6 Steps to Prepare for Student Teaching

By Chase Pattison on June 30, 2011

Student teaching is like an apprenticeship. At first, you do a lot of watching and a little hands-on work, but by the end, you’re expected to operate independently.  For most student teachers, the apprenticeship lasts only 6 to 12 weeks. Preparing yourself for the road ahead will ensure you get to your destination after a crash course, rather than literally crashing.

by Jenn Pedde
University of Southern California

Step 1: Get Organized

When I first began student teaching, my best friend was my binder. Although it is still very important to take a few trips to the office supply store, it’s perhaps even more important to be digitally organized.

One professor I had introduced me to good digital asset management techniques — it’s basically a long term for “not having files all over your computer desktop.” Create a student teaching folder and several sub folders on your computer. Because you’ll use many of the lesson plans, tests, photos and even copies of student work to help you land a teaching job afterward, it’s very helpful if they are all in easy-to-find places (let’s admit it: we don’t always remember what we name files, so the search function isn’t always helpful).

The same professor also advised me to get “legally” organized by having a media release form ready. On the first day of my student teaching, I sent the form home for parents to sign. That way I could display my student’s work or photos of myself teaching in the classroom in my ePortfolio or website, regardless of what school I was headed to the following year.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Wardrobe

Regardless of your age and style, you’ll want to evaluate your wardrobe before you begin student teaching. Ask a parent, friend or even a student what he or she thinks about your clothing. Is it too revealing? Too casual? While you can keep your own style, it’s important that clothing not be a distraction in the classroom.

Dressing professionally is a way to help demand student respect. If you’re heading to the high school classroom, like I was, choose button down shirts, ties and non-distracting colors. If you’re headed to the elementary classroom, however, brightly colored clothing that’s easy to dance around in might be more appropriate (and comfortable).

Step 3: Meet Your Mentor Teacher

The summer before I began my student teaching, I exchanged a few phone calls and emails with my mentor teacher. I learned how many students I would have, the first few units we would be teaching and even a little bit of background information about the students.

While not all student teachers will get the luxury of knowing their placement months ahead of time, it’s important to contact your mentor teacher as soon as you can. Often, school websites have directories posted online in the event that you don’t receive contact information.

Have a list of questions prepared to ask your mentor teacher before you start: What’s the hardest part of teaching? What’s new this year? How is a typical day structured? What advice does he or she have for you?

Step 4: Learn Your Content

Just as any actor memorizes a script or a surgeon doesn’t study a manual while operating on a patient, a teacher should understand the concepts and content they’re expected to teach.

As soon as you learn which grade or subject you’ll be student teaching, pick up a few textbooks from a professor, local library or even your mentor teacher. If you’re headed into the English classroom, re-read the novels or books your students will be reading. If you’re teaching third grade, refresh your memory on how to write cursive letters legibly.

Of course, there will always be questions you can’t answer right away. But learning your content also means you’ve got a list of websites or a bookshelf filled with resources that will help you find out the answers when students have questions.

Step 5: Learn About Your Students

While you might not get the chance to meet any of your students before the first day of student teaching, learning a bit about popular culture may help you relate better to your students.

Before my student teaching, I watched a few music videos, read Harry Potter and worked at a summer camp. That way, I had an idea of some of the words that high schoolers used, what they liked to do, and which books and celebrities a lot of them related to.

Step 6: Stockpile “Pocket Strategies”

Part of what can be difficult for student teaching is keeping order in the classroom (something they don’t learn when studying for your teaching credential). Preparing a few “pocket strategies” will help. Basically, a pocket strategy is a tool you can implement very quickly (like pulling it out of your pocket) and settle down a classroom or send a student’s focus back on task.

In my high school classroom, if the class got too noisy, I would simply start counting up until the class got quiet. I would then write the number on the board. At the end of class, that’s how many seconds after the bell the entire class would have to stay. Since students really value their between-class hall time, there were very few days in which that number exceeded five.

Other pocket strategies include turning out the lights (works great with elementary) or even setting in place a positive reward system from day one. Then, whenever you need, you can pull out a ticket or “apple points” to reward good behavior. Students who are misbehaving are often inspired – very quickly – to do what’s right. Remember to have a number of these ready, as every class responds differently to each strategy.


Jenn Pedde is the community manager for the MSW degree program at the University of Southern California. She was formally a teacher internationally and recommends that aspiring teachers check out CertificationMap.com to learn more about how to become a teacher.

 


Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format