervisor is expected to visit with both the cooperating teacher
and the student teacher after each site visit to listen to their assessment of
progress and to share observations and suggestions.
NOTE:
The college supervisor is expected to periodically visit with the building
principal and obtain his/her views about the student teaching assignment(s).
NOTE:
Education 37X: Student Teaching may be
accessed through the courses@dordt
Course Management System. Please check the site regularly for announcements, course
documents, and other information.
Final evaluation forms and letters of recommendation should be completed
at the close of each separate session of student teaching. The final evaluations
and letters of recommendation should be given to the Director of Teacher
Education by the college supervisor. After reviewing the documents, the
Director submits them to the Placement Office for filing. In rare instances a student teaching assignment may need to be terminated
before the experience is complete.
Please consult the Guide to Student Teaching
frequently. It has information and copies of forms to cover most situations.
There is also an appeals process for a student to follow if at any time she/he
feels she/he has been treated unfairly. If the Guide does not
cover the question or issue under consideration, please contact the Director of
Teacher Education.