Expectations for Cooperating Teachers

Cooperating Teachers must have the Clinical Educator Training and at least three years of successful teaching experience.  The role of the Cooperating Teacher is one of the most critical components in the entire teacher preparation process.  Guiding interns takes exceptional skill, sensitivity to the needs of the beginning teacher, and insights into the process of developing competence for teaching.

Roles of the Cooperating Teacher

• Demonstrate lessons as needed.
• Develop a semester plan for the intern to gradually assume responsibility forteaching and the orderly return of the class to the teacher at the close of the experience.
• Confer regularly with the university supervisor.
• Inform the university supervisor in a timely manner of any problems that arise.
• Regularly observe and provide oral and written, informal and formal feedback.
• Hold regular conferences with the intern to include specific feedback, suggestions, and specific praise.
• Complete the Interim and Final Evaluation forms and confer with the university supervisor and intern. (Assessing Educational Standards is the final evaluation form used for the final internship).
• Return completed Intern Participation Certificates and Contracts to the university supervisor.

Expectations of the Cooperating Teacher

• Orient the intern to the school/classroom by explaining:
• General philosophy of the school, the building policies, and procedures.
• Organization of the school day.
• Use of cumulative and other school records.
• Procedures for parent conferences
• Curriculum and classroom management procedures and practices for which the intern will be responsible.
• Services available within the school.
• Supervise the DAILY activities of the intern:
  • Expect detailed and functional lesson plans (College of Education format) which includes the Sunshine State Standards, Goal Three Standards, and ESOL strategies.
  • Examine lesson plans for the upcoming week (two days prior to expected implementation of plans).
  • Provide feedback regarding the use of classroom management techniques and organization skills.
  • Confer frequently on essential elements or techniques keeping in mind the formative process and positive reinforcement.
  • Give specific suggestions for flexibility in planning; accepting a different teaching style or technique than your own.
• Model the Educator Accomplished Practices for the interns.
  • Advise the intern on professional behavior.
  • Develop a warm, friendly, and supportive atmosphere.
• Assess the intern by the following indicators:
  • Lesson plans.
    • Confer regularly.
    • Note the quality of the observations.
    • Implement the Interim and Final Evaluation forms.

Guidelines for Orientating an Intern into the Classroom

• Include the intern in classroom activities and experiences gradually from the very beginning.
• Prepare the class for an intern prior to his/her arrival. Properly introduce him/her as a co-worker, not as an aide.
• Familiarize the intern with the school facilities, resources and policies regarding the use of materials and equipment.
• Provide a separate work/study area (perhaps a desk) in the classroom for the intern.
• Include interns in faculty and curriculum meetings when appropriate. This is where they begin to learn about their roles as leaders in the profession.
• Provide the intern with a set of textbooks, teachers’ manuals, curriculum guides, or school handbooks as needed.
• Explain to the intern the methods of record keeping for attendance, tardies, grades, conduct, cumulative folders, etc.
• Demonstrate to the intern how to devise lesson plans and how to use many different resources and ideas. Tell the student why you use the materials and their purpose and why you teach as you do. Help the intern to raise questions when doing his/her own planning of lessons.
• Demonstrate the use of curriculum guides and teachers’ manuals for your grade level. Students have had varying amounts of instruction on such procedures.
• Choose a particular time for planning on a daily and weekly basis. An intern will need close supervision and a lot of assistance in the initial stages of making lesson plans. It is also helpful early  in the semester to do long-range planning and schedule the weeks for full respon­sibility.
• Explain discipline policies to the intern from the very beginning. Indicate how a situation will be handled if a student misbehaves and both of you are in the classroom. Whose responsibility is it to discipline?
• Provide frequent evaluations in written as well as verbal form. Remember to offer praise as well as constructive criticism. Be very specific in evaluations and offer sugges­tions for teaching methods, habits, grammar usage, organiza­tion, etc. Some teachers and interns like to use a notebook for an on-going "conversation" of comments and questions as the internship progresses. This may be used in addition to the University forms that are used on a weekly basis.
• Be prepared to give step-by-step guidance. The transition from the University to the classroom is difficult and may require repeated explanations of detailed procedures in the classroom.
• When appropriate, include the intern in parent conferences or telephone conversations. Guide him/her to use diplomacy and appropriate communication skills so that parent communication is effective.
• Correct an intern's mistakes after the lesson when the class cannot hear any comments being made. When an intern is corrected in front of the class his/her credibility is weakened and he/she is embarrassed unnecessarily. If need be, a note can be written to the student or some form of non­verbal communication can be used to call attention to an error.
• Accept each intern as an individual and do not compare him/her with previous interns you have had. This places an unnecessary stress upon an intern when he/she frequently hears stories about how well "Susie or John" did as an intern.
• Gradually give the intern some freedom so that he/she can have a feeling of independence and a chance to learn from his own mistakes. Leave the room for short intervals when the student is teaching to allow the intern to "try his wings".
• Try not to convey to the intern that you expect perfection or that you do not trust him with your students. Interns are very vulnerable and sensitive to your approval and acceptance. Some become so concerned about pleasing you that they forget to focus upon the children and often create a self-fulfilling prophecy of "I can't do it right". Help them to see beyond "How am I doing?" to "How are the children doing?"
• Remember to ask the intern for his/her opinion in some matters and be sure to give the intern credit when he/she generates suggestions and ideas that can be used in the classroom.

Possible Difficulties Experienced By An Intern

• ANXIETY - It is a new situation. The student does not know exactly what to expect or where he will fit into the scheme of things. The real classroom is quite different from the college classroom. Please explain everything in great detail. Please do not assume that the student should know all that you know.
• TIME MANAGEMENT - Interns do not have a sense of how much time it will take to carry out a lesson or a single procedure. Please give guidelines and suggestions about a lesson length and how to gauge time limits while teaching. Help the intern to become aware of student needs during a lesson. They become so caught up in covering the lesson that they forget to notice that the students are no longer involved.
• TRANSITIONING - Tips on how to transition smoothly between lesson activities will be helpful so that class discipline does not become overwhelming.
• GIVING INSTRUCTIONS - Help interns to give detailed, step-by-step instructions to students. Also help them to know when to give instructions -- before or after materials are passed out, before the bell rings, etc.
• AWARENESS OF THE WHOLE CLASS - Interns become so caught up in teaching the lesson they forget to notice what is happening in the back of the room or that only a few students are answering all of the questions. Help them to teach students - not just lessons.
• DISCIPLINE - Interns often are not sure what to do, so they do not do anything about discipline problems or they desperately do something that may alienate the students. Please give the intern the guidelines you wish to be followed in your classroom for discipline. Interns also feel uncomfortable disciplining a student when the teacher is in the room. Work out with him or her how you will handle discipline problems when both of you are in the room. Who is responsible for keeping order at specific times?

Ideas To Encourage Reflective Dialogue

During your feedback sessions, encourage your team to be reflective concerning the following domains. Have your intern explain, support, or even justify her/his:

Instructional Planning, Teaching Effectiveness, and Academic Preparation

• in-depth understanding of the subject area including concepts, facts and interrelationships of ideas, background and supporting information and resources.
• lesson plans and how they show creativity in selecting and arranging activities to achieve goals.
• behavioral/performance objectives are constructed and appropriate for lessons.
• planning provides for different learning styles among students.
• lesson plans reveal a variety of teaching techniques.
• instructional procedures are consistent with stated objectives.
• resources are appropriate and effective when planning lessons.
• lesson plans allow for student participation.
• evaluation instruments clearly reflect the lessons' objectives.
• variety of techniques to assess student progress.
• evaluation results in planning future instructional activities.

Classroom Management and Discipline

• procedure and philosophy for maintaining appropriate and consistent discipline.
• procedure and philosophy to assist students to develop self‑control and self-discipline.
• procedure and philosophy for effectively handling problem situations.
• procedure and philosophy to maintain a pleasant classroom atmosphere.
• procedure when respecting students.
• procedure and philosophy to establish a positive, constructive rapport with your students.

Communication Skills

• procedure to consistently employ appropriate grammar and vocabulary in oral communication.
• procedure and philosophy to ensure writing is clear, legible, and in an organized manner.
• oral directions for instruction are clear and concise.

Professional and Personal Characteristics

• displays a professional image.
• positive rapport with your colleagues.
• procedure to carry out all school-related tasks promptly and effectively.
• procedure to actively participate in school functions beyond regular classroom duties.
• way of indicating a high value on professional practice.
• awareness of the "culture" of the school.