College of Education Office of Field Experiences A GUIDE FOR THE STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCE Week(s) Activity Week 1 Begin by observing the cooperating teacher teaching and become familiar with school operations. Get to know the students; do one-to-one tutoring; assist with clerical tasks, use technology, work on lesson plans. By the end of the week plan with the cooperating teacher for co-teaching and scheduling yourself to observe specials and other teachers in the same grade, older and younger, throughout the semester. Weeks 2, 3 Begin co-teaching a class. Continue observing and assisting the cooperating teacher, e.g., attendance, grading papers, recording grades in a grade book. Begin developing lesson plans for a two week unit, etc. Week 4 Increase teaching load. Week 5 Co-teach many of the classes. Cooperating teacher co-plans and assists during lessons. Week 6 Cooperating Teacher turns over more responsibility; gives feedback when co-teaching and works with struggling students. Student teacher knows where the cooperating teacher is at all times (in case of classroom emergency). Week 7 Student teacher is or is close to teaching all day, every day. The cooperating teacher chimes in if needed and the student teacher has helped to plan for their roles and the roles of aides for each lesson. Week 8 Student teacher is teaching all day. The student teacher performs all teacher responsibilities such as lesson planning and recording grades after discussions with the cooperating teacher. Weeks 9-14 The student teacher is teaching all day (much of it co-teaching) and has assumed all responsibilities, e.g., attending faculty meetings, hall supervision, attending parent-teacher conferences. The cooperating teacher and student teacher meet regularly to discuss the day's accomplishments, tomorrow's lesson plans, best methods of presentation, areas for improvement, etc. Week 15 Student teacher gradually turns all classes and responsibilities back to the cooperating teacher. Week 16 Student teacher writes a thank-you note to the cooperating teacher and principal. NOTE: This is a guide only. The philosophy of the cooperating school, the style of the cooperating teacher, the maturity of the student teacher, etc., will determine the actual student teaching program for each WPU student. Please see handbook for responsibilities not necessarily mentioned in this guide that are considered essential during the student teaching experience.
