7705

7705 Student Teachers

Teaching and Learning/Miscellaneous

The South Kingstown School Committee encourages the placement of student teachers in the schools. Student teachers will be accepted at the discretion of the superintendent and the placement of student teachers requires the approval of the Director of Instruction, building principal or administrator and the prospective cooperating teacher. All cooperating teachers shall possess the necessary certification.

The purpose of student teaching is to induct prospective teachers into the profession through a planned program for the gradual adjustment to the full teaching role. In order to do this, the following guidelines are suggested:

During the first week or two, student teachers should spend most of the time in observation, getting acquainted with students and classroom routines. Certain activities such as taking role, correcting tests and helping individual students will make this period more meaningful. The development of a lesson and the teaching of a class or a portion of a class at this time would also seem to be appropriate.

In about two weeks, the student teacher should be ready to assume responsibility for teaching one class, of course, with planning help, observation and constructive suggestions from the cooperating teacher. It is recognized that the ultimate responsibility for the progress and general welfare of the students lies with the cooperating teacher. Explicitly, this responsibility requires the periodic presence of the cooperating teacher in that class. The amount of time each cooperating teacher will spend in that class will depend on many factors - ability of student teacher, subject matter content, pupil composition of the class, etc. The final judgment as to the necessary amount of time a cooperating teacher spends in the class shall be made by the building principal. This guidance from the cooperating teacher may or may not be rather intensive during the first few days or weeks with this class depending upon the resourcefulness and competence of the student and the difficulty of the assignment. Hopefully, the student teacher will be able to continue with this class on a team teaching basis with the cooperating teacher, until the end of the semester. While teaching this class, the student teacher should also be extending his or her knowledge of the total teaching role through observation of the cooperating teacher's classes and other classes in his or her own and other subject matter fields. The development and correction of tests, assisting with individualized instruction and other related kinds of activities in addition to occasional well-planned teaching experiences in the cooperating teacher's classes are all appropriate at this time.

As soon as the student teacher has demonstrated adequate competency in handling one class, increasing teaching responsibilities in the classes of the cooperating teacher should be given. Ideally, this would involve a team_teaching approach with carefully developed planning by the two people involved so that the strengths of the student teacher and the cooperating teacher would be coordinated to give the student a better learning environment. As the student teacher continues to develop and strengthen an individual teaching style, a larger share of the responsibility for the cooperating teacher's classes can be assumed by the student teacher.

Near the end of the semester, the student teacher should be expected to teach essentially a full load for approximately two weeks with full responsibility and with continuous guidance and supervision from the cooperating teacher. He or she should also be expected to fulfill other duties that are normally expected of full time teachers. This should give the student teacher a brief experience that encompasses all of the normal expectancies that are involved in full time teaching.

At the secondary level, the principal and the department heads shall be responsible for the coordination of student teachers such that a student does not maintain a schedule in which all classes are taught by an unreasonable number of student teachers.

During the first few weeks, student teachers should spend most of their time in observing their cooperating teacher, getting acquainted with children, tutoring, correcting papers, reading to small groups and under teacher direction begin to teach specific mini-lessons in a variety of subject areas. A wide variety of "aide" type of activities may be engaged in at this time.

As soon as the student teacher has demonstrated adequate competency in working with individual and small groups of children, a more cooperative team teaching situation should begin to develop in the classroom. The time period for the beginning of this phase depends entirely on the cooperating teacher's judgment. During the phase, a great deal of joint planning and constructive feedback should be engaged in by both parties. Gradually, the student teacher should be given more responsibility to plan for specific areas - such as art, music, physical education and gradually moving to the more cognitive areas of mathematics and language arts. During this period, the cooperating teacher continues to assign specific groups, lessons and topics for which the student teacher is responsible.

Toward mid-semester, it is advisable that the student teacher be left alone with the children for brief periods of time. An occasional full morning or afternoon or even a complete day alone for a student teacher may be appropriate at this time.

Near the end of the semester, the student teacher should be expected to handle increased teaching responsibilities. The amount of responsibility, however, must always be left to the discretion of the cooperating teacher as regards the student teacher's ability to adequately perform in a more independent manner.

During the last week of student teaching, the cooperating teacher should begin assuming more responsibility for planning and teaching. This is to insure a smooth transition when the student teacher leaves.

During the period of time when the cooperating teacher is not present in the classroom as a participant in teaching process or as an observer, he or she will be responsible for the following types of tasks: work on enrichment units, revamping of curriculum, reading source material, tutoring individual or small groups of students, counseling students, working on interdisciplinary coordination.

For the optimal professional development of the student teacher and the direct benefit of our students, frequent observations, visitations and consultation should be conducted by the student teacher’s university or college supervisor.

Policy Adopted 3/22/77