Some advice on hosting a student teacher in your art classroom.
In many schools, senior and experienced teachers may be paired with a student-teacher. In general, this happens during the student's junior year of college. The length will vary. Some may do 6-8 weeks in an elementary setting and another 6-8 in a high school setting. Some may do all 12-16 weeks in one setting depending on the certification they are seeking and the program they are enrolled in. There will usually be a professor assigned to coordinate the transition and the master-teacher may be required to do some writing and evaluations of their student-teacher. A stipend might be awarded to the master teacher to compensate them for these extra responsibilities.
I have heard nightmare stories of a student-teacher being given no supervision what-so-ever, and others where the student-teacher essentially becomes a servant of the cooperating teacher.
The best situation is where the student-teacher begins by observing. Then slowly starts interacting with students, easing into instruction, one class at a time, until by the end, they are essentially teaching the course. In many states it may be illegal for the student-teacher to be alone with students as they are not certified nor an authorized instructor, but I have heard of some being left alone to teach an entire d while the cooperating teacher sits in a faculty room. The latter situation opens up the certified staff member to huge legal liabilities.
I would suggest the following for the student-teacher.
Week 1: Observation and note taking. Becoming familiar with storage and routines.
Week 2: Sitting with students, making casual introductions, learning about what interests and motivates students. Note these conversations and use them to develop lessons.
Week 3: Either taking over one lesson of one class, or beginning a new lesson with one class period.
Each week thereafter the student-teacher should be able to take on one additional class period until they are teaching all day. If the student-teacher is only there for half a semester, this may be abbreviated if the cooperating teacher believes the student-teacher is capable of handling it.
At all times, the cooperating teacher should be present, but may want to address students and tell them to defer questions to the student-teacher. That they are there to observe. To only step in for safety or serious management issues.
It is okay to let your student-teacher struggle a bit. To make mistakes and learn from them as long as student safety is not an issue. To understand that the student-teacher will likely do lessons in a way you know could be better, but address those issues while students are not present. To NOT force your tried-and-true lessons on your student-teacher and allow them to develop their own explorations. To offer feedback where appropriate and not in front of students. To not override the student-teacher's disciplinary decisions so that students get mixed messages.
Allow your student-teacher to grade, do attendance, enforce discipline, help with supply orders, etc. so they begin to feel the weight of the job.
Each day the teacher and student should have candid conversations about observations, feedback, etc. formally and informally over lunch, during prep-periods, or after school. They should get an honest experience to know if teaching art is really what they are called to do. Hold them to the same expectations your own school holds for you. They should attend the same professional development, parent nights, and events you do so long as it is reasonable. Be open to the notion that art can be taught well in many different ways, and they will likely teach art differently than you. Do not expect them to teach art the same way you do, nor to do all the same lessons you normally might. Allow them the latitude to spread their wings and fly (or fail). They will learn from both.
I have heard nightmare stories of a student-teacher being given no supervision what-so-ever, and others where the student-teacher essentially becomes a servant of the cooperating teacher.
The best situation is where the student-teacher begins by observing. Then slowly starts interacting with students, easing into instruction, one class at a time, until by the end, they are essentially teaching the course. In many states it may be illegal for the student-teacher to be alone with students as they are not certified nor an authorized instructor, but I have heard of some being left alone to teach an entire d while the cooperating teacher sits in a faculty room. The latter situation opens up the certified staff member to huge legal liabilities.
I would suggest the following for the student-teacher.
Week 1: Observation and note taking. Becoming familiar with storage and routines.
Week 2: Sitting with students, making casual introductions, learning about what interests and motivates students. Note these conversations and use them to develop lessons.
Week 3: Either taking over one lesson of one class, or beginning a new lesson with one class period.
Each week thereafter the student-teacher should be able to take on one additional class period until they are teaching all day. If the student-teacher is only there for half a semester, this may be abbreviated if the cooperating teacher believes the student-teacher is capable of handling it.
At all times, the cooperating teacher should be present, but may want to address students and tell them to defer questions to the student-teacher. That they are there to observe. To only step in for safety or serious management issues.
It is okay to let your student-teacher struggle a bit. To make mistakes and learn from them as long as student safety is not an issue. To understand that the student-teacher will likely do lessons in a way you know could be better, but address those issues while students are not present. To NOT force your tried-and-true lessons on your student-teacher and allow them to develop their own explorations. To offer feedback where appropriate and not in front of students. To not override the student-teacher's disciplinary decisions so that students get mixed messages.
Allow your student-teacher to grade, do attendance, enforce discipline, help with supply orders, etc. so they begin to feel the weight of the job.
Each day the teacher and student should have candid conversations about observations, feedback, etc. formally and informally over lunch, during prep-periods, or after school. They should get an honest experience to know if teaching art is really what they are called to do. Hold them to the same expectations your own school holds for you. They should attend the same professional development, parent nights, and events you do so long as it is reasonable. Be open to the notion that art can be taught well in many different ways, and they will likely teach art differently than you. Do not expect them to teach art the same way you do, nor to do all the same lessons you normally might. Allow them the latitude to spread their wings and fly (or fail). They will learn from both.
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