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Supervising Teachers: Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the supervising teacher is to serve as a model, guide, and instructor for the student teacher. Our program is intentionally internship-based. Therefore, it is critical to the successful preparation of the MAT students that supervising teachers provide significant instructional assistance throughout the year.

Supervising teachers agree to:

  • attend up to four MAT supervising teacher meetings scheduled during the year,
  • familiarize student teachers with classroom, school, and district policies and procedures pertaining to the student teaching assignments,
  • establish and communicate their expectations for student teachers in that assignment,
  • share classroom materials and other resources to help student teachers plan and teach in the assignment,
  • require that student teachers submit detailed written lesson plans before assuming any teaching responsibility in the classroom,
  • assist student teachers in choosing an appropriate topic and time for implementing two work samples,
  • assist student teachers in writing, implementing, and modifying unit and lesson plans, and collect written plans according to a mutually agreeable schedule,
  • monitor student teachers' teaching with respect to classroom management/control, and help develop effective classroom management skills,
  • provide instructional assistance through the use of seven or more formal observations. A formal observation includes a pre/post conference, observation of the lesson, and copies of written critique/feedback given to the student teachers and placed in the student teachers' file,
  • evaluate the student teachers six times at regular intervals throughout the second semester, and meet with the student teachers to discuss and complete the university evaluation cards,
  • encourage the student teachers to experiment with a variety of teaching styles and strategies,
  • confer with student teachers at least weekly to review instructional plans and to discuss issues and problems that arise in student teaching,
  • confer regularly with the university supervisors about student teacher progress, and alert university supervisors about any concerns or problems,
  • hold at least two three-way conferences with student teachers and the university supervisors:
    1. to work out in detail the arrangement and expectations for student teachers in their assignments
    2. to determine readiness to move into full responsibility for planning and teaching
    3. to evaluate progress, and
    4. to make recommendations for licensure.
  • arrange for the student teachers to attend departmental/faculty meetings, and encourage participation in other appropriate school and faculty activities,
  • complete the TSPC Student Teaching Summary Report near the end of the school year and return it to the university.

Suggestions for Successful Mentoring

While the primary responsibility is always to the students in the classroom, the supervising teacher should insure that the student teacher is gradually assuming an increasing amount of responsibility. Though student teachers will make mistakes and will benefit from constructive criticism, supervising teachers will want to provide this feedback privately to avoid impairing the relationship between the student teacher and the students.

The supervising teacher can help the student teacher get off to a good start by preparing the students and their parents for his/her coming. Introducing the student teacher to the students as "you other teacher" or "my co-worker" or a member of our "teaching team" will convey the impression of a peer relationship.This website provides a number of tools for supervision that can help in the process of providing effective mentoring.

Practicum

Practicum is designed to provide an introductory classroom experience and an extended practicum. Most often this practicum will be in the MAT student's second level of authorization. However, if the MAT student is preparing for one level of authorization only, the Practicum assignment will be at that level.

Practicum allows MAT students the opportunity to examine the student-teacher relationship and the role of the teacher within the context of the classroom, school and community with an emphasis on the level of authorization. MAT students observe, gather and analyze data, assist, co-teach and teach during their practicum. Their roles include one-on-one, small group and whole class instruction, lesson development and assessment of student performance.

MAT full-time and MAT Aspire students spend a minimum of 90 hours at this practicum site during the Fall semester. Towards the end of the semester, MAT students engage in planning, implementing and assessing a unit of instruction in the classrooms to which they are assigned with the guidance and supervision of their supervising teachers. They complete a work sample for that level of authorization.