Introduction
About the Handbook
College of Education Contact Persons 
Definition of Terms		 The College of Education Knowledge Base
Performance Based Standards
Becoming a Reflective Practitioner

The student teaching experience is clearly the most critical and valuable component of any teacher education program.  It is an intense experience which requires a great deal of patience, understanding and cooperation among everyone involved.  This handbook seeks to explore the role of the persons involved in this field portion of the teacher intern's program.  The responsibilities are grouped into those of the mentor teacher and those of the teacher intern.    The student teaching experience is a joint venture and it is hoped that all will profit from this collaborative partnership.

To the Mentor Teacher:

     Student teaching is the time for teacher interns to engage in teaching experiences in a supportive environment with the guidance of university and public school professionals.  The role of the mentor teacher has been cited in research as having the greatest and longest lasting influence on not only the student teaching experience but also the aspiring teacher's growth and development long after student teaching has ended.  This responsibility is a highly significant one and we in the College of Education would like to extend our sincere appreciation for the time, knowledge, skills, and professional commitment you bring to this effort, and for your willingness to share these attributes in this challenging collaborative endeavor.

To the Teacher Intern:

     For the teacher intern, student teaching is a time to gain the initial skills necessary to become an effective beginning teacher.  The experiences you have during student teaching including observing, diagnosing, planning, presenting, evaluating, and reflecting on your own teaching performance will help you to develop a repertoire of professional skills and competencies that will prepare you for this challenging career.  The process of learning to teach is rigorous and we hope that you will take full advantage of the many learning opportunities within your school and classroom settings.  The knowledge, confidence, and skills developed during this time will be the foundation needed for successful teaching.  We support your commitment to a career in teaching and hope that you will find it to be professionally rewarding.

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Table of Contents | Introduction | The Teacher Intern | Planning For Effective Instruction |
The Mentor Teacher | The Role of the University Supervisor |
Evaluating the Performance of the Teacher Intern |
Policies, Procedures and Professional Ethics

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Please contact Dorothy McKnight, Placement Coordinator, for questions or comments about this site.

Last updated on November 19, 2002