RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT TEACHER

Prior to Student Teaching

1. Learn of your student teaching placement and meet with your university supervisor.
2. Arrange for housing and transportation. It is strongly recommended that you reside in the community in which you are assigned to student teach.
3. Call your cooperating teacher(s) to arrange a meeting so that you can plan what units and lessons you will teach during your student teaching experience.
4. Ask for copies of any textbooks, teacher’s manuals, and other materials that will assist you in preparing for your classes.
5. Cut down on your commitments. You will need to concentrate your efforts and time on teaching.

During Student Teaching

Your university supervisor will visit you in the field several times during student teaching. The supervisor evaluates and provides feedback and encourages and supports your learning. Each time your supervisor visits you should have the following materials available for him or her to examine:

• Your journal: maintain a reflective journal in which you record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. You are required to write in the journal at least twice per week. This journal must be available to your university supervisor each time he/she visits and is a part of his/her assessment of your student teaching. You may also keep your journal electronically. See appendix.
• Your current and past unit and lesson plans must be available to your university supervisor each time he/she visits and are a part of his/her assessment of your student teaching. Lesson plans must include student and self assessment for one lesson per day.
• All resources-texts, handouts, quizzes, to be used during the lesson being observed.
  

Following is a week-by-week timeline of the tasks and priorities for student teaching. You are expected to follow this timeline as closely as your placement will permit.

Week One of student teaching:
Become familiar with general expectations of the University of Minnesota-Morris during this field experience:

1. Abide by the philosophy, regulations, policies and standards of behavior and dress of the school. Ask your cooperating teacher for a copy of those policies and discuss them with him/her.
2. Follow the same regulations regarding calendar and daily time schedule as the teachers in the school to which you are assigned. You are expected to arrive at school at the time set for teachers in your school.
3. Conduct yourself as a regular member of the teaching faculty in line with relevant laws and the Code of Ethics for Minnesota Teachers.
4. Call your school office and cooperating teacher immediately if you cannot attend school because of illness or other extenuating circumstances. Inform your university supervisor later that day via e-mail of your absence from classes. Extended teaching time may be required in the event of numerous absences.
5. Accept extra curricular assignments that appeal to your interests and enhance your marketability if they do not detract from your performance in the classroom, which is your first responsibility. At the discretion of the school, a student teacher may be paid for supervising extra curricular activities. However, the local teacher collective bargaining contract may forbid this or specify conditions under which it is permissible.
6. Submit the Student Teaching Placement and Schedule form to the UMM Education Office as soon as placement information is finalized.
7. Inform your university supervisor of your local address and phone number.
   

Become familiar with the classroom and students:

1. Observe your cooperating teacher’s classroom, the teaching area, and related areas at several grade levels.
2. Become familiar with resource materials in the classroom.
3. Become familiar with the course syllabus/course content, course texts and materials, and course expectations.
4. Become familiar with resource materials you could use outside the classroom, in the media center, and in the community.
5. Analyze the physical arrangement of the building and classroom, and available resources. Notice the arrangement of tables/desks, the placement of teacher’s desk in relation to student desks, the use of posters/pictures/student work on walls, and the use of plants or music.
6. Become familiar with classroom routines and policies, i.e., what is the homework policy? What is the policy for late work? What is the attendance and tardiness policy? How are students assessed and graded?
7. Learn how to use electronic attendance and/or grading systems.
8. Learn the students’ names as soon as possible and use them at every opportunity. Get to know students as individuals by observing them both within and outside the classroom.
9. Develop an understanding of the social and cognitive needs of students as individuals and as members of groups.
10. Observe the teaching style and classroom management techniques of your cooperating teacher and other teachers. Observe their instructional strategies and the circumstances under which they use direct or indirect instruction. Note their use of group work to accomplish lesson objectives.

Become familiar with the school and school authority:

1. Learn what is expected of classroom teachers by conversing with your cooperating teacher(s), the principal, special education teachers, secretaries and others in the school.
2. Ask your cooperating teacher to introduce you to key personnel in your school—the principal, vice-principals, the nurse, counselors, the media specialist, special education staff, etc.
3. Become informed about school and district policies regarding attendance, passes, makeup assignments, discipline, textbook adoption and conditions of teacher employment.
4. Become acquainted with school facilities, services and equipment.
5. Become familiar with areas of access to computers and the Internet.
6. Learn the school’s procedure for duplicating materials for use in the classroom.
7. Learn how to use the photocopier if teachers are allowed to access it.
8. Note the location of the counselors’ offices and under what circumstances you can access student records.
9. Become aware of all sources of information in the school concerning students, the information each provides, and the appropriate use of this information. Discuss the Data Privacy Act with your cooperating teacher.
10. Learn about the school and additional responsibilities of teachers by attending teachers’ meetings and parent/teacher association meetings.
11. Find out about innovative programs and practices in the school system.
    

Become familiar with the role of the teacher:

1. Plan lessons and units suitable to the needs and interests of your students. Consider both short-term and long-term objectives.
2. Conduct long and short-term lesson planning with your cooperating teacher. The University of Minnesota-Morris Education Department expects a lesson plan filled out according to one of the templates in the appendix (or approved by your university supervisor) for each lesson you teach. These lesson plans must be available to your university supervisor each time he/she visits and are a part of his/her assessment of your student teaching.
3. Discuss beforehand with your cooperating teacher all lessons you teach.
4. Plan a unit and lessons for one class for week two of student teaching.
5. Know and apply the Standards of Effective Practice to your lesson planning. Use a variety of instructional strategies. Include motivation, active participation, and assessment in every lesson.
6. Whenever possible, participate in team planning and team teaching.
7. Accept expanding teaching responsibilities that culminate with your participation in the full range of teacher and teaching activities.
8. Engage in reflective practice. Analyze lessons and assess your teaching. Make connections among previous, current, and future lessons.
9. Ask for specific, concrete feedback from your cooperating teacher and university supervisor.
10. Confer regularly with your cooperating teacher regarding individual lesson plans, unit plans, observations, progress, and special problems.
11. Ask questions!
    

Week Two:

1. Take over unit and lesson preparation for and teaching of one class. If the class has two sections, teach both to learn why class sections may require different teaching approaches and assignments.
2. Discuss all lessons with your cooperating teacher in advance.
3. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
4. Videotape a lesson after a few days of teaching and self-assess it in writing(see appendix). Repeat the process toward the end of your student teaching and compare your skills and abilities with the earlier tape.
5. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Three:

1. Teach an additional class section to the sections you began teaching last week. Notice how your confidence level increases.
2. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
3. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
4. Plan your unit and lesson plans for the additional class you will begin teaching next week. One unit will need to include an assessment of student learning.
   

Week Four:

1. Take over unit and lesson preparation for a third class and its sections.
2. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess in your lesson plan at least once a day.
3. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
4. Plan your unit and lesson plans to begin teaching all classes next week. Include an assessment of student learning for one your units. One of your units will need to be in final form to be evaluated by your university supervisor and by your ElEd/SeEd 4901 instructor.
5. Prepare for the Analysis of Student Learning that you will implement next week.
   

Week Five:

1. Teach all sections of your cooperating teacher’s classes to assume a full load of teaching.
2. Collect data for the Analysis of Student Learning Assignment (see appendix for details).
3. Teach a lesson that integrates technology and complete the technology lesson rubric with the cooperating teacher (see appendix for details).
4. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
5. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Six:

1. Analyze the data and complete the Analysis of Student Learning assignment (see appendix). Turn in to university supervisor by the end of the week.
2. Reduce teaching load to 2 classes or sections (or less) to allow time for reflection and analysis.
3. Discuss mid-term progress with the cooperating teacher.
4. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
5. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Seven:

1. Teach all sections of your cooperating teacher’s classes.
2. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
3. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Eight:

1. Teach all sections of your cooperating teacher’s classes.
2. Videotape yourself teaching a lesson and analyze your performance in writing (see appendix for details). Compare your teaching with that of Week Two.
3. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
4. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during each week.
   

Week Nine:

1. Teach all sections of your cooperating teacher’s classes.
2. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
3. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Ten:

1. Teach several sections of your cooperating teacher’s classes. Plan for phasing out of student teaching.
2. Prepare a lesson plan for each lesson you teach. All current and past plans must be available to the university supervisor at each visit. Self-assess on your lesson plan at least once a day.
3. Record your perceptions, observations, insights, anecdotes, self-assessment of lessons, etc. in your journal at least twice during this week.
   

Week Eleven:

1. Design and distribute a student evaluation form asking your students for feedback on your teaching.
2. Ease out of teaching classes and begin observing other teachers in your discipline.
   

Summary of Ongoing Assignments

You are expected to engage in ongoing professional behaviors throughout your student teaching experience that include the following:

• Prepare written plans for every lesson, using one of the templates in the appendix or one approved by your cooperating teacher and university supervisor. The methodology section of the lesson plan must be detailed, including directions for students and questions to ask students to achieve higher- level thinking. These lesson and unit plans are to be available for your university supervisor each time he/she visits and are a course requirement for successful completion of student teaching.
• Self-assess in writing at least one lesson each day. The assessment can be done on the lesson sheet and/or in your reflective journal.
• Prepare, teach, and evaluate detailed unit plans for each of your classes. One of your units must be in final form to be evaluated by your university supervisor and your ElEd/SeEd 4901 instructor. Use the format you learned and used for the unit you created in your SeEd 4102 class.
• Complete the Analysis of Student Learning assignment (see appendix)
• Maintain a reflective journal of your teaching. Write in the journal at least twice each week. This journal is to be available for your university supervisor each time he/she visits and is a course requirement for successful completion of student teaching (see appendix).
• Assume sole responsibility for the full range of teaching and learning activities in the classroom for a period of at least four weeks.
• Integrate activities into your teaching that demonstrate your understanding of diversity and your ability to fulfill the diversity requirement. The diversity assignment is due during the professional development course.
• Integrate activities into your teaching that demonstrate your technology competence.
  

After Student Teaching

1. Remind your cooperating teacher(s) to complete and submit both the dispositions document and Summative Evaluation of Student Teaching and Teacher Recommendation form (see appendix).
2. You will be given guidelines on preparing a senior presentation during the SeEd 4901 The Teacher and Professional Development course. Start reflecting on the aspects of your experience you will want to discuss during this presentation. Review what you have learned from your coursework, portfolio, lesson and unit plans, journals, practicum and student teaching experiences. Reflect on the generalizations you can make about the learning that can be applied to the teaching standards that form a framework for the curriculum at UMM. Consider what beliefs you have acquired and how you have developed into the kind of teacher you wished to become. Organize your presentation for a 20-minute period.
3. Select a book about teaching and learning to discuss and review orally during the professional development class. You may choose from the list on the SeEd 4901 The Teacher and Professional Development web page or you may submit your own idea to your 4901 instructor for approval. Watch your e-mail for the professional development course syllabus and book suggestions.
4. Prepare for SeEd 4901 The Teacher and Professional Development by collecting student work, lesson plans, assessments and other material applicable to each of the ten Standards of Effective Practice for your portfolio, which will be assessed during the professional development course following student teaching. You will be expected to use your technology lesson assessment, your unit plan, and your Analysis of Student Learning assignment as evidence in your portfolio.