You have been assigned a student teacher. Now what?
Here are 15 ways to facilitate a smooth student-teaching experience:
1. Make sure that your student teacher has a space to work in the classroom. A desk or small table will work well.
2. If possible, meet with the student teacher before his or her first official day to review expectations. This would be a good time to go over the dress code, school calendar, schedules, inclement weather procedures, etc. Exchange contact information. If you can't meet prior, go over these items on the first day.
3. Review the expectations and required tasks from your student teacher's college, and assist your student teacher in getting started with visitations and interviews.
4. Tour the school with your student teacher. Point out important places (nurse's office, media center, etc.) Consider providing a map of the school.
5. Introduce your student teacher to as many other staff members as possible during your tour of the school. Try to include the custodian, nurse, secretary, grade-level partners, special area teachers, and other staff members as well.
6. Have your students prepare a welcome banner.
7. Have your students introduce themselves. Consider having the students introduce themselves by playing 2 truths and a lie, allowing your student teacher to guess students' fibs about themselves.
8. Plan time for your student teacher to observe you before jumping in and teaching.
9. Gradually assign management tasks to your student teacher such as lunch count, homework check, grading…
10. Guide your student teacher through lesson planning and behavior management plans.
11. Observe your student teacher when he or she begins teaching, and provide frequent feedback.
12. Allow your student teacher to try his or her own lesson ideas.
13. Be positive and flexible. Sometimes the student teacher has assignments to complete that take a little juggling to fit in.
14. Communicate! Find time regularly to discuss curriculum, lessons, behavior management, and education in general.
15. Enjoy the experience of being a role model for the next generation of educators!
How have you welcomed a student teacher? How can veteran teachers help make the student teaching experience positive and productive?
Check out this inexpensive binder for your student teacher!
Click HERE to see this resource in my TpT store!
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