The Acorn
A Newsletter for CSB/SJU Cooperating Teachers
Volume 5, no. 15--Friday, April 7, 2023
Growing, Nurturing, and Supporting CSB/SJU Student Teachers
A Message from the Director of Student Teaching
On this beautiful Good Friday, I am led to consider two important tenets of faith that also relate to teaching--sacrifice and thankfulness. Many faith traditions include teachings and practices about sacrifice and gratitude that can inform and enlighten us as teachers. We give of ourselves and sacrifice elements of our personal lives for the benefit of children, often without recognition or thanks. During these times of sacrifice, we are tested and tried, and we can emerge stronger and smarter for the effort. For this, we should be thankful. Our times of trial and challenge don't often lead us to think of being thankful, but what we learn from those challenges and tests should have us reflecting on what we have learned to approach our next challenges with more awareness and fortitude. While I think about this for myself, I also think about this for student teachers and their support teams. We make sacrifices and are challenged in our roles supporting student teachers. We give our time, energy, and ideas, and sometimes they don't seem to land. We may not see the impact immediately, but it may come later (as it is promised to us in many faith traditions). It is not unusual for student teachers to reflect later on what has been shared with them and see the influence of your work at a later time. Perhaps it is some distance that hastens clarity and encourages gratitude.
By definition, sacrifice means that we surrender, give up, and disadvantage ourselves for the benefit of others. Looking more deeply into the etymology of the word sacrifice, one will find that it comes from the Latin sacri--holy, sacred, and facere--to build, construct, or make. The idea behind this is that the sacrifice builds something better. The seen and unseen results of our sacrifices create something better, something we can be thankful for.
Why is this important to student teaching and education? It’s pretty simple. As teachers and mentors, we give a lot of ourselves for others. And, as teachers and mentors, we don't often receive thanks for our efforts. That may be because our sacrifices are not intended to be recognized by others. They are intended to prepare us for self-reflection and self-gratitude for the something special we have created.
As I visit classrooms where our student teachers are placed, I see the sacrifices of mentors and how their work is building future educators. That is a gift for which I am very grateful!
Coaching Adult Learners and Mentoring Student Teachers Requirements
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.
Weeks Thirteen and Fourteen with Student Teachers
For Candidates in 16-week placements:
Weeks 13 & 14--
Continue to teach as in week 10 (ten consecutive days of full-time teaching are to be done in this time)
Assist student teacher to address areas needing improvement with continued informal observations and feedback
Ensure at least four formal observations have been completed
Looking ahead: prepare a letter of recommendation
For Candidates in 5-week placements:
Week 1--
- Help the student teacher get to know your students, the teachers, and the school
- Review the Orientation Guidelines/Checklist
- Set up a five-week calendar of teaching responsibilities
- 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 individual and group work.
- Determine which classes the student teacher will lead.
- Allow the student teacher to teach a lesson you have co-planned (30-60 minutes). Observe this lesson and provide feedback to the student teacher. ·
Week 2--
- Work with the student teacher in planning, preparation of lessons and materials, monitoring student work.
- Co-teach lessons throughout the day
- Allow the student teacher to teach approximately ⅓ of teaching load (more if comfortable)
- Observe and provide informal feedback for at least two lessons this week
- CT to complete feedback form
For Candidates in 8-week placements:
Week 5 of second placement--
- 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 of second placement--
- Discuss lesson planning and management techniques
- Informally observe and provide actionable feedback
- CT to complete feedback form if there are concerns
- Solo teaching full time for ten consecutive days
Quick Links
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
Great Resources for Teachers and Transformational Coaches
Evolving with Gratitude podcast episode
Motivational Instinct
Gratitude Resources
CSB/SJU Education Department
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