Ongoing Professional Collaboration

  • Schedule periodic professional discussions with your student teacher to reflect on instructional decisions and classroom management.
  • Share lesson plans or your planning process as appropriate and offer suggestions for engaging activities.

Gradual Release of Responsibility

  • Be direct and structure the experience for the student teacher (e.g., assign them responsibilities during the initial phase, share mentor planning methods and provide support as the student teacher takes on more responsibility.
  • Plan for building their responsibilities during the initial phase – for example, one day the student teacher observes and debriefs; the next day they co-lead or lead. If teaching more than one class period on the same topic, model the lesson and let the student teacher teach the same lesson to the next class. Model the use of centers in the classroom.

Observation & Feedback

  • Plan for periodic focused observations of student teachers and provide specific feedback based on what you observe (strengths and suggestions).

Professional Dispositions & Reflective Practice

  • Be open to questions and encourage the student teacher to ask questions.
  • Encourage the student teacher to try new strategies/activities—model a willingness to experiment.
  • Model reflective practice and encourage student teachers to practice thoughtful self-evaluation.
  • “Think aloud” to make strategies explicit for the student teacher.

Communication & Support

  • Communicate with the university supervisor early on if you have emerging concerns, so everyone can work together to support the pre-service teacher.