Cooperating Teacher Resources
The College of Education wishes to "thank" our cooperating teachers for their continual support of our student/clinical teaching program. As an essential educator involved in developing future teachers, it is your expertise and varied experiences in the field that has allowed our pre-service teaching candidates to continually foster their individual growth in all aspects of the teaching profession. As one of our fellow cooperating teacher's shared:
I will be able to guide my intern. I will know how to help her as she learns to 'problem-solve' on her own; to figure out what she needs to do to become a better teacher.
As a college, our goal is to provide our cooperating teachers with resources on this webpage to assist them in guiding the student/clinical teachers in their quest to become independent learners and reflective practitioners in the classroom.
Preservice Internship I - TCED 4378
At-a-Glance Roles/Responsibilities of Cooperating Teachers
Internship I - Wednesdays Only
Welcome the student teacher - Introduce as a guest teacher to create a level of respect and increased classroom support
Introduce the student teacher to other faculty/staff members - share various roles
Provide a work/study area for the student teacher’s belongings - student desk, small table & chair, shelf in cabinet, etc.
Include the student teacher in team meetings, planning meetings, faculty meetings, ARDS, RTI meetings, professional development opportunities, parent conferences, etc.
Explain methods of record keeping for attendance, tardiness, grades, late papers, conduct, student records, emergency procedures, etc.
Provide an environment for learning - share classroom rules/procedures, seating charts, school rules, discipline policies, provide pointers on how you set up your classroom, etc.
Provide the student teacher with access to scope & sequence, teacher editions, curriculum guides, campus handbook, other instructional materials, etc. Provide step-by-step guidance
Student teachers participate in teacher duty schedule; study halls; lunch duty; playground duties, etc.
Model good teaching and professional behavior---high quality instruction with reflective practice
Help the student teacher schedule classroom observations with campus colleagues
If discussion/coaching with the student teacher is not resolved, contact the field supervisor.
Phase in teaching responsibilities: Weeks 1-6
Student teacher individually helps students, small group, teaching lessons, etc. until he/she is ready to teach an entire class period or all day on Wednesday (Full day by mid-semester.)
Cooperating Teacher reviews two lesson plans written by the Intern and provides constructive feedback prior to teaching---one lesson will be recorded/videotaped.
Cooperating Teacher observes one lesson, records observations on the mentor (cooperating) teacher performance observation checklist, provide constructive feedback
- Pre-conference
- Observation
- Post-conference
The field supervisor may provide additional information pertinent to the course, individual campus and/or district.
Preservice Internship II Clinical Teaching - TCED 4978
At-a-Glance Roles/Responsibilities of Cooperating Teachers
Internship II Clinical Teaching - Five days a week
Continue with the same roles and responsibilities as in Internship I
Internship II_Clinical teaching is a minimum of 14 weeks per TEA
The clinical teacher will be in the classroom five days a week
Clinical teachers participate in all campus activities: team meetings, planning meetings, faculty meetings, ARDS, RTI meetings, parent conferences, open house, district meetings (TELPAS, STAAR) etc.
Clinical teachers attend all district professional development workshops
Eight days of substituting are given back to the district---may substitute for cooperating teacher and/or others in the building
One perk day for cooperating teacher--- Clinical teacher substitutes at no charge to the district--
-Will enter as no substitute required in the absence system per district policy (personal, PD, business)
Phase in teaching: Approx.: 3-4 weeks
Clinical teacher individually helps students, small group, teaching lessons, etc. until he/she is ready to teach the entire class all day
Clinical teacher assists daily will all aspects of teaching, management of classroom, etc.
30 days of Independent Teaching Experience (ITE) - can be a co-teach/collaborative approach/model: one teach, one observe; one teach, one assist; parallel teaching; station teaching; alternative teaching; team teaching especially during STAAR semester
- Handle all cooperating teacher daily roles: duties, grading, behavior, etc.
- Impact on Student Learning Activity occurs during ITE; mentor reviews Lesson Plan 1 and Lesson Plan 2 and provides constructive feedback before implementation in classroom
- Cooperating teacher will observe two lessons, record observations on the cooperating
teacher performance observation checklist and provide constructive feedback
- Pre-conference
- Observation
Post-conference
- Five formal lessons are taught; one will be recorded/videotaped.
The field supervisor will observe a minimum of three lessons being taught. - The cooperating teacher will observe a minimum of two lessons being taught.
Phase out teaching: Approx.: 3-4 weeks
Clinical teacher classroom responsibilities are reduced with the gradual reentry of mentor teacher to the classroom
The field supervisor may provide additional information pertinent to the course, individual campus and/or district.
How can we help?
Contact CPDT Office via email or phone: 281-283-3612