For the Cooperating Teacher A major purpose of the Student Teaching experiences is to provide the student teacher with concrete experiences to help in the development of a realistic perception of self in the professional role of teacher and in appropriate relationships with others within the school organization. The success of this relationship relies upon the cooperating teacher's willingness to endorse and promote three central practices with a student teacher. • To accept the student teacher as a person and a colleague with the goal of helping he/she become as competent as possible within the school. • To support the student teacher through the sharing of accumulated professional wisdom as well as making time for interaction and conversation. • To encourage the student teacher to develop a personal style through successes and failures while providing ideas and feedback. In this critical role, the cooperating teacher must hold a standard Professional Educator License with a primary endorsement in Learning Behavior Specialist I (P-21) and have a minimum of three years of experience prior to working with a practicum candidate or a student teacher. We ask that cooperating teachers become familiar with the Student Teaching requirements as described in this handbook and assume the following responsibilities. 1. Provide oral and written feedback to the candidate on planning. a. Acquaint the student teacher with the classroom and Special Education program goals and organization. Explain their underling philosophical rationale and assist the candidate in creating appropriate learning experiences and relationships. b. Aid the student teacher in utilizing strategies for learning about children, techniques of diagnosis, observation, evaluation, staffing, and interpreting IEPs in order to determine student needs. c. Review and approve, by initialing, all lesson plans in advance of instruction. We recommend that this be done with enough time for the candidate to make suggested changes. d. Discuss the requirements of the PTA learning segment and assist in identifying an appropriate topic and supporting resources. e. Progress from co-planning to monitor the candidate’s individual planning. f. Invite the candidate to participate in IEP meetings, department meetings, faculty meetings and professional conferences. g. Assist in the development of self-reflection and self-evaluation of the student teacher.
2. Provide oral and written feedback to the candidate on instruction and assessment.
a. Observe delivery of instruction on a daily basis. Give specific feedback on strengths and areas for growth in post-observation conferences and written commentaries. Discuss alternative strategies and techniques that have been successful as well as those that have not. b. Demonstrate effective interaction skills and teaching techniques and assist the candidate in analyzing its effect on student learning. c. Encourage the candidate to develop a personal teaching style and to discuss self- evaluations and reflections.
Special Education P2/ST Handbook 2025-2026
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