Working With Your Cooperating Teacher
August 13, 2009
A student teacher asked me when should he begin working with their CT? The student teacher was a bit nervous because he is being placed in the Fall for his field service, and he has yet to learn who his CT will be. I explained it's not time to worry. If he hasn't learned of his placement by early-mid August (school starts in September), then he should contact the responsible party for his placement.
If he does learn the details, he should contact his CT as soon as possible to set-up a meeting. During this informal meeting, discuss expectations, students, curriculum, etc. At least this will give an opportunity to begin devising lesson plans and freshening up on the curriculum topics.
It's likely that his CT will ease him into the classroom, allowing him to take a more active role over time and develop relationships with students. Maybe in a week or two the CT will then gradually hand over teaching. HOWEVER, this varies from CT to CT.
My CT was awesome. We worked together to set an appropriate pace for my involvement and taking control of the class. Also, I was able to have almost free reign over how I could deliver my lessons, creating an environment of experimentation of instructional best practices that I learned in my education training. On the other hand, some CT are not so easy to work with by limiting the amount of initial involvement student teachers have with their students and expecting their student teacher to follow their curriculum and instructional style. Regardless of who you get as a CT, just be sure to effectively communicate (the good and bad), keep a positive attitude, and take away as much from the experience as you, even if it's not ideal.
______________________________
Eric Hougan started his career in business and eventually did a career change into education, merging his two passions: business and teaching. It was during this transition, while a preservice and student teacher, that Eric realized the significant gap of resources and support for student teachers. Ever since, Eric has worked extremely hard collecting tips, strategies, and resources to address the sometimes mystifying process of becoming a teacher, addressing such topics as certification, and ways to develop a beneficial relationship with one's cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Eric hopes this on-line community will address the hiring process by offering interviewing techniques and posting potential teacher interview questions. Overall, the purpose of this website is to provide a supportive network with wonderful resources for individuals pursuing a career in education.
Hougan completed his Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Currently, he is a secondary-level teacher in Washington. Eric is involved in many school improvement initiatives and is a club adviser for Future Business Leaders of America. Seeking further professional development, Eric completed his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In the community, Eric is a Board Officer for the King County Bar Association's Future of the Law Institute. Eric is also an author, recently writing Road to Teaching: A Guide to Teacher Training, Student Teaching, and Finding a Job. For his school and community efforts, Eric was recently recognized as a 2008-9 Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Emerging Leader.
Read more from Eric at his blog on Road to Teaching.
If he does learn the details, he should contact his CT as soon as possible to set-up a meeting. During this informal meeting, discuss expectations, students, curriculum, etc. At least this will give an opportunity to begin devising lesson plans and freshening up on the curriculum topics.
It's likely that his CT will ease him into the classroom, allowing him to take a more active role over time and develop relationships with students. Maybe in a week or two the CT will then gradually hand over teaching. HOWEVER, this varies from CT to CT.
My CT was awesome. We worked together to set an appropriate pace for my involvement and taking control of the class. Also, I was able to have almost free reign over how I could deliver my lessons, creating an environment of experimentation of instructional best practices that I learned in my education training. On the other hand, some CT are not so easy to work with by limiting the amount of initial involvement student teachers have with their students and expecting their student teacher to follow their curriculum and instructional style. Regardless of who you get as a CT, just be sure to effectively communicate (the good and bad), keep a positive attitude, and take away as much from the experience as you, even if it's not ideal.
______________________________
Eric Hougan started his career in business and eventually did a career change into education, merging his two passions: business and teaching. It was during this transition, while a preservice and student teacher, that Eric realized the significant gap of resources and support for student teachers. Ever since, Eric has worked extremely hard collecting tips, strategies, and resources to address the sometimes mystifying process of becoming a teacher, addressing such topics as certification, and ways to develop a beneficial relationship with one's cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Eric hopes this on-line community will address the hiring process by offering interviewing techniques and posting potential teacher interview questions. Overall, the purpose of this website is to provide a supportive network with wonderful resources for individuals pursuing a career in education.
Hougan completed his Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL. Currently, he is a secondary-level teacher in Washington. Eric is involved in many school improvement initiatives and is a club adviser for Future Business Leaders of America. Seeking further professional development, Eric completed his National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In the community, Eric is a Board Officer for the King County Bar Association's Future of the Law Institute. Eric is also an author, recently writing Road to Teaching: A Guide to Teacher Training, Student Teaching, and Finding a Job. For his school and community efforts, Eric was recently recognized as a 2008-9 Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Emerging Leader.
Read more from Eric at his blog on Road to Teaching.
