The purpose of the Intern Development Plan (IDP) is to formalize support for a Teacher Candidate that is focused on areas that need improvement. Prior to developing an IDP, the Supervisor and Cooperating Teacher should informally mentor and support the efforts of the Teacher Candidate.
At the four-week checkpoint, the University Supervisor, in collaboration with the Classroom Teacher will assess for the Teacher Candidate’s demonstration of sufficient mastery of skills and professional attitudes necessary for taking full classroom responsibility. A satisfactory performance is mandatory in all areas of evaluation. A rating of “needs improvement” in any area requires that an Intern Development Plan (IDP) be generated by the team consisting of Block 5 Coordinator(s), University Supervisor, and Cooperating Teacher. The team, in a planned meeting, will share the IDP with the Teacher Candidate. The IDP will specify a remediation plan of action with a timeline for its completion and recommended support for the Teacher Candidate.
The format for the IDP is attached. It includes an overview of the current status of the Teacher Candidate’s progress, strengths, specific concerns, plan of action, support needed, and date to reconvene the team to review the progress.
A follow-up IDP meeting is held within two weeks to determine if necessary skills and professional attitudes are in place for the intern to take full classroom responsibility.
If sufficient mastery of skills and professional attitudes necessary for full takeover are evident, student may continue in the current placement, extending the time in full takeover to meet internship requirements. The student is expected to earn a satisfactory grade.
If, at that point, the skills and professional attitudes are not present, the team may recommend an incomplete grade for the Teacher Candidate followed by a meeting with the Internship Intensive Assistance Review Board (IIARB) to determine if the student’s repetition of internship is merited. The IIARB membership will consist of the COE Associate Dean, Chair of Undergraduate Studies, University Supervisor and Final Internship Coordinator(s).
Upon being recommended for internship repetition in the following fall or spring semester, another IDP will be developed by the Block 5 Coordinators in cooperation with University Supervisors and/or Cooperating Teachers.