My department has three student teachers this semester. One lucked out. Her cooperating teacher is a great guy who spends at least one period every day helping her plan lessons. He often stays late critiquing her lessons and even calls her on the weekend to help plan for lessons that are being observed.
The other student teachers are not so lucky. One of them is spending her time marking tests and home works for her cooperating teacher. When she does get to teach, she is being forced to teach a double period math class because the teacher wants the students to have "continuity" in their lesson. This teacher often wanders into the office to chat with friends while the student teacher is teaching.
The other student teacher is not being taken advantage of, but she is getting no help either. Last week I found her agonizing over a lesson she would be teaching. I gave her some advice and asked her what her cooperating teacher had said she should do about the lesson. She informed me that he does not help her write lessons. He also never gives her any feedback on her lessons.
I always thought student teachers were given to the most competent teachers in the department, the ones that really cared and wanted to help the future generation of teachers. I thought nothing could shock me about my profession, but, here I am again shocked. To promise to help and to renege on that help is despicable. I'm appalled at the treatment of these young people at the hands of the people in my department.
4 comments:
I remember my turn as a student teacher in a suburban/rural district in Western New York nearly 20 years ago. My high school "master" teacher had me teaching his entire schedule within a week of showing up, and gave me little if any feedback or support. About the only thing he would do is sit at the back of the room and occasionally yell at the kids to pay attention. As you can imagine this did not really help my credibility with the students. I did find out from one of the classes (which had started the year with over 20 students, but was done to just over 10 when I came second semester) that he had belittled and insulted the girls until many had dropped his class. When I moved onto my middle school experience, in the same district at a different building on an adjacent property word came through the grapevine that some of the parents had asked for me to return and continue teaching.
The very sad part of the story occurred nearly ten years later when my wife and I moved back to WNY, and I was looking for a teaching job and applied to this same district. During my interview at the high school I mentioned I had student taught there, and when I told them who my "master" teacher had been they all raved about how wonderful he was and, even though he was retired, how they still sent students to him to be tutored. I lost all interest for working in that district and school right then. Needless to say I did not get the job.
It is too bad that teachers like these are allowed to have student teachers. I think I can say that I have become a pretty competent teacher, but it was in spite of this man rather than because of him.
It really is sad that the undeserving teachers get student teachers. I'm greatful for the wonderful student teaching experience I had. I still keep in contact with the teacher and have volunteered in her room while I have been in grad school. Like Jimmy above me, they (the principal and my clinical teacher) want me to come teach at the school when I graduate.
These student teachers are supposed to report back to their college advisor. They should keep a log of their experience. And, they should not be afraid to speak up and tell the cooperating teacher what their responsibilities are to the program. We are training generation after generation of teachers not to challenge authority when they are wrong.
I remember my cooperating teacher. She was a nice lady, but not very effective in the classroom. However, she did allow me to teach the way I wanted rather than follow her example. I had always worked in the business world (since I was 16 and in high school) and went to college at night and worked during the day, I had a different perspective on teaching. The kids not only liked my lessons, but the principal did too.
Sometimes I wonder if students should work a year before attending college. I don't see too many teachers carrying newspapers to work the way I did back in the 70's or discussing articles from The Times. I don't hear too many discussions on politics or just witty conversation. It's either pop culture or "their kids".
Deep down, I would never encourage anyone to become a teacher in NYC with all the crap that goes on.
Schoolgal
Hi. I found your blog while browsing math teacher blogs one night and I've been reading ever since.
I'm currently in my semester before student teaching. My school requires us to do about 100 hours of teacher-things at the local schools, including planning and teaching a few lessons. Honestly, I didn't even know cooperating teachers were supposed to look at your lesson plans before you taught them, let alone help you make them. Every time I have taught, I've received feedback like "Don't face the board while writing."
Even though I've had a few co-op teachers that have pretty much just made me do busy work, I don't think I would report them to anyone. We're told so often how big a favor they're doing us, I can't imagine being the person to give them a bad rap.
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