Student Teacher Responsibilities
Student teachers gradually assume the role of full-time teachers during the semester. Expectations are shown in the lists below on this page. Student teachers work with their mentors as professional colleagues who share responsibilities for all aspects of teaching. An important first step for student teachers is to make a written semester plan.
Semester Plan and Solo Teaching
Student teachers gradually assume responsibility for the classroom during the semester. Student teachers make a written plan with their mentor teacher and field supervisor to increase their responsibilities in a systematic way, culminating in at least three weeks of solo teaching (at least four weeks for Dual Prep SPED). Solo teaching means assuming complete responsibility for the classroom. The solo weeks can be taught consecutively or spread across the semester. In most cases, student teachers transition into a one-week solo, followed by reflection and planning for a subsequent two-week solo. The following is an example schedule.
Example Schedule for Student Teaching (16 weeks) Week
Teacher Candidate’s Responsibility
Week 1.
Get to know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines.
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g., morning business, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and other classes).
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor.
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g., calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor.
Attend faculty and other meetings (e.g., parent conferences, IEP meetings).
Week 2.
Take over more daily responsibilities.
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class.
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled.
Plan and teach alone for a designated period of time each day.
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 3.
Plan and teach for a longer designated period of time each day.
Week 4.
Plan and teach half the day on designated lessons
Week 5.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Week 6.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 7.
Share teaching responsibilities with mentor teacher
Reflect on solo week
Plan for a two week solo
Week 8.
Share teaching responsibilities with mentor teacher
Plan for a two week solo
Schedule a mid-semester conference with mentor teacher
Complete and sign mid-semester evaluation forms
Week 9.
Plan and teach second solo week
Week 10.
Plan and teach third solo week
Week 11.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Reflect on solo week
Week 12.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 13.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 14.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 15.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end-of-semester evaluation forms
Week 16.
Transition back to mentor
_____________________________________________________
Student teachers in the Dual Preparation in Elementary and Special education Program usually have two placements, one in general education (ITE 390S) and one in special education (SPED 390S). The following is an example schedule for a split placement during student teaching.
Example Schedule for Split Placement Student Teaching (Dual Prep SPED)
Placement 1. (SPED 390 S)
Week 1.
Get to Know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g. morning meetings, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and recess)
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g. calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor
Attend faculty meetings and other meetings (e.g. parent conferences, IEP mtgs).
Week 2.
Take over more daily responsibilities
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled
Plan and teach alone for designated period of time each day
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 3.
Plan and teach alone for designated period of time each day
Week 4.
Plan and teach half the day on designated days
Plan an two week solo
Week 5.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Finalize plans for solo teaching
Week 6.
Plan and teach first solo week in classroom (complete responsibility of classroom)
Week 7.
Plan and teach second solo week in classroom (complete responsibility of classroom)
Week 8.
Transition teaching back to mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end of semester evaluation forms
Placement 2 (ITE 390S)
Week 9.
Get to know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines.
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g., morning business, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and other classes).
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor.
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g., calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor.
Attend faculty and other meetings (e.g., parent conferences, IEP meetings).
Week 10.
Take over more daily responsibilities.
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class.
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled.
Plan and teach alone for a designated period of time each day.
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 11.
Plan and teach for a longer designated period of time each day.
Week 12.
Plan and teach half the day on designated lessons
Plan a two week solo
Week 13.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Finalize plans for solo teaching
Week 14.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 15.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 16.
Transition back to mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end-of-semester evaluation forms
Lesson and Unit Plans
Teacher candidates use the EECE lesson plan format for planning lessons and units during student teaching. Student teachers should prepare written plans and a schedule for all teaching during the semester. However, teaching plans can vary in detail, as agreed with mentor teacher and field supervisor, depending on the level of responsibility the student teacher has for the lesson or unit. As requested, student teachers must provide lesson and unit plans to mentors and supervisors. Mentors and supervisors will often want to review these plans before they are taught. Student teachers are to check with individual mentors and supervisors for specific lesson and unit plan deadlines.
Mentor and Field Supervisor Observations
Mentor teachers and UHM field supervisors make formal and informal observations of student teachers’ performance throughout the semester. Mentors and field supervisors provide oral and/or written feedback in discussions with student teachers after they teach. UHM field supervisors usually visit student teachers at least every other week. As the semester progresses, field supervisors schedule formal observation appointments with student teachers. These observations are an important record of student teachers’ performance.
Grading
Teacher candidates receive a grade of credit or no credit for ITE 390: Student Teaching. If a candidate receives a grade of no credit, ITE 390 can only be repeated once.
Semester Plan and Solo Teaching
Student teachers gradually assume responsibility for the classroom during the semester. Student teachers make a written plan with their mentor teacher and field supervisor to increase their responsibilities in a systematic way, culminating in at least three weeks of solo teaching (at least four weeks for Dual Prep SPED). Solo teaching means assuming complete responsibility for the classroom. The solo weeks can be taught consecutively or spread across the semester. In most cases, student teachers transition into a one-week solo, followed by reflection and planning for a subsequent two-week solo. The following is an example schedule.
Example Schedule for Student Teaching (16 weeks) Week
Teacher Candidate’s Responsibility
Week 1.
Get to know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines.
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g., morning business, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and other classes).
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor.
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g., calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor.
Attend faculty and other meetings (e.g., parent conferences, IEP meetings).
Week 2.
Take over more daily responsibilities.
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class.
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled.
Plan and teach alone for a designated period of time each day.
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 3.
Plan and teach for a longer designated period of time each day.
Week 4.
Plan and teach half the day on designated lessons
Week 5.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Week 6.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 7.
Share teaching responsibilities with mentor teacher
Reflect on solo week
Plan for a two week solo
Week 8.
Share teaching responsibilities with mentor teacher
Plan for a two week solo
Schedule a mid-semester conference with mentor teacher
Complete and sign mid-semester evaluation forms
Week 9.
Plan and teach second solo week
Week 10.
Plan and teach third solo week
Week 11.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Reflect on solo week
Week 12.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 13.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 14.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Week 15.
Share teaching responsibilities with and assist mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end-of-semester evaluation forms
Week 16.
Transition back to mentor
_____________________________________________________
Student teachers in the Dual Preparation in Elementary and Special education Program usually have two placements, one in general education (ITE 390S) and one in special education (SPED 390S). The following is an example schedule for a split placement during student teaching.
Example Schedule for Split Placement Student Teaching (Dual Prep SPED)
Placement 1. (SPED 390 S)
Week 1.
Get to Know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g. morning meetings, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and recess)
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g. calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor
Attend faculty meetings and other meetings (e.g. parent conferences, IEP mtgs).
Week 2.
Take over more daily responsibilities
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled
Plan and teach alone for designated period of time each day
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 3.
Plan and teach alone for designated period of time each day
Week 4.
Plan and teach half the day on designated days
Plan an two week solo
Week 5.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Finalize plans for solo teaching
Week 6.
Plan and teach first solo week in classroom (complete responsibility of classroom)
Week 7.
Plan and teach second solo week in classroom (complete responsibility of classroom)
Week 8.
Transition teaching back to mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end of semester evaluation forms
Placement 2 (ITE 390S)
Week 9.
Get to know mentor teacher, students, classroom and school routines.
Gradually begin taking over some daily responsibilities (e.g., morning business, supervising students at recess, taking students to and from lunch and other classes).
Work with individuals and small groups, and whole class as indicated by mentor.
Develop a communication plan with mentor and field supervisor (e.g., calls, emails, logs, journals). Be sure to obtain phone numbers for mentor and supervisor.
Make a semester teaching plan (co-teaching and solo) with mentor and supervisor.
Attend faculty and other meetings (e.g., parent conferences, IEP meetings).
Week 10.
Take over more daily responsibilities.
Increase work with individuals, small groups, and whole class.
Plan and co-teach with mentor as scheduled.
Plan and teach alone for a designated period of time each day.
Remember to show lesson plans to mentor in advance.
Week 11.
Plan and teach for a longer designated period of time each day.
Week 12.
Plan and teach half the day on designated lessons
Plan a two week solo
Week 13.
Plan and teach whole days on designated days
Finalize plans for solo teaching
Week 14.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 15.
Plan and teach first solo week (complete responsibility for classroom)
Week 16.
Transition back to mentor
Schedule conference with mentor teacher and field supervisor
Complete and sign end-of-semester evaluation forms
Lesson and Unit Plans
Teacher candidates use the EECE lesson plan format for planning lessons and units during student teaching. Student teachers should prepare written plans and a schedule for all teaching during the semester. However, teaching plans can vary in detail, as agreed with mentor teacher and field supervisor, depending on the level of responsibility the student teacher has for the lesson or unit. As requested, student teachers must provide lesson and unit plans to mentors and supervisors. Mentors and supervisors will often want to review these plans before they are taught. Student teachers are to check with individual mentors and supervisors for specific lesson and unit plan deadlines.
Mentor and Field Supervisor Observations
Mentor teachers and UHM field supervisors make formal and informal observations of student teachers’ performance throughout the semester. Mentors and field supervisors provide oral and/or written feedback in discussions with student teachers after they teach. UHM field supervisors usually visit student teachers at least every other week. As the semester progresses, field supervisors schedule formal observation appointments with student teachers. These observations are an important record of student teachers’ performance.
Grading
Teacher candidates receive a grade of credit or no credit for ITE 390: Student Teaching. If a candidate receives a grade of no credit, ITE 390 can only be repeated once.