Student Teachers Matter: The Impact of Student Teachers on Elementary-Aged Children in a Professional Development School

Teacher Education Quarterly, Spring 2004 by Fisher, Douglas, Frey, Nancy, Farnan, Nancy

Our observations of and class meetings with the 20 student teachers confirmed that they relied heavily on their assessment data to make decisions about instruction. However, we observed student teachers on multiple occasions discussing the assessment data with their cooperating teachers. This was not reflected in the interviews. The teachers seemed to believe that the student teachers were completing their assignments and that these assignments contributed to student achievement. In sum, the cooperating teachers viewed the assignments from the university methods courses as relevant to their classrooms and designed in such a way that the student teachers focused on achievement. They suggested that this combination contributed to the increases in literacy achievement.

Cooperating Teachers' Roles and Responsibilities

A final theme to emerge from the interviews and confirmed by observation was the role of the cooperating teacher. During our initial meetings with the cooperating teachers, we stressed a "new model" of cooperating teacher in which the student teachers partnered with the current classroom teacher to provide instruction within the classroom. We discussed the drawbacks of the "replacement" model of student teaching in which the novice becomes fully responsible for the instruction of students. We also discussed the difference between first and second semester student teaching. Each of these students would complete a second semester of student teaching without a partner. During this second semester, they would spend considerably more time providing whole class instruction.

Approximately one-third of the teachers interviewed reported that this partnership was partly responsible for the improvement in student achievement. While they commented on the fact that there were more knowledgeable adults in the classroom, they also provided insights into the role of the cooperating teacher. As one of the first grade teachers said:

I've had 6 previous student teachers. I used to think that they would want some time alone to try things out, to test out the students without me hanging around, you know. I mean, my master teachers left me alone most of the time. Anyway, by staying in the room all the time I was able to provide a lot more feedback to my student teachers and really watch them develop their skills. Sometimes I would just sit in a guided reading or small math group and listen. After the group was done, we could take a few minutes to talk and reflect and my students got better instruction because of it.

Our observations confirmed the fact that cooperating teachers spent a great deal of time in the classrooms with their student teachers. While we observed, we noted a significant amount of partnership. The cooperating teachers and student teachers talked often and openly while we observed. The conversations mostly focused on lessons or activities and occasionally wandered into lunch and after school plans.

Discussion

It is true that the student teaching experience is not designed to bring free help into classrooms; nor is it the answer to increasing achievement in all schools. Student teaching should focus on the development of quality teachers who can create a classroom of their own. However, this study adds to the growing body of professional literature about the impact that PDSs can have (e.g., Cobb, 2000; Knight, Wiseman, & Cooner, 2000). It also mirrors the emphasis of the newly published Standards for Professional Development Schools, charging universityschool partnerships with the task of increasing the learning of all the constituents of the community, including K-12 students (NCATE, 2001). Importantly, public school students in this study were not sacrificed while future teachers learned their craft. In fact, they benefited from the experience.