Student Teaching in the Brandywine School District

General Responsibilities
When you have been assigned to a school you are expected to observe the regulations required of full-time employees of the school. You will be responsible for:

• Arranging a conference with your cooperating teacher prior to your student teaching semester.
• Reporting to the school on the date stipulated by your student teaching assignment.
• Following the calendar of the school system.
• Abiding by the regulations and rules of the school system.
• Practicing sound professional ethics and holding all information in confidence concerning children or others as directed.
• Becoming acquainted with school personnel and their functions.
• Assisting in housekeeping duties and routine procedures.
• Taking the initiative in seeking help from the cooperating teacher.
• Acquiring pertinent information about pupils for whom you are responsible and becoming acquainted with them.
• Gaining information about long-range and unit plans in current use, and developing daily and unit plans for teaching with the help and guidance of the cooperating teacher.
• Continuing the development of a professional attitude.
• Keeping the college supervisor or center coordinator informed of progress made and problems encountered.
• Learning and carrying out school policies and procedures.

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Supervision of Duties
Student teachers are expected to supervise all duties that are assigned to the cooperating teacher (e.g., recess, cafeteria, hallway, bus, assembly, etc.).

Due to the volatile nature of students during these "unstructured" times, it is necessary that cooperating teachers share these responsibilities with their student teachers. In other words, student teachers should not assume these duties alone even during their "solo" experiences.

Seminars/Meetings
The student teacher is expected to attend the regularly scheduled seminars and/or meetings with the University instructor and is responsible for all course requirements of the seminar.

Delaware Law requires that teachers report immediately to his/her principal any act of violence, weapons or unlawful drug offenses which s/he observes on school property. Included in this law are incidents of assault, offensive touching, terroristic threatening, possession/use of drugs extortion, possession of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against staff members and another student. House Bill 85 states that any administrator or teacher who fails to report such incidents shall be fined.

Once an incident is reported to the principal, the student is to be suspended immediately by the school district until a parent conference is held. In the instance where a pupil is found to have on his/her person, or concealed among his/her possessions, or placed elsewhere on school premises, any controlled substance on any of the pupils involved and that probable cause exists to believe a criminal charge is appropriate, the principal is also required to report the incident to the appropriate local police agency and to the superintendent. The superintendent then files a written report of the incident with the State Department of Education and the Youth Division of the Delaware State Police.

A student teacher is expected to:

• be present at the school during the hours of the teaching staff.
• be punctual
• notify your University supervisor and your cooperating teacher before the beginning of the school day in case of illness or emergency. (An exchange of telephone numbers with the cooperating teacher at the initial interview or on the first day of student teaching is advisable.)
• attend and participate in those extracurricular activities for which you are fitted.
  schedule employment interviews outside of student teaching hours. If this is not possible, the University supervisor and cooperating teacher should be contacted for any special arrangements.
• attend special meetings on Career Planning, Certification and other topics of professional development as scheduled.

1. Student teachers may not date students enrolled in the school to which they are assigned.
2. Student teachers may not socialize with school students except in an official capacity at officially sponsored school events.
3. Student teachers may not drink alcoholic beverages or use illegal drugs on school property, nor with or in the presence of any school student(s).
4. Student teachers may not use obscene, profane, or abusive language on school premises.
5. student teachers may not engage in other acts of behavior which are professionally inappropriate for teachers or which are unlawful for any citizen.

Failure to abide by these regulations may result in judicial action by your University, legal action and/or failure of the course.

1. Avoid agreeing to take responsibility for students' personal items, such as rings, watches, walkman sets, etc.
2. When passing out equipment and materials such as calculators, computer software, etc., be sure to count what is distributed and collect and account for all equipment/materials prior to dismissing the class.
3. When using or moving equipment such as computers, monitors, a-v equipment, etc., take special care against dropping, breaking or damaging the equipment in any way.
   

Should items disappear or suffer damage in any way while in your care or possession, you can be held responsible for the repair or replacement of the item(s).

If at any time the cooperating teacher or principal determines that your presence in the classroom has become detrimental to the educational program of the students in the class, you may be asked to leave the school and your placement may be terminated.

Should you be asked to leave the school based upon your behavior or your failure to perform at a satisfactory level, your University is not obligated to reassign you to another school.

The law in Delaware states that a local school board has an obligation to provide a "...sufficient number of competent instructors or other persons properly trained to supervise school premises during school hours..." (106 A.L.R. 145, 148). The Attorney General's Opinion rendered in October 1972 states, "While it is probably doubtful that a student teacher would be a "competent instructor" in the same sense as a certified teacher, it is clear that a student teacher would be capable of properly supervising the school premises. It should be noted, however, that we are speaking only of the situation where a student teacher is left for a long period of time by the regular teacher assigned to that class. It would not be proper for the local district to place a student teacher in charge of a classroom indefinitely for a long period of time, such as a week or more. This would be in conflict with the obligation of the Board to provide properly for the education of the children."

The College of Education believes that this is a fair statement on the problem of allowing a cooperating teacher to leave the room and on the use of a student teacher as a substitute. Occasionally it is permissible, in the absence of the cooperating teacher for a short period of time (part or all of one or two school days), for the student teacher to assume responsibility for classes where s/he is student teaching, on the condition that the school principal, the university supervisor, the cooperating teacher, and the student teacher discuss and agree to the arrangement. AT NO TIME MUST THE STUDENT TEACHER BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE IN A CLASS OTHER THAN THAT TO WHICH S/HE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED.

Student teachers are teachers in training and must not be used as substitute teachers on a regular basis. In addition, they are receiving University credit for their work and are not to receive pay as substitute teachers.

Observation time is that time when the student teacher is watching someone else do something. Teaching hours are to be recorded whenever the student teacher is working with or responsible for children. This includes hall duty, cafeteria duty, playground duty, etc. Most student teachers end the experience with far more actual teaching hours than observation hours.

Student teachers are responsible for recording their time. Suggested forms for recording your time can be found on the pages following. The forms should be put in a place where you will see them on a daily basis and remember to record your hours each day. There may be times when you will forget to record your hours, however, it is extremely important that you not let several days or a week go by when you do not record your hours because it becomes very difficult to reconstruct the time accurately.

As part of their undergraduate class work, students in teacher training courses are often required to make classroom observations. Students who desire classroom observation time in the Brandywine School District should follow these procedures:

1. Contact Mary Ann Venturena, Student Teacher Coordinator at the District Office (302-792-3832) at least 2 weeks prior to the requested observation time.
2. Send or fax a copy of your course syllabus stating the purpose of your observation.
3. Do not contact or approach teachers or building principals to set up observations; they will direct you to steps 1 and 2 above.
   

A cooperating teacher should:

1. Be recommended and approved by his/her administration, as well as by the University of Delaware clinical staff, and selected on a volunteer basis only after the professional responsibilities associated with his position are discussed and agreed upon by the prospective cooperating teacher.
2. Be fully certified in the area and level in which he/she will supervise.
3. Have completed a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience with a minimum of one year of successful teaching experience in the area/level at which he/she will supervise.
4. Be a good role model who consistently demonstrates high quality teaching performance.
5. Possess knowledge of the basic principles of supervising student teachers or be willing to accept such an academic learning experience to prepare himself/herself for this.
6. Be willing to devote the time required to adequately supervise, counsel and evaluate the student teaching experience. This may include attending meetings before, during, or after school.
7. Demonstrate evidence of continuous professional growth.
8. Demonstrate personal and professional attitudes desirable for one in a leadership role in teacher education.
9. Exhibit professional and ethical behavior.
10. Be an effective team member.
    

1. Provide an opportunity for the student teacher to assume total teaching and planning responsibility of the full class or classes for a period of approximately two weeks.
2. Allow the student teacher the necessary latitude to employ his/her own ideas, strategies, and/or materials to achieve the curriculum objectives of the school and/or district.
3. Provide opportunities for and/or require elementary student teachers to teach in all of the curriculum areas required of the school district or included in the required program (math, science, social studies, reading, language arts, etc.) All elementary student teachers are required to plan and implement one or more instructional units in each placement with at least one unit having an integrated theme. Student teachers in special education must implement a behavior change project in their classroom.
4. Conduct an appropriate number of observations of the student teacher for the purpose of providing information and evaluation of the student's progress toward the development of teaching competencies.
5. Provide an opportunity for the student teacher to demonstrate the ability to assess the pupils' level of functioning, and plan and implement learning experiences based on this assessment.
6. Provide an opportunity for the student teacher to demonstrate the ability to plan and carry out an experience for positive parent-teacher relationships.
7. Provide an opportunity for the student teacher to participate in professional activities, e.g., attending faculty, PTA meetings, meetings of professional organizations, in-service meetings, etc.
8. Encourage the student teacher to continue to grow professionally by reading professional journals, taking courses, and participating in professional activities.
   

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COOPERATING TEACHER
Various studies indicate that the single most important individual in the student teaching process is the cooperating teacher. It is this person that daily interacts with teacher education students and provides the classroom environment so necessary for a satisfying clinical experience.

The following checklist provides guidelines for the cooperating teacher in carrying out responsibilities for mentoring the student teacher.

Pre-Student Teaching Preparation
A student teaching experience actually begins for the cooperating teacher and the student teacher the moment they are notified of the assignment. Each must now begin to make preparations for this activity that will bring them together as co-workers.

A cooperating teacher should:

• Plan for the initial orientation of the student teacher to the classroom and the school.
• Become acquainted with the program of teacher education and student teaching as proposed and developed cooperatively by the University and the school district.
• Create an atmosphere of acceptance for the student on the part of the pupils and faculty by taking a few minutes in class and a faculty meeting to give a brief announcement about the "new teacher" and the expected arrival date.
• Such an announcement might include the following:
  • Student teacher's name
  • home town
  • major curriculum interest
  • hobbies or interests that might be found in information provided by the University
    

A cooperating teacher should:

• Introduce a student teacher to the faculty and school staff
• Provide a tour of the entire school plant
• Explain the general philosophy and policies of the school, the rules and regulations, and all emergency procedures to be followed
• Introduce the student teacher to the students as a teacher who will be working in our classroom
• Inform parents of the presence of the student teacher and identify him/her
• Treat the student teacher as a co-worker and professional person
• Acquaint the student teacher with the basic teaching philosophy, the overall program, the daily schedule and routines, lesson plans, location of all teaching materials, the standard of conduct established, policies on disciplinary actions, emergency procedures, and pertinent information regarding each student (e.g., cumulative records, conferences with parents, test scores, health records, etc.).
• Provide a desk/table, storage space, handbooks, teacher's guides, textbooks, etc., for the intern

A cooperating teacher should plan for the student teacher to observe and discuss:

• The teacher planning and writing lesson plans
• The teacher using instructional materials and special resources
• The teacher giving clear, concise, sequential directions
• The teacher teaching in a one-on-one, small group, and large group situations
• Teachers stating objectives and teaching a lesson appropriate to the stated objectives
• Activities in which development of student responsibility and initiative are stressed
• The teacher's management of student's time and behavior
• The teacher's appropriate response to disruptive behavior
• The teacher in a team or group planning session
• The teacher completing forms required by the principal or school system

A cooperating teacher should plan for the student teacher to participate in the following areas:

• Developing plans for instruction
• Securing instructional and resource materials
• Writing daily lesson plans
• Tutoring individual students
• Accompanying and directing students to different areas of the school
• Assuming responsibility for one small instructional group or subject area
• Gradually assuming responsibility for additional groups and subject areas
• Assuming responsibility for the total class or scheduled classes for the entire school day
• Keeping records and evaluating progress of the students

The cooperating teacher has the right to expect a student teacher to prepare both long-range and daily lesson plans, but has to help the student teacher learn to prepare, especially in the early phases of teaching. The content and detail are determined by such factors as type of subject matter, the need of the individual who will use it, the activity of the lesson, and the nature of the class that is to be taught.

The cooperating teacher should assist the student teacher in making and using lesson plans that are suitable to the subject, to the situation, and to the student teacher's own personal style.