As a cooperating teacher, you are one of the student teacher’s most important resources during their clinical experience. You have been selected because of your recognized teaching skills and qualifications. As such, you will function as a mentor to your student teacher and will provide regular positive feedback, constructive review and meaningful suggestions to improve his/her teaching. Your active involvement is critical to their successful student teaching experience. Previous reports have indicated the following checklist is helpful. In addition, we invite your suggestions and comments for future revisions of this document.
- Please read the Teacher Certification Handbook to familiarize yourself with our program.
- Review the student teacher’s resume and professional statement.
- Introduce the student teacher to administrators, faculty members and other school personnel.
- Help the student teacher become acquainted with the facilities, such as the nurse’s office, pupil records, instructional supplies and audio-visual materials (include a tour of the building).
- Discuss teaching philosophy, school philosophy, school policies, rules and regulations.
- Share resource and reference materials that have been effective.
- Assist in both long-term and short-term planning of lessons and units.
- After observing a lesson, offer feedback that is both positive and constructive. Student teachers appreciate immediate feedback.
- Work with the student teacher in developing classroom management skills.
- Provide opportunities for student teachers to communicate and interact with students’ parents/families.
- Confer regularly and frequently with the student teacher.
- Maintain ongoing communication with the clinical faculty. Please contact the University clinical faculty if you feel there is a problem that needs attention. It is important to identify a potential problem early so the student teacher has an opportunity to correct the situation.
- Download and complete midterm and final evaluations. After a meeting with the student teacher and clinical faculty, evaluation forms must be returned to the clinical faculty.
