Making the Most of Your Student Teaching Experience Timothy Heller, Elementary Principal Groton Elementary School

2 Establishing Yourself in the School Set up a time to meet your host teacher before your placement begins. Meet the Principal on your first day. Introduce yourself, ask him/her if you could request a classroom observation from him/her before you leave the school. Introduce yourself to the building secretaries and the custodial staff. Between the two groups, they pretty much run the school. Find about school traditions, staff dress, and any other pertinent “building-wide” culture. Ask for a copy of the student and staff handbooks.

3 Do Your Homework… Research the school(s) in which you will be working. The NYS School Report Cards are available on-line. Most districts have a monthly newsletter and budget guide available for your review. Know the configuration of the schools and the grades they serve. Know the names (and pronunciation) of the host teachers with whom you will work. Know what the college expects of you before you begin in the classroom.

4 Establish Relationships… Get to know your host teacher and the specialists who push-in the classroom. (What are their strengths, interests, biases, etc.) Determine how you will contact the teacher if you are going to be out sick. Develop a good rapport with your students. They appreciate you calling them by name, knowing something about them, and following the routines that have been established within the classroom. Get to know something “extra” about each student.

5 Be a “Sponge”… Carry a notebook with you to meetings, parent conferences, or when you meet with your host teacher or supervisors. Listen to, and reflect on the feedback you receive. Attend planning sessions with your teacher and/or team and offer to help out however you can. Ask questions (at an appropriate time) when you want to know more about a decision, choice, or background of a student.

6 Be Positive, Avoid Politics in School, and Keep Your Focus on Your Student Teaching… What you say and how you say it speak volumes about who you are and what you stand for. Do not get involved in the discussions that go on around you that are of a political nature. Devote your time and energies to improving your lesson design, planning and execution. Arrive early and stay late each day. Don’t be a “clock watcher” who comes in/leaves when the students do.

7 Go Above and Beyond Your willingness to “Pitch in and help” will be viewed positively. Make it known that you would like to do “extra” things like creating bulletin boards, participating in the administration and scoring of State Assessments, and staying after school to help students who may need homework support. Communicate regularly and in a pro-active way to ensure that you are not “overstepping”. Join PTA/PTO.

8 Be Part of the CSE Process… Participate in the Child Study Team process. Review the IEPs of any classified students you work with. Take part in discussions about the BIPs of students you work with. Co-plan with your grade level’s special education provider. Be familiar with the assessments that were used during the CSE classification process. What info. do they provide you?

9 Get Your Ducks in a Row… Have a working copy of your resume readily available to update as you complete each student teaching assignment. Also, work on your portfolio as you progress through your placements. Be sure to include photographs of centers. Get letters of recommendation from your host teachers, principals, college supervisors, and others who can support your candidacy for either a substitute position or a probationary position. Get home and/or cell phone information from each of the individuals you will use as references. Fill out applications to be a substitute in a district close by (or in one you’ve worked as a ST)

10 Leave a Positive Impression... Write “thank you” notes to your host teacher(s) and the principal at the school(s) in which you worked. Touch base with the host teachers after you complete your student teaching. Leave a copy of your project, unit, etc., (and any other materials you created) with your host teachers. Consider returning to the schools as a substitute teacher!