The Acorn

The Acorn is a newsletter for the cooperating teachers working with student teachers from the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University. This publication is intended to help our cooperating teachers understand their roles and responsibilities as well as provide them with current research and best practice in working with student teachers. Additional information helpful to mentorship, pedagogy, and current issues in education is often included.

In the last edition of The Acorn, I introduced Elena Aguilar’s 3Bs—behavior, belief, being—and encouraged cooperating teachers and university supervisors to “engage in reflective conversations centered on the beliefs and ways of being that influence behaviors.” The big idea here was to dig “into the why in order to transform the how.” When we engage in these coaching conversations, we begin to uncover gaps, recognize our own desires to make something “right,” or even plan how we will fix or fill the gaps ourselves. As experienced teachers, we often know (or assume) what needs to be implemented for change to happen. But how do we help, coach, mentor, and support our student teachers to acknowledge and address gaps themselves?

Aguilar (2013) introduces us to the “Mind the Gap” Framework, a construct that relies on the belief that we need five things to be successful in accomplishing tasks: skill, knowledge, will, capacity, and emotional intelligence (p. 4). When we see our student teachers struggling with something, we may make assumptions that this is due to a knowledge or skill gap. Your student teacher isn’t completing lesson plans? We think there is a gap in their understandings of theory or practice or a lack of ability to apply knowledge learned in courses. What if the lesson planning issue is a capacity gap--the individual is overwhelmed with managing and prioritizing the many facets of teaching that are new to them? What if it is an emotional intelligence gap—perhaps the individual fears failing your and/or the students and having the lesson go poorly? To understand the gap, we need to set our assumptions aside, pause our own thinking, ask the questions of our student teachers, and listen. CSB+SJU’s Benedictine practices remind us to “Listen with the ear of [our] heart,” to pause our inner dialogue so that we can engage and focus on our subject. We are asked to center on what is behind the words and lean into the whispers of insight that uncover the gaps.

As educators, we also know that uncovering and addressing gaps can come with fear and resistance. If we look beyond that and see our student teachers as learners, “we can see opportunities for helping them grow” (Aguilar, 2018; p.2).

Over the next several weeks, I encourage you to utilize the “Mind the Gap” Framework when you and your student teacher recognize gaps. I encourage you to take the time to collaboratively determine what the gap really is so that active engagement in improvement can occur.

References:

Aguilar, E. (2013, October 21). A coaching framework for thinking before acting (opinion). Education Week. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-a-coaching-framework-for-thinking-before-acting/2013/10

Aguilar, E. (2018, March 2). The key to working with adult learners: Mind the gap (opinion). Education Week. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-the-key-to-working-with-adult-learners-mind-the-gap/2018/02

Effective July 1, 2022, all individuals who serve in the capacity of cooperating teacher or university supervisor for student teachers are required to complete training on coaching strategies for adult learners. To meet this PELSB and State requirement, CSB/SJU provides three options for cooperating teachers and university supervisors:

1. For members of Education Minnesota, complete the training through their professional development platform: https://meaonline.educationminnesota.org/catalog/courses/1333521

2. For members of the CSB/SJU student teaching community, complete the training with us using this link: Coaching Adult Learners training

3. For individuals who have completed training with another placing institution, provide evidence in the form of a CEU certificate or letter from the granting institution to the CSB/SJU Director of Student Teaching via email at jmeagher001@csbsju.edu

This training is required once every five years. A statewide system of reporting completion is in process to ensure all cooperating teachers and university supervisors who serve the state's student teachers have met this requirement. CSB/SJU will be reporting our completers to that entity each semester.

Thank you for your time and attention to this responsibility. The information you will glean from these trainings should be valuable to your role.

For Candidates in 12- or 16-week placements:

Week 5 with Students:

• Co-teach in classes/subjects the student teacher is not leading
• Elementary: Allow the student teacher to fully teach in one subject, minimum
• Secondary: Allow the student teacher to teach up to two classes less than a full-time load, if the student teacher is prepared to do so
• Discuss lesson planning techniques and whether or not to continue with CSB/SJU full lesson plans
• Conduct one formal observation
• Encourage the student teacher to observe another classroom or two based on areas needing improvement; upon completion, discuss what was discovered and what could be implemented in current practice

Week 6 with Students:

• Complete the progress report on your student teacher if you believe there are areas of concern: feedback form
• Follow week 5; add time if the candidate is ready
• Discuss planning, assessment, and class management techniques
• Co-teach in classes/subjects the student teacher is not leading
• For 12-week placements: review goals and revise teaching calendar as necessary to address those goals and observational data

For Candidates in 8-week placements:

Week 5 with Students:

• Discuss lesson planning and management techniques
• Encourage the student teacher to observe another classroom or two based on areas needing improvement; upon completion, discuss what was discovered and what could be implemented in current practice
• Co-teach in classes/subjects the student teacher isn’t leading
• Conduct one formal observation
• Elementary: Solo teach at least ½ of the day, more if the candidate is prepared
• Secondary: Allow the student teacher to teach up to two classes less than a full-time load, if the student teacher is prepared to do so

Week 6 with Students:

• Discuss lesson planning and management techniques
• Informally observe and provide actionable feedback
• CT to complete feedback form if you believe areas of concern need to be addressed
• Elementary and Secondary: Aim for solo teaching full time for 5-10 consecutive days

CSB/SJU Student Teaching Handbook

Student Teaching Observations (by Cooperating Teacher/University Supervisor/Director)

This observation/evaluation form should be used to complete observations throughout the placement. Six formal observations of the student teacher are required within the span of student teaching. We ask that you complete 6 for a 16-week placement, 5 in a 12-week placement, 3 in an 8-week placement, and 2 in a 5-week placement. The entire form does not need to be completed for each observation; however, by the end of the placement, each part should be addressed.

Additional Forms:

Cooperating Teacher Information (if not completed in the past three years)

Feedback (week 2 and as needed after)
Cooperating Teacher's Final Evaluation of Student Teacher

Cooperating Teacher's Dispositional Evaluation of Student Teacher

Jennifer L. Meagher, EdD.

Director of Elementary and Secondary Student Teaching

Allison Spenader, PhD.

Chair

Email: jmeagher001@csbsju.edu
Website: csbsju.edu/education
Location: 37 College Avenue South, St Joseph, MN, USA
Phone: 320-363-5709