Section 3 A Progressive Experience Every effort is being made for teacher candidates/interns to have a progressive clinical field experience at the PDS partner school. A progressive experience is one in which the interns move through the following experiences with their mentors and classes. Observe a variety of classes both inside and outside major to gain a broad view of the school’s teaching and learning. This will assist the interns in understanding the school culture, climate and expectations. Observe classes in major and with mentor as instructor. This allows interns to gain a sense of the teaching and learning in their content department and with their mentor. This will enable the intern in understanding the teaching, learning, assessment and classroom management processes in their department and with their mentor in a variety of organizational, planning and teaching situations. Engage in instructional support activities. In addition to observing, the interns are encouraged to pursue engaging support activities with their mentors and their students. This includes activities such as Taking attendance, handing back papers and tutoring Conducting research to improve curriculum, instruction or assessment Facilitating/chaperoning field trips Organizing physical classroom setting Grading student’s papers, projects, exams and quizzes Using technology, including laptop computer rooms Preparing bulletin boards Delivering short presentations to students Setting up demonstrations, experiments, labs or technology work Attending department meetings/faculty meetings Attending/participating in student events Attending professional education meetings Assist with small group instruction. The intern may work with small groups of students. They may assist the classroom teacher with cooperative learning groups and projects. This might include: Facilitating small group work in class, library or other setting Preparing digital presentations or other resources for the small group instruction Conducting small group instruction Providing mentor with feedback about student performance Supervising students during work sessions Providing students with appropriate feedback and encouragement. Co-teach with mentor. This allows the intern to teach cooperatively with the mentor. Co-plan with mentor. The mentor and intern collaborate on planning lessons taught by one or both. Plan, implement and three continuous lessons. Prior to and during this phase, the intern will be consulting with the mentor regarding their lesson planning and assessing their teaching effectiveness. The intern will provide their mentor with Teaching Skills Analysis Forms (TSAFs) prior to each lesson taught. The mentor provides timely feedback to the intern after
Section 1 What it IS; What it is NOT Element of Co-Teaching Co-Teaching DOES Co-Teaching Does NOT “two or more professionals” involve at 2 peers who are partners in the instructional effort. involve a teacher and a classroom volunteer or paraprofessional who do not have the professional preparation to co-teach (Friend, 2003). delivery of instruction” mean both coordinate and deliver substantive instruction, ensuring that both teachers have active roles. Co-teachers should work to ensure that their instructional strategies engage all students in ways that are not possible when only one teacher is present (Austin, 2001; Gately & Gately, 2001). mean two adults merely present in the classroom at the same time. It also does not mean that one teacher plans and delivers all of the lessons while the other circulates. It does not involve taking turns teaching the whole group (Murawski, 2002). “diverse group of students” allow teachers to respond effectively to diverse needs of students, lower the teacher-student ration, and expand the professional expertise that can be applied to student needs (Hourcade & Bauwens, 2001). include separating or grouping students with special needs in one part of the classroom or along the fringes, even if these practices are well- intentioned (Friend, 2003). “shared classroom space” feature co-teachers instructing in the same physical space. Although small groups may occasionally be taken to a separate location for a specific purpose and limited time, co-teaching generally takes place in a single environment (Friend, 2003). include teaching teams that plan together but then group and instruct in separate classrooms (Trump, 1966; Green,1985).
Section 2 Models of Co-Teaching One Teach, One Drift Design Lead teacher models organization of the content. Lead teacher identifies skills and strategies needed for groups and individual students to complete the task(s) of the lesson. Support teacher assists. Instruction Lead teacher conducts formal teaching. Support teacher teaches components of lessons with groups of students. Support teacher provides content support to lead teacher’s lesson. Monitoring Lead teacher uses pre-assessment to determine students’ need for support. Support teacher assesses students’ skills and facilitates self- regulation during the lesson. Students use self-assessment as they request assistance during or after a formal lesson. Benefits Having two teachers to help individual students after the lesson is presented (individual guided practice). Station Teaching Design Lead teacher and support teacher segment the lesson content. Lead teacher and support teacher divide the number of stations they are responsible for. Both teachers plan and organize their station activities with attention to possible group differences. Instruction Lead and support teacher segment learning to small groups or individual students at the stations they design. Monitoring Lead teacher and support teacher use pre-assessment to determine how students are selected for stations (e.g. skills, interests, random). Given the organizational structure and tasks of each station, assessment done by students can also be used during the lesson. Benefits Facilitates small group learning and is responsive to individual needs. The notions of “mini-lesson,’ ‘accelerated learning,’ ‘mastery learning,’ and other ideas that teach to many levels can be readily addressed.
Parallel Teaching Design Lead teacher and support teacher collaboratively organize the lesson content. Lead teacher and support teacher identify strategies needed for groups and individual students. Lead teacher and support teacher divide the students into two groups. Instruction Lead teacher and support teacher independently deliver the lesson plan to each of the groups. Lead teacher and support teacher facilitate learning in their respective groups. Monitoring Lead teacher and support teacher monitor their own groups of students. Lead teacher and support teacher use post lesson reflection to their expectations using the same lesson plan with different groups of students. Benefits Parallel teaching is very helpful whenever we want to increase the likelihood of participation. It also allows for intensive work with a small group of students. Alternative Teaching Design Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson. Lead teacher and support teacher determine the appropriate structures for alternative remedial or enrichment lessons that promote learning. Instruction Lead teacher conducts formal teaching. Support teacher implements supplemental activities for the group, small groups or individual students before or after the formal lesson. Monitoring Lead teacher and support teacher pre-assess the students to plan for alternative lessons. Lead teacher and support teacher assess the students during the formal lesson to identify students who would benefit from the alternative lessons. Student self-assessment and/or peer-assessment encourage students to articulate their need for alternative forms of instruction. Benefits Allows for the use of alternative methods to re-teach or extend the lesson vertically or horizontally. This model allows for multiple means of delivery.
Section 3 Co-Teaching Considerations Time for Planning How much time do we need? Where will we find the time that we need? How will we use our time together? What records can we keep to facilitate our planning? Instruction What content will we include? Who plans what content? How will we share teaching responsibility? Who adapts the curriculum & instructional and assessment procedures for select students? What are our strengths in the area of instruction & assessment? How will the content of the lesson be presented – will one person teach and the other arrange & facilitate follow-up activities, or will all members share in the teaching of the lesson? How will we arrange to share our expertise? How can we arrange to observe one another & practice peer coaching? Do we rotate responsibilities? How will we assess the effectiveness of our instruction? Evaluation How will we monitor students’ progress? How will we assess and grade student performance? Who evaluates which group of students – do co-teachers collaborate in evaluating all students’ performance, or is each co- teacher primarily responsible for evaluating a subset of students? Student Behavior What are our class guidelines and rules? Who determines the disciplinary procedures? Who carries out the disciplinary procedures & delivers the consequences? How will we be consistent in dealing with behavior? How will we proactively address behavior? Communication What types & frequency of communication do we like to have with parents? How will we explain this co-teaching arrangement to parents? Who will communicate with parents? Will there be shared responsibility for communication with parents of students who have identified special education or other specialized needs, or will particular members of the co-teaching team have this responsibility? types of communication do we each like to have with students? With what frequency do we like to communicate with students? Who will communicate with students? How will we ensure regular communication with each Who communicates with administrators? Logistics How will we explain our co-teaching arrangement to the students and convey that we are equals in the classroom? How will we to each other in front of the students?
Help me understand what you took into account when planning this particular I noticed that you altered your prepared lesson plan during... If you could teach this lesson again, what, if anything, would you do differently? Why? What conclusions can you draw from teaching this lesson? When asking a question to elicit reflection, you need to be careful not to ask in a way that belittles your mentee. Show and Tell At times, your wisest role as a mentor will be that of the experienced teacher. You show how it should be done when your mentee observes you teaching a lesson. You tell what you are going to do when you brief your mentee before the lesson. You share what you did during your meeting with the mentee after the lesson. The Question of Intervening The challenge is to decide the effect of intervening on the mentee’s confidence and relationship with the students against the possible damage likely to befall the students if you don’t intervene. The second challenge is to do so in a way that continues to support the mentee. You and your mentee will want to have some guidelines about what circumstances could lead you to intervene and how you will do it. (i.e. the safety of the students in the classroom.) Sometimes the act of intervening is undermining the mentee and diminishes the mentee’s authority with the students. It is possible to act to achieve a win-win solution. Communication with the mentee and at times with the students is essential to maintain a collegial relationship. Summary The function of coaching is to allow the mentee to clarify what, when, and how to teach; to reflect on the results of those decisions; and to develop and use alternatives that will improve upon past performances.” Text taken from Hal Portner, Mentoring New Teachers, Corwin Press, 2003.
Section 4 Generational Differences Baby Boomers (1946-1960) Generation X (1961-1980) Millennials Influences Suburbia, TV, Vietnam, Watergate, Protests: Human Rights & Women’s Movement, Drugs, Sex, & Rock ‘n’ Roll Sesame Street, MTV, Game Boy, PC, Divorce-rate tripled, Latchkey children, Left alone Expanded technology, Natural disasters, Violence/gangs, Diversity, Coddled by parents Characteristics Idealistic, Competitive, Question Authority Eclectic, Resourceful, Self-Reliant, Distrustful, Highly Adaptive to change & technology Globally concerned, Realistic, Cyber-savvy, Suffer “ADD,” “Remote control kids” Key Descriptor Optimist Skeptic Realist Slogan “Thank God it’s Monday” “Work to Live” “It’s all about me” Job Changing Puts you behind Stay if moving up Is necessary Follow your heart The ultimate multitaskers Part of daily routine; expected Motivators $, title, recognition, promotion Freedom, fun Personal fulfillment Workplace Flexibility The of those Xers! I’ll go where I can find it. Should suit my needs. Working Long Hours Will get ahead, $, bonus Get a life! Decide when, where and how But not all AT work Productivity Input matters most Output is all that matters Churn lots of topsoil in many areas Give me more... Money Time Affirmation Performance Reviews Once a year; documented Sorry to interrupt; How am I doing? What do you mean I’m not outstanding? Work-Life Integration Work matters most; divorced or dual career Family matters as much; dual career Too soon to tell Career Paths Ladder; upward mobility Lattice; plateaus are fine Checkerboard Career Pace Prove yourself with long hours; pay your dues I want to know all my options now May switch frequently and fast Credit: “Traditionalists, Boomers, Xers, AND Millenials: Giving and Getting the Mentoring You Want”; Mentoring Luncheon given by Cathy A. Trower, Ph.D., October 16, 2009.
of the year. Many feel a great sense of relief that they have made it through the first half of the year. During this phase, new teachers focus on curriculum development, long-term planning and teaching strategies. "I'm really excited about my story writing center, although the organization of it has at times been haphazard. Story writing has definitely revived my journals." The rejuvenation phase tends to last into spring with many ups and downs along the way. Toward the end of this phase, new teachers begin to raise concerns about whether they can get everything done prior to the end of school. They also wonder how their students will do on the tests, questioning once again their own effectiveness as teachers. "I'm fearful of these big tests. Can you be fired if your kids do poorly? I don't know enough about them to know what I haven't taught, and I'm sure it's a lot." REFLECTION PHASE The reflection beginning in May is a particularly invigorating time for first-year teachers. Reflecting over the year, they highlight events that were successful and those that were not. They think about the various changes that they plan to make the following year in management, curriculum, and teaching strategies. The end is in sight, and they have almost made it; but more importantly, a vision emerges as to what their second year will look like, which brings them to a new phase of anticipation. "I think that for next year I'd like to start the letter puppets earlier in the year to introduce the kids to more letters." It is critical that we assist new teachers and ease the transition from student teacher to full-time professional. Recognizing the phases new teachers go through gives us a framework within which we can begin to design support programs to make the first year of teaching a more positive experience for our new colleagues. This article was originally written for publication in the newsletter for the California New Teacher Project, published by the California Department of Education (CDE), 1990. Article found at
Section 8 Building with Your Intern Clear expectations, positive tone, useful feedback and exhibiting concern for the student teacher are necessary in establishing a meaningful working relationship with the intern. Taking a proactive approach with your intern by being upfront and specific with your expectations will establish clear guidelines from which to build a trusting relationship. Addressing the expectations below with your mentee during your initial conference will begin the process of a meaningful professional relationship. These expectations should be reinforced during the Professional Development School experience. List of Behavior Clarifying Mentor Teacher Expectations Attendance Attention to detail Attitude toward students Attitude toward supervision Attitude toward teaching Copy machine etiquette Communicating with parents Completing on time Content knowledge Dress for student teaching Enthusiasm for teaching Evaluating student work Following procedures developed by cooperating teacher Planning effectively Projecting confidence to students (amount of confidence) Punctuality (starting time) Supervision responsibilities Outside activities (clubs, coaching, work, social life) Quality of written work Relations with administration Relations with faculty/staff Relations with students Student-centered approach to teaching Turning in lesson plans (who/where) What to do when absent Adapted from “Working with Student Teachers—Getting and Giving the Best” Michael A. Morehead, Lawrence Lyman, and Harvey C. Foyle. A Scarecrow Education Book, 2003.