1. Review Clinical Practice Handbook and Website
  2. Discuss the Relationship Building and Role Defining Conference
  3. Help the Student Teacher access information that will inform their teaching: pacing guides, IEP/504 goals, interest inventories, formative assessment data, planning process, lesson plan format, etc
  4. Assist the Student Teacher with the edTPA planning process for their learning segment (quick guide below)
  5. Review acceptable edTPA mentor support resources (video & handout below)
  6. Communicate weekly with the University Supervisor by completing the Weekly Google Form (shared by the University Supervisor)
  7. Collect, review and give feedback on Weekly Lesson Plans
  8. Set aside time to communicate with your Student Teacher daily
  9. Complete Evaluation Tools initiated by the University Supervisor
  10. Read more about the Clinical Practice Team Roles and Responsibilities in the Clinical Practice Handbook

Mentor Teachers Who Support Student Teachers:

Quick Guide: edTPA Planning Process

Student Teachers will require Mentor Teacher support in accessing and navigating the following steps: *Though generally the same, some details change according to content area.

  • Identify the students to be taught (Focus Students). The process will work best if they have a small group of 4-6 students.
  • Share Pacing Guides, ideas, resources, existing lesson plans, and anything that will help the candidate complete the portfolio.
  • Identify a content related strategy and the corresponding NCSCOS standard for that topic (Learning Segment and Central Focus).
  • Elementary Licensure Candidates must choose a comprehension or composition strategy.
  • Candidates will need to know this topic early in the semester so they can begin planning. Please look at your pacing guide and assign them a standard that you’ll be teaching in October, during the specified teaching window. CRITICAL: Pick a topic that can be taught as scheduled, even if the pacing of the class changes.
  • Navigate video/recording permission forms. Send parents or guardians opt-out permission forms so only families who do not want their children in the videos will need to return them. A digital version will be used.
  • Help the candidate gather student information that will inform their teaching (e.g., IEP/504 goals, interest inventory results, formative assessment data related to the topic/prior knowledge, etc.) Sign the UNCA Teacher Candidate/Student Teacher Confidential Data Access Agreement.
  • Help the candidate with navigating the technology platform you use and figuring out the process for recording the lessons.

Video: Acceptable Teacher Support During the edTPA Process

Acceptable edTPA Support

Teachers-Who-Support-Teacher-Candidates-handout-1Download

Mentor Teacher’s Role (Handbook Segment)

Accepting the responsibility for being a supervising teacher presumes an interest in the teacher candidate and the desire to help this person become a competent member of the profession. The supervising teacher should support UNC Asheville’s licensure program and procedures. The supervising teacher is in an excellent position to help the candidate identify and develop effective teaching talents and abilities. The supervising teacher should collaborate with the university supervisor in working out specific experiences which will contribute to the development of the candidate and the educational program of the school. The candidate should be given an opportunity to observe other teachers and to experience a variety of teaching styles. The supervising teacher should help make arrangements for these visits within the school, including visits to observe teachers working with diverse populations of students.

The candidate should have the opportunity to begin teaching in an area of expertise. Early in the Clinical Practice experience, the supervising teacher and candidate should outline goals (both professional and personal), activities, topics, and teaching assignments for which the candidate will be responsible. The candidate should be encouraged to test his/her own ideas and methods for teaching, trying out a variety of approaches. Feedback from the supervising teacher is a significant aspect of the candidate’s development as a teacher. Some time each day should be set aside for discussing the work of the candidate. The supervising teacher should fill out a weekly evaluation of dispositions, lesson planning and classroom strategies which is reviewed by the university supervisor. The supervising teacher, in consultation with the candidate and the university supervisor, should make decisions about the rate of increase of teaching responsibility (i.e., when to begin a new reading group, when to take responsibility for a new class period, etc.). It is essential that the candidate have at least five consecutive weeks of full teaching responsibility.

An important factor contributing to a spirit of cooperation is free and open communication. An open and dynamic interaction among the members of the clinical practice team is encouraged. It may be necessary to contact the university supervisor before waiting for the next scheduled visit. During these periods of communication, the candidate should have an opportunity to learn about the following:

  • Objectives to be accomplished
  • Preparation of teaching materials
  • Pupil backgrounds, individual difficulties
  • Situations to be observed
  • Reasons for procedures, and alternative approaches
  • Professional responsibilities and attitudes
  • Standard course of study, pacing guides
  • Personal strengths and limitations
  • Personal reflection and adaptation to the teaching situation

The candidate should be left alone some of the time, although the supervising teacher retains responsibility for the students.  Candidates should have the opportunity to manage discipline problems in order to be prepared to handle them independently during their first year of teaching.  Co-teaching is acceptable practice for much of the experience.

In addition to regular teaching duties, there are activities associated with teaching which the candidate should have an opportunity to do. The supervising teacher should help the candidate become acquainted with faculty, staff and administration, and with available materials, record-keeping, and grading procedures. The candidate should attend faculty and department/grade-level meetings and participate in appropriate community/extracurricular activities with the supervising teacher.