Format For A Student Teacher Visit

It is suggested that a call the day or night before the first visit to reconfirm the day and time of the visit is helpful. Doing this on subsequent visits is up to your own discretion.

Wear your Purdue North Central badge and stop at the Principal’s Office to alert Office personnel that you are in the building. Sign in and/or get a building pass as required. If the principal is not busy, make a courtesy visit to his/her office to introduce yourself and thank him/her for having our student teacher in their building.

Go to the student teacher’s classroom and ask for the lesson plan. Ask how things are going. It is also helpful to ask the cooperating teacher to elaborate on comments such as “fine” or “very well”. If your visit suggests to you that the student teacher has some major weaknesses, then you will need to act immediately.

Observation

What is the student teacher’s overall demeanor? Is he/she poised, calm, and confident? Does he/she give off an air of indecisiveness or hesitancy? Does he/she have an assertive voice?

Instruction

Instructionally, overall, is the lesson dynamic, multi-sensory, and creative? Does it stimulate interest?

Does the student teacher:

· have up to date lesson plans?

· use a variety of methods of instruction?

· bring proper closure to the lesson?

Management

Managerially, is the student teacher firmly in command or struggling to maintain control?

Does the student teacher:

· wait for students to put things away before beginning instruction?

· wait until everyone is paying attention before beginning instruction?

· properly introduce the lesson?

· stop and identify students who are not paying attention or who are disrupting?

· teach over noise and ignore inattentiveness?

· have the students maintain eye contact?

· pace the lesson too slow or too fast?

· teach and manage at the same time?

· walk about the room or remain in one place?

· smile?

· have the appropriate attire?

After the Observation

Unless the student teacher is receiving glowing comments from you, always go to a private room. NEVER show displeasure on your first visit unless the issue is lack of preparation. Begin with the positives! However, never lie to them or diminish the seriousness of the problems, if indeed the problems are serious. After you tell them the positives, itemize the things that will need to be worked on. Be sure to put things in some logical order with emphasis on the important things first. ALWAYS communicate that you are not worried, that you have great confidence that things will get better, and that whatever problems he/she is experiencing are very, very NORMAL.

Do not permit the student teacher to assume a posture of defensiveness; blaming the students for all that is going wrong. NEVER get into an argument with the student teacher as to whether the problem lies with him/her or the students. If the student teacher cries, allow and encourage it. He/she has probably been holding it in for entirely too long. Many student teachers will cry at some point. Always carry tissues!!

Be sure not to give the student teacher more than two or three things at most to work on for the next visit. Be sure to check back with the cooperating teacher before you leave to confirm that both of you have identified the same problems. Have the student teacher call you in a few days to tell you how your suggestions are working out. If you feel the need, call the student teacher that evening at home to see how they are doing.

Be sure that the student teacher has him/herself put “back together” before they go back into the classroom.

Check out at the School Office before you leave.

Jackie Covault

Director of Field Experiences