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Reflection on cooperating teachers
Reflection on cooperating teachers
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Teacher education is the beginning of a career long process of professional development (Clarke 2007). The culmination of most teacher education undergraduate programs is the student teaching experience. During this period, the pre-service educator or student teacher begins what typically is the lengthiest amount of time spent in front of a class in the role as a teacher. The student teacher experiences all the day to day situations, hours, struggles, successes, and failures of being a practicing educator with actual students. Because of this expanded experience, student teaching is considered one of the most important aspects of the teacher education process (McIntyre, Byrd, & Foxx, 1996; Guyton & McIntyre, 1990). Deep within the student teaching process is the cooperating teacher. …show more content…
Clarke (2007) explains that three commonly accepted descriptions for cooperating teachers: classroom placeholder, supervisor of practica, and teacher educator. The classroom place holder participates very minimally with the student teacher. The place holder quickly pushes the student teacher in to the role of teacher and has little interaction with the student teacher. The next description is supervisor of practica. The cooperating teacher oversees what the student teacher is doing while teaching. The cooperating teacher observes, records, and reports the actions of the student teacher. Most of the interaction between the two parties is one directional as the cooperating teacher presents a blow by blow account of perceived successes and failures. The last description is that of teacher educator. The cooperating teacher is engaged in the class and with the student teacher. The cooperating teacher is working closely with the student teacher encouraging him or her to get the most out of each opportunity that is presented (MacKinnon & Erickson, 1988, in Clarke
Schools are beginning to adapt more to the variety of students needs in the classroom. Co-teaching is one of the methods schools and teachers are using to reach more students. It got originally noticed in 1960s but didn’t become popular and supported till 1990s (Villa). Co-teaching is when the general education teacher is working along side another professional. They could be a special education teacher, ESL teacher, a reading specialist, or any other professional that could assist in creating a coordinated curriculum for a diverse classroom. Both the general education teacher and the other professional will plan the coordinated curriculum and instructions that will be used in the general education classroom (Vaughn pg. 79).
Co-teaching is the collaboration of two or more credentialed teaching professionals, most typically a general education teacher and a special education teacher. To truly qualify as a co-teaching model, each teacher must be actively involved in the teaching of the lessons. Each teacher contributes their own unique expertise to the planning, instruction, and managing of all students in the classroom. If executed in this way, co-teaching can enhance the learning environment and involve and engage all students in the classroom. All students, from the academically gifted to the academically challenged, can benefit from the increased engaged time and more diverse instruction which the co-teaching model offers.
Teaching means more than just giving students information about a subject. Teaching is about building relationships, and finding ways to support students in their pursuit for learning. Support can be both in the classroom (or the setting where the learning takes place), and outside of this realm. I have gained skills pertinent to support and relationship building throughout my experiences as a resident assistant, peer advisor and a peer tutor.
Wischnowski, M. W., Salmon, S. J., & Eaton, K. (2004). Evaluating co-teaching as a means for
They should have all information on child necessities and help the child achieve their goals. The Co-Teacher will work with all of the student’s teachers, to have access on his or her student they are assigned to. The Co-Teacher will also work heavily with the child’s parents, this will grow good relationships with the parents and also acknowledging that they are here to help the child. This specialized teacher will help the child in whatever they may need assistance in, whilst growing their independence and interaction with the student’s classmates. The Co-Teacher will mold into their child’s learning process. The Co-Teacher is allowed to teach one-on-one with the student, this provides an amazing advantage to their growth. They have a teacher specifically for them and helps the student in this environment they are in. But the Co-Teacher must also be aware that the child must interact with other children in positive ways. That they are able to participate in classroom activities even when they are not around. The Co-Teacher will document their child’s progress, this will help them on what they need to work on, and what they can build from on their child’s growth. But it won’t be easy, if it isn’t obvious, the Co-Teacher must show a lot of patience and empathy. The Co-Teacher will also be provided with tools helps their child
Teacher knowledge has always been the basis to an effective learning experience. Without a knowledgeable teacher, students are not able to receive a quality educational experience. This pillar encompasses the influence teachers have on student learning and achievement, possession of research based knowledge, and effective teaching practices. I thrive to be educated and knowledgeable on the information presented to my students. By having a variety of teaching techniques that work and I use often in my classroom, I am able to mold my instruction around student needs and provide efficient and
In the 21st century, more educators are working collaboratively with other teachers to enhance their learning and promote their professional growth. Some schools provide professional development workshops so teachers can learn new teaching strategies to become better educators while others schools lack these professional workshops. There are still few individuals that do not believe that working collaboratively makes a difference in student learning and as educators, we must respect their opinions (Knight, 2008). As educators, we must make sure to establish a partnership with other teachers to promote learning and make a difference in student learning. According to knight (2008), working collaborative with other teachers is very critical for
teacher teaches, the other teacher takes attendance, works on grading, or plans the next activity.
professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education , 24 (1), 80-91.
...he school only has one perspective on the needs of a student at any given time. However, by collaborating with others at the school, they can pool their resources together in order to create a better learning experience for the student. Because of this, it is important for a teacher to maintain open relationships with everyone else at the school.
In a society where kids must go to school up to the collegiate level, teaching is an impactful career choice. Teachers help contour the minds of future leaders of the world. Furthermore, teachers play a crucial role in guiding students to the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to succeed in life, and teachers lead students to make informed decisions on any topic the meet in the future. As a teacher, a person must relinquish their knowledge onto students. Finally, they must prepare their students for all the obstacles they will face later in life.
Professional development is critical to success in a teacher’s career. Teachers need to be open to continuing their education and consistently reflecting on lessons and interactions with students. At the expert stage of teaching, “the teacher’s practice is characterized by fluency, automaticity, and efficiency” (Garmston, 1998). In order to achieve this level of teaching practice, the educator must continue to learn new teaching strategies, understand the curriculum, recognize students and their differences, and conduct self-reflections. A teacher who is dedicated to professional development and wanting to improve their teaching, will make a stronger impact on students.
Being a teacher is not an easy task as many people could think. To be a teacher does not only imply to know the subject to be taught, it also includes being willing to constantly improve oneself integrally, as much as updating the resources and materials one uses in teaching. Reflecting and analyzing over and over again the best way to teach to learn and how to make students to extend what has been learned. The many hours spend in the classroom will never be enough to plan lessons, prepare materials, review pupils tasks and exams, as well, all the administrative requirements one has to cover for whatever institution we work. Besides all this a good teacher, a professional one, will have to find the time to keep preparing to improve oneself.
My cooperating teacher has been employed in the field of education for 19 plus years. She has been in her current position as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at the Lighthouse Learning Center for 12 years. Observing a teacher who has so many years of experience in the classroom is very beneficial. She shared with me this week her teaching philosophy that has evolved from her many years in the classroom. The components of her philosophy include a focus on people, strategies, and tools.
From my field experience, I have noticed that my cooperating teacher shows democratic education throughout the classroom. My cooperating teacher is a sixth grade teacher. At this age, they are starting to learn how to be responsible on their own, which means they are starting to branch out from constantly being with their parents. In the classroom, my teacher gave her students the responsibility to do write down their homework on their own, which she trusted her students to do the homework. In the case the students were not doing their homework, she would contact the child’s parent to try to find a way to resolve this issue. In this case, the parents would still be involved, without being overbearing. I have noticed that my cooperating teacher shares the power.