older student teacher

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older student teacher
By chris

I graduated in January 2001 and had a great experience with a co-operating teacher who was literally young enough to be my daughter(48 vs 28)! I don't know where you and your student teacher's ages will fit into the mix,
but keep that possibility in mind!
I student taught in two different rooms/grade levels with 2 different teachers. One was great, one wasn't so hot. The great one gave me LOTS of feedback; every day after the kids left, she'd drop everything, sit at the table with me and ask:Well, how do YOU think it went today. I had her full attention, she did not grade or shuffle papers, etc. I

so enjoyed these conversations and her advice. I'd also find little notes from her (& the kids) tacked up on our message board (everyone had a slot). The not-so-great teacher sat around & BS-ed with her aide, watching the clock and the minute she was able to leave (by contracted time) she was out the door faster than a jackrabbit. I got no feedback from her as to how I was doing and was surprised to get a not very flattering report from her. If she didn't like what she saw, if she felt I needed to do something different, she should have told me BEFORE writing my evaluation. Please remember this!
My one big problem has always been names. I can't remember the right ones to go with the right faces. Help your ST by putting name tags on the desks and/or having him/her do roll call/attendance so he/she can put name & face together. Where I student taught there were no assigned seats, no desks, so there was no place to put name tags. It became a game with me and the kids: "How many names before Mrs. K gets the right one?"
Keep asking your student teacher how she/he feels, give them lots of feedback, but let them talk to you, too. they may know that that lesson went REALLY bad & they should have done such-n-such instead. Then again, they may have toally missed the kids in the back who were drawing! Ask to be filled in on lessons before presented, so you can say that's great, but watch out for.....or maybe if you changed this to this.... I really appreciated the input and suggestions.
Don't push them into taking over too soon, but then don't hold them back if you think (or they think) they're ready. My initial "solo" was being in charge of a math activity center with 5 kids at a time. It go my feet wet, I was on my own, but the teacher was right there if needed.
If the University offers a workshop/information meeting, it may be helpful to you. They usually will explain their expectations of you and the student teacher. You can also recieve in advance a copy of the evaluation form you'll be using to grade your student teacher. This info may prove invaluable to you. Read it over & have any questions ready for when your ST's advisor comes in. Get misunderstandings cleared up ASAP!
Good Luck!