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.

Over the past several weeks, my articles in The Acorn have focused on ways student-teacher mentors can help “mind the gap” and recognize emerging educators’ levels of competence. These structures have allowed us to dig into need areas with greater focus than simple identification of competencies on CSB+SJU observation and evaluation tools. While all of these frameworks and tools are helpful, they should lead to purposeful change and improvement in teaching. At this point in the student teaching process, it is time to use these to reexamine the goals that were set at the beginning of the term.

Goal setting is a valuable tool for our student teachers as they consider who they are and where they are going as educators. To wrap their brains around this, student teachers and their mentors should take some time to review observational data and feedback shared. Hattie and Timperley (2007) remind us that effective feedback helps us to relect on three key questions: Where am I going? How am I going? and Where to next?. Reflecting on feedback also allows us to focus on learning goals and create strategies to move closer to those goals (Black and William, 1998). When teachers are allowed to self-identify improvement goals, they gain motivation, engagement, and autonomy around those areas of their teaching (Deci & Ryan, 2002).

Blackman (2010) reminds us that each “step in the goal-setting process starts with a broad general goal and works down to smaller and more specific steps, so that the broad or general goal is achievable” (p. 428). Knowing how to do this, however, sometimes requires mentorship from valued individuals who understand that growth does not happen by great leaps or bounds; it requires steady and focused sharpening of the goal areas. Engaging in these “self-assessment protocols” formulated from quality feedback and with support of mentors empowers emerging educators to take ownership of their own professional growth (Mielke, 2012).

Over the next few weeks, I encourage our cooperating teachers and university supervisors to review the goals set at the beginning of the term with an eye to specific areas of growth identified in observations and coaching conversations. Consider those areas where gaps may exist or where the student teacher is seeking to develop conscious competence. The framework provided in the diagram below may assist in this process.

References:
Blackman, A. (2010) Coaching as a leadership development tool for teachers, Professional Development in Education, 36:3, 421-441, DOI: 10.1080/19415250903208940
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2002). Handbook of self-determination research. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.
Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research. 77(1), 81-112.
Mielke, P. G. (2012). Investigating a systematic process to develop teacher expertise: A comparative case study. Milwaukee, WI: Cardinal Stritch University.

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:

Weeks 9 & 10--

• Engage in goal-setting for the remainder of the term
• Revise teaching calendar as necessary based on observational data
• Assist student teacher to address areas needing improvement with continued informal observations and feedback
• CT to complete feedback form if needed
• Conduct one formal observation by the end of week 10
• To review and reset (providing informal observational feedback),
• Elementary: Allow the student teacher to teach to 75-80% of full load, building to full time teaching for at least two consecutive weeks
• Secondary: Allow the student teacher to teach to almost full time (one section less than the teacher’s full load) building to full time teaching for at least two consecutive weeks

For Candidates in 8-week placements:

Week 1 of new placement--

• Help the student teacher get to know your students, the teachers, and the school
• Review the Orientation Guidelines/Checklist
• Assist the student teacher in setting up observations--one of the cooperating teacher and another of a colleague
• Allow the student teacher to assist with planning, preparation of lessons and materials, monitoring of student work time.
• Develop an eight-week schedule to build reaching responsibilities up to full teaching responsibilities for a minimum of 2 full weeks.
• Allow the student teacher to teach a lesson you have co-planned. Observe this lesson and provide feedback.

Week 2 of new placement--

• Work with the student teacher in lesson planning (reviewing plans daily) and management design.
• Co-teach lessons throughout the day
• Allow the student teacher to fully teach at least one section
• Conduct informal observations and provide feedback.
• CT to complete feedback form

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