Professional Education Unit
Student Teaching Handbook

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
Professional Education Unit
Core Concepts and Goals Statement

Oklahoma State University's professional education faculty seek to prepare individuals who believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and can learn; who act on the principle that diversity is to be valued; and who are committed to the belief that professional educators providing quality education are the backbone of society.

OSU's professional education programs are devoted to the concept of integration. Professional education students learn to integrate personal experience with fields of knowledge and with teaching based on sound theory and research-driven educational practice.

Students' attainment of unit and program goals is assigned and assessed in schools and communities in which continuous professional development for pre-service candidates, in-service school professionals, and university faculty is valued.

Introduction

You are now entering your final phase of the professional education program at Oklahoma State University. As a pre-student teacher, you have completed all of the course requirements that provide the content knowledge and the pedagogical skill training that you will need in order to begin your student teaching experience. Student teaching will provide you with an opportunity to practice, reflect, and augment your knowledge and skills in a supportive environment. You will now have the opportunity to perform many of the duties and to make many of the instructional decisions of a classroom teacher.

There will be many gratifying and difficult days ahead. The work load will be heavy and intense at times. This professional experience will offer you many opportunities for joy and fulfillment if you keep a positive attitude and do your work to the best of your ability. Set realistic goals and strive to meet them. Keep open the lines of communication between yourself, your cooperating teacher, and your university supervisor. Most important of all, be true to your newly assigned pupils. Teach so they learn! Care so they grow!

We are proud of your accomplishments. Enjoy your student teaching experience. It is the beginning of a lifetime of service, dedication, and fulfillment.

Requirements to Student Teach

Prior to student teaching, you must be fully admitted to OSU Professional Education program. For more information on how to be fully admitted to the Professional Education Program, see our website or contact the Office of Professional Education. (Watch for a new OSU Professional Education web site coming July 1, 2003.)

A Student Teaching requirement is a GPA of 2.5 in the following categories:

• overall,
  
• Professional Education courses,
  
• and Program specialization courses

All grades must be a "C" or better in past and current enrollment in the areas of Professional Education and Specialization Courses, or you will not be permitted to student teach.

Professional Portfolio

Prior to beginning student teaching, students will submit their professional education program portfolios for review. The exact submission date for portfolio is set by the program certification area. The portfolios should contain the materials listed in the Portfolio Handbook at for the pre-student teaching submission and any additional items required for a specific program. The Portfolio Handbook is available here. This link will open in a new browser window.

(Watch for a new OSU Professional Education web site coming July 1, 2003)

Student Teaching Application

You must complete the student teaching application (see Appendix A) before visiting with your university supervisor. Please consider the following guidelines when listing your placement preferences in the space provided on the application:

Placement in Diverse Settings: with the changing demographics of our country it is increasingly important that OSU candidates have experiences in different socio-economic settings--such as rural, suburban, or urban schools--and experiences with a diverse group of students. Clinical/field experiences will be considered when determining the student teaching placement.

Professional Experiences: candidates will be placed in a location where their professional experiences can develop. They will not be placed in a school where their children attend, a relative is employed, or they have developed a personal relationship with the cooperating teacher. In addition, candidates will not be placed in the school system from which they graduated.

Stillwater Placements: only a limited number of student teachers can be placed in the Stillwater Public Schools. Unless the candidate is fully admitted to Professional Education at the time the student teaching application is due, he/she will not be placed in Stillwater. All student teachers placed in the Stillwater Public Schools are required to have a current OSBI Name Check prior to placement. The cost is $25.00 . You are required to complete the OSBI and Stillwater Public Schools paperwork prior to submitting your Application to Student Teach.

Finances: since many students have financial problems, finances cannot be considered when determining the student teaching placement. Note: Dormitory fees can be refunded for the off-campus portion of the student teaching semester.

Out of Area/State Placements: a candidate requesting an out-of-area/out-of-state placement due to extenuating circumstances must have the approval of the program coordinator and the Co-Director of Professional Education. Candidates granted an out-of-area/out-of-state placement must meet all requirements including attendance of on-campus meetings and are required to pay the following fees:

1. All necessary and appropriate fees required in securing and finalizing the placement (e.g. reimbursement for cooperating teacher, university supervisor, etc.). These fees are payable to the Office of Professional Education and/or the out-of-state university prior to starting the student teaching experience. This is at the beginning of the semester in which the placement is sought.

2. If a recommendation for licensure/certification is to be made by Oklahoma State University, the student is responsible for reimbursing visits performed by the cooperating institution. All other criteria pertaining to in-state student teaching placements apply.

Possible Placement Sites

The school districts listed below are potential placement sites for student teachers

Method of Assignment

After you complete the application, you should visit with your university supervisor and discuss placement options. Your university supervisor and the Field Experiences Specialist will review the options and select an appropriate placement following your meeting with your university supervisor. Placement will be based on the following criteria:

a) OSU must have a contractual agreement with the participating school district.
b) There must be a minimum of two candidates per location before it can be designated a student teaching center for that semester. Since we place a minimum of two candidates per location, we will not utilize every school/district during a given semester.
c) The principal and the cooperating teacher must be in agreement about the placement.
d) The cooperating teacher must meet established criteria to work with a student teacher. The university supervisors know many cooperating teachers in the public schools and make final selections on their overall professional quality.

We endeavor to provide you with a student teaching experience that will be both professionally beneficial and personally rewarding. If we cannot work with the three options you have listed, your university supervisor or the Field Experiences Specialist or your Program Coordinator will contact you before placing you.

Confirmation of Placement

Requests are sent to school districts for placements. After you have completed all student teaching requirements and we receive confirmation of the placement from the school district, tentative placement assignments will be posted on the Office of Professional Education website. After the previous semesters grades are posted and you continue to meet the requirements for student teaching placement, we will mail you a confirmation letter.

Possible reasons for a rejected placement request are:

a) The teacher cannot serve as a cooperating teacher that semester
b) The teacher does not have at least three years of successful teaching experience
c) The teacher is already serving as a cooperating teacher
d) The school/district cannot accept any more student teachers for that semester

Meeting Cooperating Teacher

After receiving your confirmation letter, we encourage you to visit with the cooperating teacher, principal, and other faculty members in the department. At this time, the cooperating teacher may give you copies of instructional material/school handbook, so you can become familiar with the school program before beginning the student teaching experience.

School Policies

You will be responsible for knowing and following school policies and adhering to school rules in regards to behavior, activities, safety procedures, and health issues. Ask your cooperating teacher or principal for the school's policies.

Medical Insurance

You are responsible for carrying medical insurance such as the student medical insurance offered by OSU, to cover this and all other medical costs. School districts and OSU do not insure you during student teaching.

Blood-Borne Pathogens

You should become familiar with your school district's safety procedures. It may be required for you to go through a Blood Borne Pathogens training. It is especially important that you become familiar with their procedures for dealing with incidents involving blood. Dangerous diseases, such as Hepatitis and HIV/Aids, are carried in the blood and you must exercise great care for your own safety when dealing with blood. Follow your school's policies if you come into contact with blood. It is recommended that you receive an evaluation of your risks and be tested as soon after contact with blood as possible. If you wish, you may leave school to attend to this. As an OSU student, you may use the OSU Student Health Center or your own doctor for testing and evaluation.

Outside Activities/Classes During Student Teaching

The student teaching experience is considered the beginning of your professional career, and your energies should be directed in making the most of your professional assignment. Therefore, outside employment or taking coursework other than the student teaching courses is definitely not advised during student teaching. If you believe employment is a necessity, you must confer with your university supervisor to determine if such employment should continue, or if you should consider student teaching another semester.

Professional Liability Insurance

By joining the SOEA (Student Oklahoma Education Association) or the APOE (Association for Professional Oklahoma Educators) you will have liability insurance during the student teaching experience. Additional information on this will be available at the Intent Meeting.

Length of Student Teaching Assignments

Schedule

Once your professional experience begins, you will follow the schedule of the school district to which you are assigned. You must attend all meetings and events that the teachers in your cooperating school must attend.

Dress

Student teachers are expected to dress professionally and to adhere to any dress code set forth by the school site.

Absences

You should be absent only for serious reasons (e.g., illness, death of a family member). If you will be absent, you must notify the cooperating teacher, university supervisor and, if necessary, the building principal. Please give advance notice of your absence, if possible. Your supervising teacher will determine if make-up days are required. Most supervising teachers require make up days if you are absent two or more days. However, it is the supervising teacher's decision and some require all missed days to be made up.

Grading

Candidates receive a pass or fail grade for student teaching. If your performance shows evidence of professional growth & performance in planning lessons, managing the classroom, and relating to your pupils, a P grade will be assigned. If your performance indicates an inability to provide a positive learning environment for pupils, a conference will be held involving all parties concerned and an F grade will be assigned.

Career Development

The Career Consultant in the College of Education, 325 Willard, offers OSU COE students and alumni help with resume development, job search strategies, interview strategies and tips, and career advisement. This office also offers workshops and training seminars on career development topics during each semester. For more information or for individual assistance call 405/744-4876. Each OSU College has a Career Consultant. For candidates who are part of the ASNR, A & S, or HES, please contact the Career Consultant for your college for additional assistance.

The Teacher Job Fair is held each year in April. This event is specifically designed for those candidates wanting a career in education. There are many more career/job fairs offered throughout the year. You may wish to have a "Letter of Contingency" prior to attending the job fair (See Oklahoma Teaching License Application). For more information or a schedule of campus-wide job fairs contact Career Services, 370 Student Union, at 405/744-5253.

Teaching License/Certification Application

Effective May 31, 2001 Title 68 O.S. 238.1 requires all license/certificate holders be in compliance with Oklahoma state income tax laws BEFORE a teaching license or certificate can be RENEWED.

Effective November 1, 2001 Oklahoma statute 70 O.S. 6-190 requires applicants for initial Oklahoma teacher licensure to have an Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) AND Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint-based criminal history record clearance. The OSU Professional Education Unit will assist you in being fingerprinted at the beginning of your student teaching semester. You are required to pay all FBI/OSBI Fingerprinting costs.

To receive Oklahoma State University's in-state or out-of-state licensure/certification 'Recommendation' or 'Verification' of program completion, the applicant must:

• be admitted and maintain admission to OSU's Professional Education Unit
  
• complete the appropriate level of degree
  
• meet the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement
  
• meet the Computer Proficiency Requirement
  
• complete the required courses with the required grades and grade-point-averages
  
• have confirmation of the final clearance of portfolio submission III
  
• pass the required Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators
  
• complete the state's application for licensure with current/complete official transcripts from all institutions attended.

Unless the applicant has successfully completed all of the above, Oklahoma State University will not make a recommendation or verify program completion for an 'in-state' or 'out-of-state' license, certificate or endorsement

We recommend you apply for your Oklahoma Teaching License during the semester in which you complete your degree and/or certification requirements. The first form is a license and after successful completion of the residency year, one earns a Standard Oklahoma Certificate. License applications are available in 325 Willard. The Professional Education Staff will attend your class meeting at the end of the student teaching semester. You will have the opportunity to make application and submit your other institution transcripts at that meeting. You can also submit your paperwork to the Office of Professional Education in 325 at anytime during the semester.

Some school districts require a copy of your Oklahoma License or a "Contingency Letter/Letter of Intent" in the Job Application process. If you find it beneficial, you may submit your License Application and the fee to 325 Willard and request a Contingency Letter. The office provides you with one letter. To prevent you from accidentally mailing the original Contingency Letter, we recommend that you place it in a protective sheet and keep it for your records.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education requires the submission of OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL Institutions you have attended with your license application.* If you have attended other colleges or universities, please contact the institution(s) now and have them forward an OFFICIAL transcript to the Office of Professional Education, 325 Willard, Stillwater, OK 74078.** The transcript will be held in your OSU certification file until it is forwarded with your application at the time you are being recommended for your license to the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

*OSU transcripts do not include grades from other institutions.

**You may have provided other OSU offices with a transcript; however, the transcript becomes the permanent property of that office and cannot be released to the Office of Professional Education.

Out-of-State Certification.
Those applying to other states will need to contact that state's department of education and request an out-of-state application packet. Most packets will include an "Institutional Recommendation Form". Complete your portion of the form and forward it to our office. Most states will require this form, official transcripts, and a copy of the Oklahoma license.

For Further Licensure/Certification Information

Office of Professional Education
325 Willard
Stillwater, OK 74078
(405) 744-6252
Fax (405) 744-1834

Map of Possible Placement Sites

Appendix A: Student Teaching Application Instructions

Please complete each of the following steps:

1. Complete the online student teaching application (This link will open in a new window)

IF YOU NEED TO PRINT A COPY OF YOUR APPLICATION FOR YOUR STUDENT TEACHING SUPERVISOR: you must print the application before you click the SUBMIT button.

You may also check the status of your student teaching assignment from the Student Teaching Database. Tentative placement assignments will be posted to the website. To view your assignment, click on the link "View Student Teaching Assignment". The assignments are in alphabetical order--if your name is not on the first page, click NEXT until your name appears.

2. Complete your Resume (instructions are included here.)

3. Visit with your university supervisor to discuss possible placement sites (you must complete your student teaching application and resume prior to the meeting). You will also receive a copy of the Student Teacher Memorandum of Understanding for you and your university supervisor to review and sign.

Personnel in the Office of Professional Education will verify your admission to Professional Education, and that your OVERAL GPA, Professional Education GPA, and Specialization GPA are all 2.5 or above. Your university supervisor will notify you of any uncompleted requirements (You will not be allowed to student teach until you meet all student teaching requirements).

4. Submit the following by the application deadline to the Office of Professional Education, 325 Willard:

a) Three (3) copies of your Resume

b) Three (3) copies of your Autobiography

c) Signed Memorandum of Understanding (Your application will not be accepted if your university supervisor has not signed the Memorandum)

d) A current transcript (if you completed a transcript request at the Intent to Student Teach meeting, you will not need to submit a transcript)

Downloadable OSU Student Teacher Memorandum of Understanding

RESUME INSTRUCTIONS

Your resume will be sent to the principal and cooperating teacher of the school(s) in which placement is requested. Please include the following categories in your resume:

1. Personal Information
   Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if you have one)
   
2. Objective
   State simply: Student Teach in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education. Secondary: Student Teach in English, Social Studies, etc.
   
3. Education
   Undergraduates: state the degree you are pursuing and when you will complete it; also list the subject areas in which you will be certified to teach
   Graduates: state the degree(s) you have completed and the subject in which you will be certified to teach
   
4. Relevant Experiences
   List observation experiences (grade level and tasks you completed), other work with youth and relevant work experience
   
5. Activities/Volunteer Work
   Include campus and non-campus activities
   
6. Honors
   Include high school and college honors
   
7. Coursework (K-12 and Secondary student teachers)
   List the specific courses in your major field (i.e. ENGL 4723-Shakespeare, ENGL 4453-Contemporary Literature, etc.)

Please note: The sample resume is the recommended format to secure a student teaching position. When seeking full-time employment, please consult with the College of Education Career Consultant at 405/744-4876.

STUDENT TEACHER AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Include with your resume a well organized, cohesive autobiographical sketch (limit it to two paragraphs) focusing on why you have selected teaching as a career, qualities you will bring to your student teaching experience, and what you hope to gain from the experience. Please limit your resume and autobiography to 2 pages.

Submit 3 copies of your resume and autobiography to the Office of Professional Education.

Download a sample Student Teaching resume that follows these instructions.

Appendix B: Excerpts from Cooperating Teacher Handbook

Phases of Student Teaching

Student teaching assignments are highly individualistic. Involvement in classroom activities will depend upon the individual's readiness to perform the tasks assigned. The cooperating teacher and university supervisor will assess the student's abilities, and determine the student teacher's responsibilities and tasks. In no case will the student teacher immediately assume total responsibility for the class.

Due to the individualistic nature of the assignment, no set time period can be attached to the various phases of student teaching. Some student teachers may be involved with observations for several weeks while others will engage in limited teaching by the third week. In general, though, all student teachers will move through four phases during their experience.

1. Orientation and Observation
   The student teacher becomes oriented to the classroom and observes the cooperating teacher. The candidate should discuss his/her perceptions and observations with the cooperating teacher.
   
   
2. Limited Teaching Experience
   The student teacher becomes involved in planning, preparing resources, correcting papers, helping small groups, supervising study periods, tutoring, constructing quizzes, preparing instructional materials, and teaching a complete lesson that has been cooperatively developed. In this phase, the cooperating teacher provides continuity for the classroom and immediate feedback to the student teacher.
   
   
3. Extensive Teaching Experience
   The student teacher assumes responsibility for the classroom, including planning and teaching a unit of lessons, and evaluating the students in the classroom.
   
   
4. Culminating Experience
   The student teacher completes the teaching unit and finishes the experience by observing other classes.

Roles of Individuals Involved in Student Teaching

Oklahoma State University envisions the student teaching experience as a "partnership" between the student teacher, the cooperating teacher, the building principal, and the university supervisor. To ensure a successful experience, this quartet must develop an atmosphere of communication and trust. This section identifies each person's role and offer suggestions on establishing and maintaining the relationship.

The Cooperating Teacher

A successful cooperating teacher creates an enriching experience both for the students in the classroom and the student teacher. The cooperating teacher retains responsibility for the classroom while guiding the student teacher through such activities as learning students' names, tutoring individual students, working with small groups, developing a teaching unit, teaching one class or subject, and finally teaching multiple classes or subjects.

The cooperating teacher plays a vital role in the education of the student teacher and is expected to:

• Look upon the student teacher as part of the teaching team with gradually increasing responsibility for planning and implementation of lessons.
  
• Conference regularly with the student teacher, making sure the student teacher is free to ask questions and make suggestions, offering feedback on lessons taught, preferably in writing.
  
• Encourage the student teacher to reflect each day on class activities asking themselves: "How can I increase student learning?"
  
• Schedule a conference with the student teacher during the first days of student teaching to clarify the role of the student teacher in the specific context.
  
• Assist the student teacher in developing a professional attitude in all of her/his contacts with the school community.
  
• Acknowledge the student teacher as a professional with a need to know regarding special needs students, informing the student teacher of all special needs students with whom s/he will be working and making IEPs available.
  
• Clarify the student teacher's responsibilities with respect to making lesson plans, securing and organizing appropriate materials, and other necessary activities.
  
• Work with the student teacher to decide together well in advance of the time when a lesson or unit is expected to be taught.
  
• Invite the student teacher to attend staff development programs planned for teachers and administrators.
  
• Insure the student teacher is introduced to teaching at a rate appropriate for that student teacher. One helpful model is a three-phase process: a) the cooperating teacher directly models lesson teaching, b) the student teacher teaches comparable lessons using the cooperating teacher's lesson plans, and c) the student teacher plans and teaches lessons after making the plans available to the cooperating teacher.
  
• Keep a calendar of the student teaching experience, showing the student teacher's days present and days absent.
  
• Plan to be available after each observation by the University supervisor for conferencing with the student teacher and the University supervisor.
  
• Take the necessary steps to remove the student teacher if work is not satisfactory.
  
• Send final written evaluation of the student teacher to the Office of Professional Education, 325 Willard, Stillwater, OK 74078.

The Student Teacher

The student teacher is part of the teaching team, and carries a great deal of the responsibility for the ultimate success of the student teaching experience. Not just a guest in the school, the student teacher is a pre-professional who will eventually plan and carry out lessons designed to benefit the students. A successful student teacher will:

• Support school policies and personnel, following all school rules and regulations including observing the school calendar.
  
• Understand that student teaching is a full-time job so that daily attendance and preparation reflects the seriousness of this responsibility.
  
• Investigate what "professionalism" means in the context of the school in which s/he is placed. S/he will dress, speak, write, and act professionally each day during student teaching.
  
• Be familiar with and act according to laws dealing with confidentiality, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment.
  
• Take part in out-of-class school activities such as PTA meetings, faculty and staff development meetings, and routine teaching and non-teaching tasks.
  
• Test new ideas within the context already established by the cooperating teacher, making them available to the cooperating teacher several days in advance of the lesson.
  
• Develop written lesson plans in advance, sharing them with the cooperating teacher and discussing them before the lesson begins.
  
• Request conferences with the cooperating teacher and/or the University supervisor as needed.
  
• Inform University supervisor in advance when cooperating teacher will be absent on the day of a scheduled observation.
  
• Inform the cooperating teacher and the University supervisor of any absences, in advance if possible.
  
• Be continually involved in self-evaluation through such activities as journaling, examining the goals and outcomes of each instructional activity, reviewing videotapes of classroom activities (after securing necessary parental permission forms), soliciting feedback, and seeking immediate answers to problems.

The University Supervisor

The university supervisor is a liaison between OSU and the public school, cooperating teacher, and student teacher. The supervisor is expected to:

• Hold regularly scheduled meetings with the student teacher.
  
• Visit the student teaching situation a minimum of four times during the student teaching period.
  
• Engage in a three-way conference two or more times with the student teacher and cooperating teacher.
  
• Provide written documentation of observations, providing a copy for the student teacher and maintaining a copy for the student teacher's file.
  
• Conference with the student teacher to discuss planning, learning strategies, discipline, etc.
  
• Participate in discussions with the student teacher and cooperating teacher to decide in which other classrooms and/or building the student teacher will observe.
  
• Assign the final grade for student teaching, giving substantial weight to the written evaluation of the cooperating teacher.

The Principal

The building principal plays an important role in facilitating and coordinating student teachers. A principal who works effectively with student teachers will:

• Facilitate a three-way conference among the student teacher, the University supervisor, and the cooperating teacher at least two times during the semester.
  
• Provide a positive environment for student teachers within the building.
  
• Orient faculty (including both cooperating teachers and other faculty members) to their role in the student teaching program.
  
• Orient each student teacher concerning the school's philosophy, policies, and regulations.
  
• Assist each student teacher in becoming acquainted with the faculty and staff.
  
• Stay informed of the progress of each student teacher.
  
• Observe student teachers, providing them with feedback.
  
• Read and become familiar with the Cooperating Teacher's Handbook, including the OSU policy on using student teachers as substitutes.

Problem Solving Process

Most problems which arise between the cooperating teacher and the student teacher are resolved through daily conferences. The following process should be followed if the problem cannot be resolved.

1. Either the student teacher or the cooperating teacher should:
a) Have a conference with the university supervisor to discuss the issues.
b) Develop a plan to resolve problems.
c) Communicate the plan to the principal and to all involved parties.
d) Work the plan and document progress.

2. If the problem continues, the principal and the university supervisor confer with input from the cooperating teacher and/or the student teacher to determine the next steps. After this meeting, one of the following alternatives will be initiated:
a) Student teacher is removed from the assignment and reassigned within the school or the school system.
b) Student teacher is removed from student teaching in that school system.

3. If the student teacher is not satisfied with the decision, he/she may appeal to a committee composed of the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Manager of Professional Education, the Field Experiences Specialist, and the program coordinator.

Evaluation of the Student Teacher

At the end of the student teaching experience, the cooperating teacher must submit a written evaluation of the student teacher (forms will be provided by the OSU University Supervisor). The cooperating teacher's evaluation provides valuable input that will be used in determining the candidates's final grade. Promptness in returning the evaluation is important, as evaluations received after the cut-off date for submission of grades are of little value to university supervisors. Since candidates are aware of the appraisal form, the cooperating teacher should feel free to involve the student teacher in completing the form.

Employment Recommendation

Student teachers will frequently request a letter of recommendation from their cooperating teacher which can be utilized in the job search process. If the cooperating teacher feels that such letters of recommendation can be provided, we encourage him/her to do so. However, the cooperating teacher is not required to provide such letters.

Credential or Placement Files

Some school districts require a credential or placement file as part of the application process. This file usually contains an up to date resume, copies of your transcripts, letters of reference, copies of certification tests taken and passed, and other related information. You can either maintain the file yourself and send it upon request or utilize an online clearinghouse that will post the written documents to its web site. Upon your request, school district personnel would have access to your online file. Information about online credential files can be found here. Please direct any additional questions to the College of Education Career Consultant at 405/744-4876.

Appendix C: Observation Guide for Student Teacher

Many of the professional courses in education discuss theories and methods of instruction. Through clinical experiences and student teaching, the candidate has the opportunity to observe these theories and methods at work. Therefore, the candidate is encouraged to observe every situation possible. These include in-class and out-of-class activities of teachers, students, and administrators ranging from the seemingly mundane procedures of taking role, to the more analytical aspects of motivation and evaluation.

Remember that the objective of observation is to learn from observing and analyzing rather than to be the critic. Not all teachers manage their classrooms as a candidate may want to manage his/her future classroom. In this situation, the candidate should observe and assess the management techniques within the context of their use, analyze the strengths and weaknesses for this particular situation, and examine adaptations that might improve their effectiveness for this unique situation or any other.

Teachers are unique individuals, and no two teachers follow the same procedures. Each teacher will incorporate those methods that best suit his/her needs, the students' needs, the philosophy of the school, and the subject matter being studied. This is the time for the candidate to see theory become practice, enabling the discovery of why some procedures work while others do not.

The following is a guide for daily observations. It is in the form of questions, so the candidate can observe and then analyze. Observation is not just seeing, but also analyzing what is seen -- answering why, how, what, when, and where.

Appendix E: Fall 2003 Student Teaching Activities Calendar

FALL SEMESTER 2003

*Attendance required of all prospective student teachers enrolled in professional education programs.

Note: Students enrolled in student teaching must be fully admitted to Professional Education and have successfully completed coursework in Early Laboratory and Clinical Experiences, Sociological Foundations, Exceptional Child, and Human Development.

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