2007-2008
Mathematics Credential/Masters Program Handbook
School of Education
University of California, Davis
Supervisor: Allan Bellman, PhD
Email: aebellman@ucdavis.edu
Office Phone: 530-752-6083
Overview
The teaching credential program at UC Davis is a five quarter, research based program designed to prepare secondary teachers to be educational leaders with a focus on advocacy for educational equity, becoming a reflective practitioner, and becoming a technology user.
The mathematics credential program is divided into four distinct components conducted over a two-year period;
Year One
1) Credential and Masters course work, those courses required by the State of California for a clear teaching credential, the coursework aligned with the MA program and course work formerly associated with Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development (CLAD) authorization.
2) Methods instruction designed to develop the professional skills and pedagogical content knowledge required of effective teachers.
3) Student teaching, designed to provide a mentored teaching experience in a public school classroom.
Year Two
4) Induction/Master Course work, part time coursework focused on participants transition from student teacher to teaching professional. Courses during year two will be conducted primarily via electronic communications with minimal campus attendance required.
Successful completion of all components results in a California Professional Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential in Mathematics and a Masters of Arts in Education.
Course Work
The course work component of the program is designed to provide student teachers with the general skills needed to be effective teachers in California's increasingly diverse classrooms. Participants will investigate the influence of a variety of teaching techniques on student achievement. Courses during the first year include those required for the California, Preliminary, and Single Subject Teaching Credential including those courses formerly required for CLAD authorization. Students will participate in two methods classes and mathematics subject specific discussion sections associated with EDU 306A, B, C. Every effort is made to incorporate the student's student teaching placements as examples for assignments. In addition, students will learn about the traditions of teacher research and apply these principles to a critical teaching event during the spring quarter.
In year two of the program, part-time coursework will be aligned with the tasks and expectations of first year teachers.
Pre-Fall Quarter I
EDU 153 – Teaching in Multicultural Classrooms (MW 2 – 5) 2 units
** If you do not have reasonable computer skills think of taking EDU 180.
Fall Quarter I
EDU 275 – Math/Science/AG (T 2 – 3) – This is a cohort discussion
EDU 292/306A- Teaching in Secondary Schools/Special Topics in Education (T 3 – 5) 6 units
EDU 275 – Effective Teaching (W 2 – 5) 4 units
EDU 324A-Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Schools, part 1 (Th 3 – 7:30) 4 units
Winter Quarter I
EDU 301 – Reading in the Secondary School (M 3:30 - 7) 4 units
EDU 306B/292- Teaching in Secondary Schools /Special topics in education (T 3 - 5) 8 units EDU 206A- History and Traditions of Teacher Education Research (T 5 - 7) 2 units
EDU
115- Educating Children with Disabilities (W 6 - 8) 2 units
EDU 324B- Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Schools, part 2 (Th 2 – 6:30) 4 units
Spring Quarter I
EDU 306C/292 - Teaching in Secondary Schools/ Special topics in education (T 4 - 6) 8 units
EDU 206B- Teacher Research Methods (Th 4:30 – 7:30) 4 units
Fall Quarter II
EDU 206C Inquiry into Classroom Practice (4) EDU 299 Independent Group Study (2)
Winter Quarter II
EDU 292- Special topics in education (4) EDU 299 Independent Group Study (2)
Student Teaching
Each participant in the mathematics credential program will have two student teaching placements. Depending on their personal interests, their subject area, and their career goals, these will either be in a middle school and high school, two classes in a middle school or two classes at a high school. Whatever the combination, it is imperative that the classes contain English language learners.
The purpose of student teaching is to learn through active mentoring and participation the responsibilities and techniques of teaching. Student teachers are not expected to master all of these techniques. However, the more engaged they are and the more time they spend at school and in the company of teachers and students, the more they will gain from the experience.
The student teaching placements will be divided into two categories, a primary placement and a secondary placement.
Primary Placement
The goal of the primary placement is to develop teaching skills. In this class, student teachers will observe their cooperating teacher for a period of 3-6 weeks taking on increasing levels of responsibility for teaching as those weeks go by. Ideally, by the 8th week of class the student teacher should be the instructor for this class on a daily basis. As each student teacher will have individual strengths and weaknesses, taking over by the 8th week is meant as a target only. In some cases the student teacher might take-over much sooner and in other cases much later. The resident teacher, student teacher and University supervisor will make this decision in concert and on an individual basis. The student teacher will be expected to have demonstrated certain competencies before taking over the instructional lead of any classroom. The student teachers are not expected to plan lessons independently of the cooperating teacher during this time. It is fully acceptable to teach the same lessons and same content as the cooperating teacher. This requires a tremendous amount of communication and flexibility. It is the student teachers’ responsibility to identify a time each week when they can meet with the cooperating teacher to discuss planning and instruction. During the second semester, the student teacher is expected to diverge from the cooperating teacher in both planning and instruction. Whereas the focus for the first semester is on learning to teach, the second semester is devoted more to developing autonomy over their teaching. Though all planning must be done in collaboration with the cooperating teacher, the student teacher is encouraged to diverge when ever possible.
Secondary Placement
The secondary placement, at a different grade level or different cognitive level, also begins on the first day of school. In contrast to the primary placement, the goal in the secondary placement during the fall quarter is to learn about the students, their language backgrounds, their prior schooling experiences, their home lives, etc. The student teachers will begin teaching this class on the first day of the second semester, but during the first semester these students and this class will offer the student teacher many opportunities to look critically at the human aspect of public education and how the school structure and the instructional format influence learning opportunities. The student teachers are not expected to take on full teaching responsibilities in the secondary class until the second semester. Once the student teacher takes control of their secondary placement it is expected that all rules and procedures for the class will be developed by the student teacher. The beginning of the second semester will serve as a “test run” on the student teacher’s ability to set-up and start a course. Before the student teacher takes full control, the more he/she participates with the students in this class, the richer the experience will be.
Time at Schools
The student teacher is expected to be at both placements each day. This may involve a short commute between schools but time has been built into the schedules for this purpose. If given a choice, your primary placement will be early in the morning and your secondary placement will be near the end of the morning. Because of the separation of these classes, you should expect to spend all morning in the schools each day.
No non-program classes or regular obligations should be scheduled during the mornings or before 2:00 pm. It is imperative that the student teacher plan to devote this time to working in the schools. There are always things to see and learn at this time. Student teachers who have experienced the greatest success in this program make it a practice to be at the schools every morning for the entire morning. This is a time when you can become part of the school culture. Don’t overlook this unique opportunity. You are expected to participate in or attend a variety of non-teaching activities normally associated with the teaching career. These include department meetings, parent conferences, school board meetings, and extra curricular events such as sporting events, dances, clubs etc. There is no substitute for involvement.
The purpose of the student teaching experience is to provide a mentored environment where student teachers gain first hand knowledge of management, lesson planning and design, assessment, and teaching. It is important during all phases of the student teaching experience to maintain open communication under the guidance of their cooperating teacher and supervisor. The cooperating teachers and the student teacher should spend a minimum of one hour per week meeting and discussing progress and upcoming plans. These meetings should be scheduled ahead of time and be at a time convenient for both parties. These meetings are in addition to the casual conversations that take place before or after a class period when there might be several other distractions.
Electronic Reflections
Student teachers should keep an electronic journal of their reflections from the first visit to the school through the end of the year. They should record more than a script of what is happening; the journal should include their thoughts, what they liked, disliked, what they might do differently etc. The student teacher should remember that the students they work with are most likely from cultures or countries different from their own. The journal provides a good opportunity to reflect on these differences and how a teacher can advocate for their students. On some occasions specific writing prompts will be given for the weekly journal entry. Journals should be submitted each Friday no later than 7:00 PM for comments from the supervisor. It is advised that journaling takes place each afternoon or evening when the day’s activities are still fresh at hand. All electronic journals will be submitted by email.
Observation Phase- Opening of school until the end of October
The observation phase is a unique opportunity in teaching. This may be the only chance to visit other classes, tour the school during the school day, and live the life of a student. Once they begin teaching, student teachers are far more constrained in how they can spend their time. Make the most of this opportunity
Beginning with the before school starts teachers’ meetings, the student teacher should spend the entire workday with their long term placement teacher. It is important to attend the first “All School Meeting” and the first department meetings on the days just prior to the opening of school. At these meetings, the principal and/or the department head will discuss plans for the upcoming year. Pay special attention to rules and procedures. This will be one of the only opportunities the student teachers will have to meet with the entire staff or department during the year. This is a good time to learn how a teacher plans for the first day of class, where the supplies are kept, what equipment is available in the prep room etc. Even though this is a very busy time, take this opportunity to work with the cooperating resident teacher and help him or her prepare for the new year.
Attend the first day of classes. There will never be another first day! Notice how the teacher handles the administrative duties, meets and gets to know the students. What expectations do they set from day one. How will they communicate with parents? What are the classroom policies on attendance, tardies, homework, referrals, detention etc? If the class has a large number of ELLs or multiple languages spoken by the students, how does the teacher communicate their expectations.
During this time, the student teacher should attend the classes that they will be teaching everyday. In addition, they should at least:
· Visit other teacher’s classes at the school. These visits must include all other mathematics teacher’s classes as well as at least two teacher’s classes from each of the other curriculum areas. Pay particular attention to the other classes that the students you will be working with are likely to attend, the level of subject material they are covering.
· Create a typical schedule that the students might follow. Go to each of those classes
· Attend all faculty meetings that do not conflict with on campus courses
· Attend a school board meeting.
· Visit the principal's , vice principals’, and counseling offices
· Review some cumulative files (Consult with the cooperating teacher).
· Gather information on the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the ELL students in your class.
· Visit one of the feeder schools.
· Attend sporting events and extra curricular activities.
· Drive around the neighborhood, get a feel for where your students live, what is available to them. Complete the map assignment and write a brief reflection for EDU 153.
· Take digital pictures of your classroom, the school, and the surrounding neighborhood. Focus on those images that you feel define the culture of the school and the community.
· Complete all of the observation checklist topics.
From the first day of meetings until the last grade has been recorded in June the student teacher is expected to do everything their resident teachers do.
As the student teacher becomes more and more familiar with the students, teachers, and the curriculum, they can begin with simple tasks such as taking roll, grading assignments, and once they have mastered the basic competencies introduce an activity or presenting a short lesson. The timing for taking on these responsibilities is at the discretion of the student teacher and the cooperating teacher in consultation with the supervisor. It is not advisable to take on full teaching responsibilities right away since this would diminish the opportunity to observe other classes. As the student teacher progresses through this phase it is important that they meet with the cooperating resident teacher to learn how they plan their classes, how they adjust to the changing student population etc.
Throughout the first semester, the student teacher should assist or tutor language minority students or students with special needs in their secondary placement classroom.
Note: some student teachers, in conjunction with their cooperating resident teacher, want to begin part time student teaching on the first day of the school year. If this opportunity is available the student teacher must clear this with the University supervisor prior to the start of school.
Part Time Student Teaching- September* - January
Beginning sometime during weeks 3-8* after the start of the school year, the student teacher might begin taking full responsibility for the day-to-day instruction in the primary placement. Exact transition dates will vary depending on a variety of factors and can be much later then these target dates. During this phase, the student teacher should work closely with the cooperating resident teacher on what to teach and the timing of the lessons. It is not advisable for the student teacher to diverge significantly from the cooperating teacher 's schedule at this time. Continue with the sequence and relative pacing of the cooperating teacher. This will help to facilitate sharing materials and laboratory preparations, technology, audio-visual resources and maintain a consistent grading pattern for students. Beginning with the second semester, the student teacher will be expected to diverge from the cooperating resident teacher 's lesson plans. They will select the materials to be used, set the pace, and lesson structure, developing those skills in a consultation with your cooperating teacher. In summary, the first semester of the primary placement focuses on mastering teaching skills where as the second offers you an opportunity to expand your teaching responsibilities and experiences.
Throughout the first semester, the student teacher will visit the secondary placement every day. During this time, it is important to learn students’ names, the scope and sequence of the course topics, grading procedures, and available resources. This will insure a smooth transition on the first day of the second semester.
Two key assignments during the part time student teaching are video taping of the fifth day of instruction and two similarly structured lessons during the week(s) after Thanksgiving break and the creation of the first curriculum unit portfolio containing lesson plans, hand-outs, assignments, and assessments from one unit of instruction during the fall quarter. Details of these assignments will be distributed in class.
Full Time Student Teaching- End of January through June
Beginning on the first day of the second semester, the student teacher will be responsible for teaching in their primary and secondary placements everyday for the remainder of the year. During this portion of the program, the student teacher is to plan and conduct all aspects of instruction including assessment in collaboration with the cooperating teachers. During this phase, student teachers are expected to spend 5 hours per day in the schools with time divided between the primary and secondary placements. This is a very busy time and it requires the utmost attention to planning and preparation. For these reasons, professional course work has been decreased at the university to allow a maximum amount of time to be devoted to teaching. During this time, the student teacher should plan to participate in faculty and or department meetings and attend extracurricular activities when possible. Students should prepare so that all materials for the next day’s lessons are collected and ready to use before leaving school. This includes handouts, tests, activity supplies, etc. Planning and preparation done now will pay off when classes run more smoothly during instruction. Do not fall into the trap of preparing handouts or tests at home the night before they are to be used.
A full time student teacher will be responsible for implementing instruction that involves all students in mind engaging activities. Student teachers are expected to experiment with a variety of teaching strategies, avoiding reliance on lecture and teacher directed activities. The California Framework provides guidance on instructional approaches and the student teacher needs to be familiar with these methods. By the second semester the student teacher should fully utilize formative assessment methods and “customize” instruction from the information this important form of assessment provides. This is also a time to develop and utilize a full repertoire of strategies for working with English language learners. These various strategies and techniques may not be those employed by the cooperating resident teacher so it will be important that planning and purpose are clearly executed. Remember, California schools are undergoing an intense period of adjustment to the Mathematics Content Standards for California Public Schools. These or the school-adopted standards should be your guide throughout the year as you plan your lessons and activities.
Note: Prior to beginning full time student teaching, the student teacher must have completed their subject matter competency requirements.
Supervision
Throughout the student teaching year, your supervisor will make regularly scheduled visits to your classroom to provide feedback, meet with the cooperating resident teacher, and offer suggestions and helpful hints. The focus of these visits is not for evaluation but is more accurately likened to coaching. The supervisor will keep a variety of notes and data on the class, the teaching activities and student behaviors. Copies of all notes and data will be given to the student teacher after each visitation. Supervision visits will be scheduled roughly every two weeks unless more frequent visits are necessary. A calendar of visits will be distributed a minimum of two weeks in advance to allow the student teacher to plan. Student teachers will be asked for their weekly plans so that supervision visits will occur on days when active instruction is taking place.
Every student teacher is expected
to maintain a professional web site for the duration of this program. One
component of this web site can be daily lesson plans. Each student teacher will
be expected to either post or email their lesson plans for the day of
supervisor visits NO LATER than 8:00 PM on
the day preceding the lesson. This allows the supervisor time to review
the lesson plan prior to the visit. In addition, the student teacher will
keep a three-ring binder in the class with a copy of each day's lesson plan
plus any handouts, tests, seating charts, class rules/procedures, etc. which
can be reviewed by the supervisor on the day of the visit. This notebook should
include all materials used by the student teacher not just those on the days of
planned visits. This notebook should be at the back of the class when the supervisor
arrives. An extra copy of the day’s lesson plan and an up-to-date seating chart
should be included in the binder to be attached to the observation notes for
your file. Posting/emailing lesson plans is a key component of student teaching and will comprise
part of the grading for EDU 306ABC.
If a visitation is scheduled on a day when you will not be teaching or there is a change in the normal school schedule, notify the supervisor as soon as possible so alternative visitations can be arranged. A daily contact number will be provided.
When the supervisor visits for the first time there is often a bit of a stir on the part of the students. This is normal and need not cause any undo problems. Simply introduce the supervisor and go on with the class. Remember, the role of the supervisor is not evaluative but that of a coach.
Cooperating Resident Teacher Responsibilities
Research has shown that the role of the cooperating resident teacher is one of the most critical aspects of a successful student teaching experience. In order for the student teacher to gain the most from the experience, it is important to establish and maintain good communications.
Planning
Planning has long been one of the
key issues for student teachers. In order to facilitate the student teacher’s
understanding of the educational process and to assist them in developing good
planning skills, it is important to know the cooperating resident teacher’s
plans for the coming week. Without this “Big Picture” the student teacher is
relegated to a day-to-day process of catch up. To facilitate student teacher
planning, cooperating resident teachers should develop and commit to a calendar
of lessons, activities, labs, and assignments for at least one week in the
future. Student teachers do not have the ability to plan on the fly and doing
so robs them of the opportunity to develop continuity and a sense of control
over their teaching. This is particularly important at the beginning of each
student teaching placement. As the quarter progresses, it becomes the student
teacher’s responsibility to take more and more control over the daily planning
in consultation with the cooperating resident teacher. As with all teaching
skills, the ability to plan develops at a different rate in each individual,
therefore flexibility is key. Lack of planning is not an option.
Working together, the student teacher and the cooperating resident teacher should set aside a minimum of one hour each week to meet and discuss plans for the coming week(s), identify areas that are going well, those areas that need attention, and to plot strategy for upcoming units or topics.
Transition
Once the student teacher has assumed complete control of the class (some time 4-7 weeks after the start of school) it is important to let them experience all aspects of teaching. This transition period can be a bit problematic for both the students and the student teacher. Unless it is clear to the students that the student teacher is in charge, there is often a sense of mixed loyalty during this time. In order to facilitate this transition, many student teachers prefer that the resident teacher leave the immediate classroom and allow them total control of the class for a period of 1-2 weeks. In most cases, this involves the resident teacher working in a supply room or office adjacent to the classroom where they can hear what is going on but not be seen by the students. This allows the students to focus on the student teacher as the primary instructor for the class. Once the student teacher is comfortable with the class and the class sees her/him as THE instructor, occasional appearances by the cooperating resident teacher in the classroom do not erode the student teacher’s authority.
Observations
The cooperating resident teacher should make a formal classroom observation each week that there is not a supervisor visit. These observations can be general, covering all aspects of the class or focused on a particular teaching behavior agreed upon in the weekly meeting. After the observation, the cooperating resident teacher and student teacher should discuss the observed class. Written notes or feedback forms can be very helpful in allowing the student teacher to reflect on the observation. These notes should be kept in the notebook along with daily lesson plans.
Other Cooperating Resident Teacher duties
During the fall semester, it is important to review the myriad of procedures that teachers must deal with in addition to classroom teaching. Student teachers need to know about taking and reporting the daily attendance, parent conferences, IEP meetings, discipline procedures etc. They need to meet the second language coordinators, counselors and vice principals. The cooperating resident teacher should take some time at an appropriate stage of the semester to help the student teacher become acquainted with these responsibilities. It will give the student teacher a greater sense of belonging and prepare them for the different situations that they may encounter in the future.
Occasionally, parents will request a parent conference with the student teacher. The cooperating resident teacher should review the issues with the student teacher, help them plan the meeting and serve as the facilitator for the meeting with the parents. Under no circumstances should a student teacher meet with a parent without the cooperating teacher present.
Written work and
course assignments
Through out the program, student teachers will be asked to participate in various activities, complete specific assignments, and access and utilize electronic resources. It is the student teachers’ responsibility to complete each of these assignments in a timely and professional manner. The Mathematics Teacher Credential Program is an intense program designed to prepare you to enter the teaching profession. All work that you complete during this year should be completed with the idea that it represents your best work. At the end of the year, you will be asked to create an electronic portfolio.
Lesson Plans
Student teachers are expected to keep an electronic version of all of their lesson plans. Student teachers will be expected to keep this file current and available for various class activities. Student teachers may post their lesson plans to their professional websites by 9:00 PM on the day preceding any lesson. Student teachers must “send” a copy of the lesson plan to the supervisor by 8:00 the day before any visit.
Late Work
Every assignment is designed to contribute to the overall success of the program and such should be completed by the due date. It is the student teachers’ responsibility to plan their time to insure that work is completed on time. Late work will be assessed a one grade deduction for each day late unless prior arrangements have been made with the supervisor. Assignments that are over a week late may result in a grade of F.
Course Grading and Assignments
Grading standards for each course will be provided on the beginning of course syllabi for each course. Major assignments for each course will also be provided on the beginning of course syllabi for each course. Weekly assignments will be provided on the weekly agenda for each course. Course assignments will also be posted on the Mathematics Cohort webpage at the end of each week.
Electronic participation
As the use of computer-based technology expands into education fields, it is imperative that student teachers be prepared to utilize this tool. Consequently, student teachers will be expected to participate in on line discussions, utilize web-based resources, create and maintain personal professional web sites, and utilize technology to enhance their instruction and course work. The School of Education will maintain a cross platform computer lab to assist students in their use of technology, however student teachers should realize that personal access to computers either at home or their schools will greatly simplify their ability to complete all assignments. It is the student teachers’ responsibility to access class web pages and assignments, submit assignments, and plan for the use of technology in their teaching and courses. Students should plan their use and access of/to computer based technology to avoid last minute system failures beyond their control. System failures will not be considered as valid excuses for late work. All students are expected to activate and monitor their UCDavis email accounts. These email accounts can be accessed via the Internet at http://geckomail.ucdavis.edu . Students must check their email at least three times a day, once upon arriving at their placement schools, once upon leaving their placement school, and again before they retire for the evening. At the conclusion of the program, students will prepare an electronic portfolio. Amongst other things, this portfolio should include lesson plans for each day that you teach, your community study, and other samples of work demonstrating your successful completion of the credential program. The California Teacher Performance Expectations will provide a guide for the types of artifacts to be included in the eportfolio.
Video has proven to be a valuable tool to aid reflection and individual student advancement. The student teacher will be expected to video their 5th complete class and then to video class or parts of class at least every other week. These videos will be viewed and a written reflection and a copy of the video must be provided to the supervisor. On occasion, the videos will be shared with other members of the mathematics cohort. It is the student teacher’s responsibility to arrange of the use of a video camera and someone to film the class.
Technology Expectations
After the beginning of the credential program, all program electronic communications will be sent to students’ @ucdavis.edu email accounts. Students my forward their @ucdavis.edu email to other accounts but they are still responsible for all messages and attachments as originally sent. Unless otherwise assigned/approved by the instructor, all electronic assignments must be submitted using one of the following formats: MicroSoft Word(.doc) PowerPoint(.ppt), Excel(.xls); Portable Document Format (.pdf); TI-Interactive!(.TII) or Hypertext Markup Language (.htm or .html). All images must be either JPEG (.jpg), GIF (.gif), or TIFF (.tif) format; all movies must be QuickTime Movies (.mov) or Windows Movie Maker (.wmv). Students are expected to have access to the My.UCDavis portal. Many assignments and files will be submitted via the drop boxes associated with various assignments. In addition, students should have File Transfer Protocol (ftp) access for the purposes of maintaining their web sites. It is recommended that students have some form of external storage for their computer work. USB Flash memory sticks, zip disks, or rewriteable CD’s have the capacity to store many of the files students will be working on. In the past, students have found floppy disks to be limiting due to their small storage capacity. As graphing calculator technology has become more prevalent in schools it is also suggested that you purchase your own TI-84+ or TI-83+ calculator. You might consider buying a teacher’s version.
Evaluation
Student Teaching
Student teaching is a learning process. Each student teacher progresses toward competency at their own rate and should not be compared to other student teachers from the past or other student teachers currently in the program. Mid-way through each quarter, the cooperating resident teacher and the student teacher will be asked to complete a reflective progress report. The Supervisor will provide formative feedback after each observation visit and summative feedback at the end of each quarter. The student teacher and the cooperating teacher will also provide bi-weekly feedback through the use of written feedback forms. Each quarter, the supervisor, the cooperating resident teacher, and the student teacher will discuss the student teacher’s progress and ways to facilitate the student teacher’s development. The basis for constructive feedback and evaluation is open communication. It is important to share concerns and praises throughout the quarter to insure this open communication. If you feel unable to talk to your cooperating teacher or student teacher, contact the Supervisor for assistance. Students who are in danger of not meeting minimum competencies by the end of the spring quarter will be notified in the middle of the winter quarter. This procedure should allow ample time to address concerns raised by anyone of the participants.
Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT)
All student teachers will be required to complete the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) during the winter quarter. This assessment looks closely at the student teacher’s ability to plan, teach, assess, and analyze a short (4 – 6 hour) teaching segment designed specifically for their classroom. They will have a choice of which placement to use for this assessment. It is important to plan the instructional component so that all teaching and assessment is complete BEFORE March 10th so that the complete package can be submitted by the last day of classes in the Winter Quarter.
Specific instructions on the expectations for the PACT will be incorporated throughout the Fall and Winter Quarters, with a practice PACT being completed during the Fall Quarter. The final (Winter) PACT will receive two grades, the Winter Quarter grade will reflect the mechanics and completion of the project. The Spring grade will reflect the content of the PACT. Students receiving a non-passing score on the Winter PACT MUST complete a second PACT during the Spring quarter. All students must achieve a passing score on their PACT to be recommended for a teaching credential.
Mentoring
The resident teacher has been shown to be one of the most significant influences on the success of a student teacher’s preservice experience. The process of mentoring a student teacher can take many forms depending on the experience of the resident teacher, personalities, and communication styles. The following guidelines are suggested in order to insure that both the cooperating teacher and the student teacher have the best possible experience.
Planning
Please set aside one hour per week to meet with your student teacher to discuss plans for the next week. At this time, the student teacher should present his/her plans for the coming week including lesson plans, handouts and activities. This is a time to assist the student teacher with time management suggestions, ideas of how to sequence lessons, hints about activities and supplies that you have developed in your years of teaching. In addition, the student teachers will be focusing on methods for promoting literacy in their student teaching. At this time it is also important for you to tell the student teacher what your plans for the coming weeks are so that he/she can work to meet the course expectations and stay in sync with what your classes are doing. This is also a good time to share your literacy strategies with the student teacher. Over the years, you have developed a comprehensive collection of strategies that would benefit the student teacher. This is a very important issue for the student teachers and one that tends to frustrate them more than any other thing.
Observation
The university supervisor will visit the classroom about every other week. During these visits I will watch the entire class period taking notes to share with the student teacher about how the class goes. This is a coaching function not an evaluation and is intended to offer the student teacher ideas on their teaching. On the weeks when the university supervisor does not visit, it is important for the resident teacher to formally observe the class for one entire period. Again, the role of this observation should be to give the student teacher feedback on their lesson and their interactions with the students. You may discuss with the student teacher prior to the class, what you will be watching for or ask them if there is a particular area that they would like feedback on. Please keep a copy of your notes of this observation in this binder and give a copy to the student teacher. Each quarter, the student teacher will video tape their teaching and review these video tapes as a self observation.
Transition
Once the student teacher has assumed complete control of the class (some time 3-6 weeks after the start of school) it is important to let them experience all aspects of teaching. This transition period can be a bit problematic for both the students and the student teacher. Unless it is clear to the students that the student teacher is in charge, there is often a sense of mixed loyalty during this time. In order to facilitate this transition, many student teachers prefer that the resident teacher leave the immediate classroom and allow them total control of the class for a period of 1-2 weeks. In most cases, this involves the resident teacher working in a supply room or office adjacent to the classroom where they can hear what is going on but not be seen by the students. This allows the students to focus on the student teacher as the primary instructor for the class. Once the student teacher is comfortable with the class and the class sees her/him as THE instructor, occasional appearances by the cooperating resident teacher in the classroom do not erode the student teacher’s authority.