Cooperating Teacher Orientation University of Texas at San Antonio College of Education & Human Development Cooperating Teacher Orientation

Welcome to the UTSA Student Teaching Program! Cooperating Teachers: Thank you for your willingness to work with a UTSA student teacher! We appreciate your help and support for our preservice teachers. We could not have a student teaching program if you were not willing to assume the responsibility of having a student teacher. Thank you very much! Please read this Cooperating Teacher Orientation PowerPoint for an overview of the student teaching semester. Further details may be obtained by reviewing your Student Teaching Handbook, which is found on the Student Teaching website.

First things first… Student teachers will begin in their placements early in the semester. Dual placement students will divide their time between two placements. University Supervisors will notify Cooperating Teachers of the exact dates of the student teacher’s placement.

Overview of the student teaching semester Phase One: Orientation and familiarization During Phase One… Student teachers become familiar with students’ names and personalities. Student teachers become familiar with Cooperating Teachers’ classroom procedures and routines. Student teachers lead small group activities and work with individual students. Student teachers are oriented to their assigned school by the Cooperating Teacher. Student teachers attend seminars at UTSA.

Phase Two: Planning for the actual teaching experience During Phase Two… Student teachers begin developing lesson plans and teaching large group lessons. Cooperating Teachers provide assistance with lesson planning and preparation of materials. Cooperating Teachers provide verbal and written feedback to student teachers following formal and informal observations. Cooperating Teachers conference at least weekly with student teachers to review lesson plans and teaching activities and to suggest changes to improve student teachers’ professional skills.

Phase Three: Sharing the role of the professional teacher During Phase Three… Student teachers participate in parent conferences, ARDs, grade level and team meetings. Student teachers evaluate students’ work. Student teachers implement classroom management plan. Student teachers demonstrate effective teaching skills and perform as professional teachers. Cooperating Teachers continue to support student teachers with suggestions for lesson planning and presentation of lessons.

Overview, Phase three continued 6. Cooperating Teachers continue to evaluate student teachers’ performance-formally and informally, verbally and in writing. 7. Cooperating Teachers continue to conference at least weekly with student teachers to review lesson plans and teaching activities and to suggest changes to improve student teachers’ professional skills. 8. When Full Teach is completed, Cooperating Teachers gradually re-assume teaching responsibility and help student teachers arrange observations with other teachers.

On-Campus Seminars During the student teaching semester, students return to the UTSA campus regularly to attend seminars with their university supervisor, to attend large group seminars and to attend university events such as the Career Fair. Student teachers are expected to leave lesson plans and materials for any lessons they would have taught during the time they are at UTSA for seminars.

Lesson Plans Student teachers are expected to have written lesson plans for every lesson they teach. They may follow UTSA’s lesson plan format or the format of the cooperating teacher, at the discretion of the university supervisor. Cooperating Teachers should review, sign and date lesson plans several days before they are to be taught so that corrections and changes may be made to the plans, if necessary.

Observation Forms and Procedures Evaluation of the student teacher is one of the cooperating teacher’s most important responsibilities. Evaluations should be formal, using the UTSA Observation Form, and informal, based on the student teacher’s everyday transactions with students in the classroom. Informal observations should … be frequent and on-going during the student teaching experience. provide opportunities to share suggestions for improvement of the student teacher’s skills. include written suggestions and ideas.

Observation procedures, continued Formal observations should… be scheduled with the student teacher. occur three times during the semester (two times in each placement for dual placement students). use the UTSA Observation Form and Observation Rubric be followed by a student teacher-cooperating teacher conference to review the student teacher’s strengths and weaknesses. be signed by both student teacher and cooperating teacher. The original should be delivered to the university supervisor by the student teacher.

UTSA Student Teacher Observation Rubric and Observation Form Observation forms are completed during scheduled observations with student teachers. Indicators are scored as follows: 6=Advanced Competence 4=Competent 2=Emerging Competence 0=Needs Improvement The UTSA Student Teaching Observation Rubric explains UTSA’s expectations for student teachers’ lesson planning, lesson presentation, classroom management and professional skills. The use of the Rubric will provide consistency among evaluators on the Student Teaching Observation Form. Please review the Rubric prior to completing an observation. Some student teachers will display poor performance and will score in the Needs Improvement range and some student teachers will be outstanding and will score in the Advance Competence range. Most student teachers will be in the Emerging Competence and Competent range.

Midway/Readiness to Teach Form Midway/Readiness to Teach forms are completed at the mid-point of the placement. Midway forms should reflect the student teacher’s progress to date as noted in formal and informal observations. The cooperating teacher and university supervisor will both complete a Midway form for the student teacher. A three-way conference may be requested at the mid-point of the semester to review the student teacher’s progress to date or to address issues or concerns.

Summative Forms A Summative Form is completed for each student teacher at the end of the placement. The cooperating teacher and the university supervisor each evaluate the student teacher’s overall performance during the semester. The Summative Form reflects the student teacher’s professional skills and attitudes as determined by informal and formal assessments during the student teaching semester. Summative Forms should be signed by the student teacher and cooperating teacher or university supervisor. An original of the Summative Form is retained by the Student Teaching Office.

On-Going Communication Form The On-Going Communication Form may be completed prior to each observation visit by the university supervisor. Using the On-Going Communication Form, the cooperating teacher may note issues, problems, or concerns that should be addressed with the student teacher by the university supervisor.

UTSA Fitness to Teach Policy Occasionally, cooperating teachers have serious concerns about a student teacher’s attitude, teaching skills or professionalism. Student teachers are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the UTSA College of Education and Human Development Fitness to Teach Policy which is found in the UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures: http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter5/5-17.cfm?sText=1 . Students who violate the Policy are subject to disciplinary penalties including the possibility of removal from the student teaching placement. Handbook of Operating Procedures

Compensation Day for Cooperating Teachers Cooperating teachers play a vital role in preparing student teachers to begin their careers in public schools. A compensation day is offered as an acknowledgement of the service the cooperating teacher provides. If school and district administrators agree, the compensation day may be taken during the last two weeks of the student teaching placement. The student teacher will be the substitute and will receive no pay for this substitute day. Please note that student teachers should not be used as substitute teachers at other times during the student teaching semester.

Communication Student teachers, cooperating teachers and university supervisors are encouraged to share phone numbers and e-mail addresses with each other. In the event of a problem or matter of concern, the university supervisor should be contacted immediately. Oftentimes issues can be resolved by a single phone call or e-mail.

Thank you! A final thank you for your willingness to serve as a cooperating teacher! Please review your Student Teaching Handbook and visit the UTSA Student Teaching website for further information: http://coehd.utsa.edu/Students/StudentTeaching/index.htm Do not hesitate to contact the Director of Student Teaching, Janet Scott, at 210-458-5420 or janet.scott@utsa.edu for assistance.