EA Student Teaching

This section provides an overview and responses to common questions to assist host schools and mentor teachers as they assist each student teacher in developing their abilities.

Responsibilities of Host School Administration

• Review each candidates application materials and determine if an individual will be offered an assignment in the school.
• Advise and assist the student in arranging for room and board (home stays are often preferred).
• Review the student's criminal background check report and determine fitness for entry to the school. This report should include the date of review and a statement with details of any criminal or arrest record if applicable.
• Select a qualified mentor teacher in the student teacher's subject area(s).
• Arrange an assignment for each student teacher.
• Participate in the evaluation of each student teacher through observation of the student's work and submission of a written letter of recommendation at the conclusion of the placement.

EAST support materials include the following:

Mentor Teacher Responsibilities

A key person in this experience is the teacher in the host school who serves as the mentor teacher. This individual:

• creates opportunities for the student teacher to work with P-12 students and to develop teaching abilities;
• shares expertise;
• observes, supports, and assesses the work of the student teacher; and
• provides support the student teacher needs for professional and personal wellbeing while living and working in the host school and country.

Assist the student teacher

• Model effective teaching and classroom management.
• Be open to any questions the student teacher may ask.
• Arrange teaching opportunities. Student teachers usually spend their first week observing classes and teaching a few lessons. Teaching responsibilities are increased until the student teacher has a full teaching load towards the last week(s) of the assignment.
• Plan with the student teacher the schedule of increasing teaching responsibilities and times for at least three formal lesson observations using the EA Formative Report form.
• Instruct the student teacher in the use of alternative methods, strategies, or media, when necessary.
• Allow the student teacher to experiment with multiple teaching strategies and procedures.
• Introduce the student teacher to faculty and staff members in the school building and to other education professionals.
• Inform the student teacher of school policies and regulations and of meetings to attend. This includes faculty meetings, school governance meetings, extracurricular activities, and other school events.
• Assist the student teacher in completing allresponsibilities.

Assess Progress of the Student Teacher

• Emphasize strengths of the student, as a beginning teacher, while helping to improve the quality of instruction.
• Review lesson plans and meet with the student teacher before lessons are taught.
• Provide feedback after the student has taught a lesson or fulfilled any of the other responsibilities of a classroom teacher. This informal evaluation does not have to be lengthy, but should be constructive.
• Complete the EA Formative Report form three times during the student teaching experience. Distribute copies of this three-part form to the student and university supervisor. It is recommended that these evaluations be completed during the middle weeks of the student teaching experience and that you discuss your comments with the student teacher. These reports provide formative evaluation as a basis for communication among the student teacher, cooperating teacher and university supervisor. They will not be placed in the student's career placement file. It is also recommended that you and the student teacher hold a formal discussion of the student's progress at least once a week.
• Encourage self-evaluation. Self-evaluation is an important quality for a teacher to possess. Without it, future improvement in teaching expertise will be limited. To encourage and to help develop self-evaluation skills, ask the student teacher to evaluate each lesson before offering your observations. Then offer your assessment. If there are discrepancies, discuss them, determine why they exist, and try to resolve them.
• During the last days of the student teaching experience, complete a recommendation. This report will become part of the student's credential file and will be used in efforts to find employment. Share it with the student teacher. Send it to the EA supervisor or have the student teacher submit it to the supervisor. The format of this evaluation can be any of three types depending on the needs of the student teacher and preference of the supervising teacher(s):
  • The EA Summative Report form
  • Another evaluation form used by the student's college or University
  • A narrative evaluation typed on school stationary.