The cooperating teacher is the public-school classroom teacher who supervises student teachers. The role of the cooperating teacher is to help the student teacher have a professionally rewarding experience while helping to prepare the student teacher for a career in teaching. Student teaching is regarded as one of the most important phases in any teacher education program. It is quite likely that the cooperating teacher will have more to do with the future performance of the student teacher than any other person. There is no doubt that this person will greatly influence the professional attitude of the student teacher as well as provide him/her with the opportunity to increase his/her professional knowledge and skill. It is with this challenge in mind that the following suggestions are made.
- Assist student teachers to obtain adequate housing (if necessary) at as modest a cost as possible.
- Be sure that the teaching student teacher is introduced to administrator(s) immediately and to other faculty members and employees.
- The cooperating teacher and the teaching student teacher should cooperatively determine the policy on such matters as: (a) daily working hours, (b) extended activities, (c) responsibilities, (d) level of professional dress, (e) mileage and other expenses, (f) personal conduct, and (g) absences.
- If the teacher student teacher is expected to participate as a teacher or at an event or school function the school should cover expenses.
- Acquaint the teaching student teacher with the school and agriculture department facilities and with the activities and procedures of the school and department. This undoubtedly will be a progressive undertaking, but student teachers should be familiar with such items if they are to benefit from their experiences in the student teaching center and if they are to be useful as an assistant to the cooperating teacher.
- Put the student teacher at ease and make him/her feel useful and important to your program. Students should address the student teacher as “Mr./Ms. ” rather than by his/her first name.
- Prepare your classes for the student teacher by explaining to your students the purpose of a Student Teacher.
- Plan ahead! Discuss tentative teaching assignments and responsibilities for the entire student teaching experience.
- Review the student teacher’s assignments to familiarize yourself with them so you are in a position to oversee their completion.
- Share teaching materials with the teaching intern, and assist the student teacher in preparing his/her own teaching materials.
- Contact the university supervisor if you have any concerns or comments.
- Allow adequate “at work” time to complete edTPA activities.
- In cooperation with the student teacher develop a Student Teaching Experiences Plan and develop a plan to complete the tasks (outcomes) during the student teaching experience. You have the freedom to determine a set of experiences and a schedule, which will include the activities the student teacher feels he/she needs, and the cooperating teacher wants them to experience.
- Make assignments for teaching or participation in FFA activities early enough so the student teacher can be prepared.
- Coordinate teaching assignments with your course outline; however, if possible, start the student teacher with a unit in a field in which he/she is well qualified.
- Plan ahead and set up a long–range schedule of teaching assignments and responsibilities for FFA and other activities, which will allow the student teacher to plan his/her work and schedule.
- Make it a point to have the student teacher visit students’ agricultural experience programs with you early in the student teaching experience.
- Be a salesperson for the teaching profession. Portray a positive image of the teaching profession and help the teaching student teacher to see the positive rewards of teaching.
- Establish an atmosphere where the student teacher is not afraid to try something new. Give the student teacher the opportunity to experiment with strategies you may not have tried. While you should encourage the student teacher to explain their plans to you before trying them, give them the freedom to succeed or to occasionally fail – both are great learning experiences. Be a support person for the student teacher while maintaining an objective outlook.
- Check instructional plans before each lesson is taught (at least during the first few lessons of each new class assigned). All lesson plans should be checked and approved by the cooperating teacher before the lesson is taught. (Remember, student learning is still the responsibility of the cooperating teacher.) Feel free to make copies as you need.
- Supervise and monitor student teacher’s progress in planning and supervising agricultural experience programs.
- Conduct evaluations of the student teacher’s classroom, laboratory, and field instruction and offer constructive criticism during a weekly feedback conference. NOTE: During the three weeks of instruction, set aside time at the end of each day for a daily feedback conference with the intern. As student teaching progresses, these may be moved to weekly conferences. At no time should student teachers go longer than one week without a formal evaluation and conference with the cooperating teacher.
- A student teacher should have his/her own class responsibilities. The cooperating teacher should not take control and direction of the class when a student teacher is teaching, except in an emergency.
- Observe the ability of the student teacher to work with other people in the school and community. The development of the ability to follow professional procedures and to communicate well with people is nearly as important for the intern, as is development of his/her teaching.
- Provide the student teacher with both verbal and written weekly evaluations of his/her work. For the written feedback, use the Student Teaching Weekly Evaluation Form. Grade the student teacher no less than weekly throughout the student teaching experience. The cooperating teacher should also provide a final evaluation during the last week of student teaching using the Student Teaching Summative Evaluation Form. The evaluation should be reviewed with the student teacher prior to submitting to the university supervisor at end of student teaching.