Transcript Student Teaching Orientation Fall 2003

A Thought for New Teachers to Ponder……..
“I have come to a frightening conclusion.
I am the decisive element in the classroom.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a
child’s life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt, or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether
crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child
humanized or de-humanized.”
-- Hiam Ginott
Student Teaching
 Student teaching is a gradual introduction
into the role of a professional teacher…
 Be observant
 Show initiative
 Ask questions
 Share ideas and new strategies
 The other side of the desk…
 Appearance
 Mannerisms
 Language
A Major Impact on Your Future
The next few months…
You will be evaluated informally
by everyone…
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Abilities
Appearance
Attitude
and more….grammar, penmanship, etc.
Everything counts…
First impressions matter!
The Ever Important…
Tips to a Great Handshake
1. Extend your hand and grip the other person's hand so
that the web of your thumbs meet.
2. Shake just a couple of times.
The motion is from the elbow, not the shoulder.
3. End the handshake cleanly, before the introduction is
over.
If you want to count, a good handshake is held for three or four
seconds
Adapted and taken from: http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-704.html
Remember you are a guest
in the classroom –
If at any time the teacher or administrator no
longer wants you in the classroom…you will
be asked to leave!
All requirements in the remediation plan
developed by the department must be met
before you are placed again.
Calendar Issues
• Follow the school’s calendar once you begin student teaching –
not SCSU’s for holidays and spring break.
• Attend all staff in-service days and scheduled conferences.
• Everyone please refer to your
contracts/paperwork for dates that you are
in the field.
• SPED students will receive specific dates and calendar information
from SPED faculty during the SPED meeting.
Responsibilities of a Teacher Candidate:
(complete list in handbook)
Follow the Code of Ethics for MN teachers
• Provide professional educational services in a nondiscriminatory manner
• Protect the health and safety of students
• Maintain confidentiality
• Use reasonable disciplinary action
• Do not falsify or misrepresent records or facts about
your qualifications
• Do not knowingly make false or malicious
statements about students or colleagues
Expectations
MySpace/FaceBook/Twitter
 Be careful!!
 December 4, 2008
Judge Sides With University Against Student-Teacher With 'Drunken Pirate' Photo
A federal judge has ruled against a former student who sued Millersville University of
Pennsylvania for denying her a degree in education in connection with an online
photo of her drinking, The Washington Post reported.
The former student, Stacy Snyder, sued Millersville in 2007. A year before, the nearby high
school where Ms. Snyder was student-teaching had barred her from its campus days
before the end of her semester-long assignment. Prior evaluations had criticized her
competence and professionalism in the classroom, the legal decision says, but the
school’s discovery of a photograph of Ms. Snyder on MySpace — with the caption
“drunken pirate” and a note alluding to her strained relationship with her supervising
teacher — precipitated the decision to end her assignment.
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Taken From: http://chronicle.com/news/article/5614/judge-sides-with-university-againststudent-teacher-with-drunken-pirate-photo?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Have you ever ‘googled’
yourself?
Try it!
Know what comes up.
A good general rule is
that
your appearance
should
serve as a role model
for
young students to
emulate.
The following is a sampling of faculty dress codes that
suggests
attire that most public schools and districts prohibit:
•Torn, tight, short, or revealing clothing
•shorts or jeans (unless with permission or for special
events)
•T-shirts with non-school logos
•hats (with the exception of those worn for religious or health
reasons)
•jewelry that causes noise or is distracting to the wearer or
others
• flip-flop sandals
•open-toed shoes
•sweat suits or other workout clothing (except for those who
teach physical education)
Check your appearance…
Bend over…
Squat down…
Raise your arms…
Sit down…
If skin shows where it shouldn’t,
CHANGE!
TOO HARD TO REMEMBER…
TRY THIS
NO BOOBS
NO BUTTS
NO BELLIES
Other Teacher Candidate Responsibilities
 Download or purchase the handbook

Know the contents and expectations
 Eligibility!
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First Aid/CPR (Health, Phy Ed and CFS)
Liability Insurance
No insurance = No student teaching
Course requirements met
 You must be registered for student
teaching!
What you need to provide for your supervisor:
• Contact Information
• Weekly Schedule (if requested)
• Reflective journal (electronic or handwritten). Every teacher
candidate must maintain a daily journal…university supervisors
may vary on how these are used and evaluated
• Written and detailed lesson plans
• Every teacher candidate is expected to video tape
himself/herself teaching as an evaluative tool. Follow district
procedures if parental permission is required or if the tape must
be erased after a specified period of time.
• Evaluation forms (in the handbook) completed before the final
conference
Lesson Plans (Additional information on handout)
• All student teachers are required to prepare lesson
plans in a format that is acceptable to both the
cooperating teacher and the university supervisor.
• Prepare a lesson plan for every lesson you are
responsible for teaching. Ideally, you will share the
plans with your cooperating teacher two days prior
to the lesson.
JOB FAIR
 The Minnesota State Universities Job Fair
will be in early Spring at the Minneapolis
Convention Center.
 Contact Career Services for more information
Professional Development
Conference
Thursday, April 8th at Atwood
8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
All student teachers are required to attend.
EXCEPTION:
Block 3 and CFS teacher candidates attend this
conference during their final
student teaching.
semester of
Formal Evaluations
• Six formative evaluations will be completed by
your university supervisor. (Elem. & CFS three each semester)
• Six formative evaluations will be completed by
your cooperating teacher. (Elem. & CFS three each semester)
• A final summative evaluation will be completed at
the end of the student teaching experience by the
university supervisor and your cooperating teacher.
Evaluations are based on the ability to demonstrate progress
on the Standards for Effective Practice for Teachers
1. Subject matter
2. Student learning
3. Diverse learners
4. Instructional strategies
5. Learning environment
/classroom management
6. Communication
7. Planning instruction
8. Assessment
9. Reflection/professional
development
10. Partnerships
11.Professional
Dispositions
St. Cloud State University
Dispositional Statements
These characteristics are based upon the INTASC
consortium principles and other resources on
effective teaching and reflect the dispositions
expected of graduates of the College of Education
at St. Cloud State University
Each of these characteristics/dispositions may be
used to evaluate a teacher candidate:
Dispositional Statements
• Have a passion for teaching that is evident
.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for learning and teaching
• Believe all students can learn; respect them as
individuals
• Enjoy working with children and/or young adults;
• Exhibit a commitment to understanding how children
learn and develop
• Value the contributions and needs of diverse learners
• Understand the need to create a positive learning
environment
• Value active inquiry, reflection and problem-solving
as student skills
• Value working collaboratively with school colleagues,
parents, the community and students
• Believe that instruction should be linked to standards,
curriculum and students
• Value ongoing assessment strategies
• Examine actions continuously as a reflective
practitioner and believe in life-long learning
• Have an openness to constructive criticism
• Have a strong work ethic and a mature, professional
demeanor.
(Some information was adapted from
materials created by John Hopkins University)
Skills Employers Seek
from 2009 SCSU Job Outlook Survey (conducted by Andy Ditlevson, CSC)
 Honesty/Integrity
 Communication (verbal and written)
 Interpersonal (relates well to others)
 Teamwork (works well with others)
 Strong Work Ethic
 Motivation/Initiative
 Flexibility/Adaptability
 Professionalism/Etiquette
 Customer Service
 Detailed Oriented
 Organizational Skills
QUESTIONS?
PART TWO
CRITICAL ISSUES
FOR
ALL
EDUCATORS
Fran Umerski
Director of Office of Clinical Experiences
Six Important issues
that impact all teachers
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Data Privacy
Boundary Issues
Personal Relationships
Child Abuse
Cultural Competence
School Safety
Taken From: (Education Minnesota, Classroom Essentials 2007-08)
Data Privacy Issues:
Keep student information private
Much of the information you will deal with is private educational data
on students and is protected by both state and federal privacy laws.
Sharing information when there is no valid educational reason for
doing so may subject you to discipline by the district and to civil liability.
When discussing students with colleagues, ask yourself whether the
discussion is really necessary to provide educational services to the
student.
 Do not discuss individual students outside the school setting.
Be sure volunteers in your classroom know they must keep information
on students private.
•Do not release information
•If you can’t release something in written form, you can’t release it orally.
•Do not list the names of top scorers or students who need to turn in work.
•Do not post students’ work on your class Web site unless you have their
parents’ permission.
•Ask if your district allows you to display photos of students or send home
videos of students.
•If in doubt, when asked for information, withhold the requested information
until you check with your principal.
•If anyone questions you about a student, respond simply that the information
is private student data and that you cannot discuss it.
Boundary Issues
“Don’t let allegations of inappropriate touch ruin your career”
It’s sad but true. Every year a dozen or more Minnesota
teachers on average are accused of inappropriate touch.
Even when the charges are proven false, the impact on you
personally, your career and your colleagues can be
devastating.
Be aware of, and sensitive to, physical and emotional
boundaries.
Remember, you are not your students’ friend—you are their
teacher.
Let professional counselors and psychologists assist them with
emotional issues.
Here are some ways to reduce the risk of
being accused:
 Avoid physical horseplay with students.
 Don’t let students sit on your lap.
 Do not meet with students alone in a closed setting.
 If you are male, be especially careful.
 Regardless of gender, if you teach fifth grade or above, avoid
touching any students unless absolutely necessary.
 Avoid personal notes to students unless they deal solely with
educational matters. Be especially careful with e-mail,
MySpace websites, and instant Internet and text messages.
 Use extreme caution when meeting with students in non-school
settings, especially when other adults are not present. You
should always have parent and district approval.
 Never use physical force to punish a student.
Personal Relationships…
• AVOID…
• Not Acceptable…
• Teachers “in the news”
• You WILL lose your license!
•
They did!
Child Abuse
“Teachers must report suspected abuse”
If you know or have reason to believe that one of your students
has been the victim of child abuse or neglect, Minnesota law
requires that you report it
 It is not sufficient to simply report it to the administration.
 The law also provides you with immunity for reports made in
good faith.
 If you are unsure, you should err on the side of reporting and
leave the investigation to the proper authorities.
One sign or symptom may not necessarily indicate child
abuse, but some clues might lead you to suspect it:
 has a pattern of unexplained injuries or an
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inordinate number of “explained” ones
inappropriately dressed for the season
habitually late or often absent
arrives early and leaves late because he or she is
reluctant to go home
unusually fearful of adults or other children
goes to the bathroom with difficulty or has trouble
sitting
constantly tired or shows evidence of malnutrition
Cultural Competence
“The ability to
work effectively across all
cultures in a way that
acknowledges and respects
the culture of the person or
organization being served.”
(Hanley 1999)
“If there is a lack of a close fit
between the primary cultures
of teachers and students,
students are at risk for school
difficulties.” (Cooper, 2002)
Teachers Should:
•Respect cultural differences
•Believe all students are capable of learning
•Have a sense of efficacy
•Know the cultural resources that students bring to school
•Be aware of the culture of their classroom
•Implement an enriched curriculum for all students
•“Build bridges between instructional content, materials, and methods,
and the cultural background of their students.” (Cooper, 2002)
•Be aware of cultural differences when evaluating students
•Be aware of their OWN culture in the classroom
SCHOOL SAFETY
“Help provide a safe learning environment”
 Statistically, public schools are one
of the safest places for children.
 But it is still essential to be
prepared for the possibility of
violence or other life-threatening
emergencies.
Where do you start?
 Familiarize yourself with your district’s crisis management
policy.
 Make sure you receive training in crisis procedures, including
opportunities to practice the procedures with students present.
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Lock down procedures
Police canines
 Know your school building
 Know the staff and other adults authorized to be in your school.
 Pay attention to warning signs that a student could become
violent.
 Help foster a safe and respectful environment in your classroom
and school.
 For additional assistance, you can access Education
Minnesota’s Crisis Response Team through your building
representative or local president.
QUESTIONS?