As the year closes on yet another batch of student teachers, I am reflecting on the bitter and sweet parts that my students must endure as student teachers. There will always be some bitter and sweet sections of one's teaching internship and apprenticeship, but it should rarely orignate from the lack of support from cooperating teachers.
I feel fortunate to have been a university supervisor for two years, so I constantly try to stay aware of the need to consistently communicate with my cooperating teachers. In doing so, I keep them informed of all that they need to do in giving the student teachers the support that he needs.
Alas, it does not always work out so well for the entire process. Often, this comes from a lack of experience. Being a cooperating or coach teacher requires more organization (on top of the heap that the teachers already have to do in the classroom) and a constant awareness of "best practices" in concert with their own teaching styles. Sometimes, it can leave the cooperating teacher feeling a bit "undertrained" compared to the more knowledge and skills that the student teacher brings. I tell the coop teachers, though, no one needs to be threatening. This is a partnership learning experience...a true sociocultural, constructivist arrange in which both the student teacher and the coop teacher co-construct what "effective teaching" looks like.
So....ends another year. I will continue to pray to do my best to help every (both student teachers and coop teachers) focus on creating sweetness rather than any bitterness:)
2 comments:
Having a supportive cooperating teacher during student teaching is crucial. I had a wonderful student teaching experience. I was assigned 2 grade levels (Kindergarten and 2nd). Both cooperating teachers were very supportive, encouraging and sensitive but honest about areas I needed to work on. They gave me complete responsibility when I was ready but were never too far away if a problem arose.
Shortly after my experience I believed that was how every student teacher’s experience was but the more I spoke with others about their student teaching the more I realized how fortunate I was to have had the cooperating teachers I did. I learned so much from them and the experience. I couldn’t imagine having it any other way.
Now that I was taught a few years in my own classroom and had preservice teacher observing and working with me through their course work it’s scary to think of having a student teacher. It’s something that is very interesting to me but I think I need to work many more years and really develop my teaching before I can successfully help someone else begin to develop their own.
Tiffany,
Thank you for your comment. The valuable part of the student teacher apprenticeships that most of my student teachers share with me is the opportunity to see the "tyical teacher in action." Certainly, the internship often fails when one side of the equation doesn't live up to the other: when the teacher is not organized or when the student teacher is not professional.
On the other hand, just seeing a teacher in action is a valuable vicarious experience.
:)Reggie:)
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