Teachers: The next generation

NEA Today, Nov 1996

How do you make the most of your student teacherand help your student teacher make the most of you?

Before the semester starts, I meet with my student teacher a few times and hand over copies of the class text and related materials. During the semester, we meet regularly to go over a week-by-week teaching plan together. I assign specific responsibilities when I see they can handle it.

I let my student teachers know I consider it crucial that they attend professional conferences and workshops where they can meet and exchange ideas with other professionals.

At the end of the semester, I provide access to my files. It's awfully hard for a new teacher to start from ground zero.

Peter Parlett Physics teacher Wilmington, Delaware

For the first two weeks of the semester, I have student teachers observe and investigate what other teachers and school employees do.

They talk with administrators about everything from hiring personnel to developing curriculum. They talk with elementary teachers to see what kids learn before they reach high school. They talk with school secretaries and custodians about their jobs. And they spend a lot of time in the teachers' lounge talking with faculty and support staff in our own school.

For the most part, education courses don't provide this kind of practicaland priceless--overview.

Kathy Steen English teacher Evanston, Wyoming I think the keys are preparation and organization.

Before school starts, I meet with my student teacher to discuss, among other things, the intern's anticipated teaching schedule and to present the school faculty handbook and the guidelines for special education.

On the student teacher's first day, I present a packet of information that includes dates of faculty and department meetings, the end of marking periods, and holidays and vacations.

I also prepare a list of duties for the student teacher and an expectation sheet that explains the points on which my evaluation will be based.

Elizabeth Everettt Special ed teacher Chesapeake, Virginia

The most important thing for a student intern is to get as much actual teaching experience as possible. So I start by having the intern observe my teaching. After a few days, we teamteach. Finally, the intern teaches alone.

We meet each day after school to discuss the intern's performance. It's wonderful to see student teachers apply the theory they've learned to actual classroom practice.

Lavonne Thomas Fourth grade teacher Memphis, Tennessee