AN: Handbook segments and information on student teachers and their cooperating teachers was obtained from the handbooks put out by James Madison University.
The final bell of the day rang much to Jonathan Turner's dismay. He still had another ten minutes before he had to meet the student teacher, and was hoping that something would come up so that he could cancel it.
Watching the seconds creep by was unnerving, so he re-read the letter from the school board he had received on Tuesday.
"Thank you for agreeing to serve as a cooperating teacher for a student teacher from City University of New York." "Like I had a choice", he muttered under his breath. "Student teaching provides an exciting opportunity for our candidates to fully embrace their role as emerging professionals and to practice what they have learned about the teaching/learning process.
Effective communication is critical to a successful student teaching experience, and this handbook is one means of encouraging that communication. It is intended to serve as a supplement to other materials..." Blah, blah, he thought unhappily and sighed.
You have been selected as a cooperating teacher because of your strong dedication to the teaching profession, your history as a highly skilled and effective teacher, your willingness to mentor someone into your profession, and your high level of professional ethics. We deeply appreciate the time, energy, and expertise you share with our student teachers. Thank you!"
He really didn't mind student teachers being around- he just didn't want them in his classroom if only because he remembered his less than stellar student teaching days. He had been a royal thorn-in-the-side to his cooperating teacher for the most part of his internship and made the year unnecessarily difficult for them both.
Jonathan leafed through the file Feeny had given him on his student teacher with five minutes left to kill.
Andrews, Audrey Theresa
Undergraduate from City University of New York; fully admitted into Teacher Education
maintained a 3.9 GPA; passed Praxi I; completed all prerequisite course requirements; outstanding academic record
Audrey's resume was picture perfect and reading it made him think of Topanga who no doubt would end up with a similar resume one day.
The rest of the file contained personal information on Audrey; she was a New York City native, 21-years-old, graduated valedictorian from Elizabeth Irwin High School.
One piece of information that Jonathan found interesting was that she had attended four semesters at Julliard in addition to her sophomore and junior years of high school. The record didn't state what she studied there or why she failed to complete her training; it only reveled that she had received an unprecedented invitation to attend the prestigious performing arts school while still a high school student.
Time obstinately shuffled its feet along and he absently studied the handbook. Again. The book fell open to a chapter entitled "The ABC's of Working With A Student Teacher".
Allow your student teacher to take risks.
Be a positive role model.
Comment on the good things you see.
Don't interrupt his lesson.
Enjoy your time with your student teacher.
Find time just to talk.
Give frequent and sincere praise.
Have a thank-you party for your student teacher on her last day.
Introduce your student teacher to every staff member in the school.
Just be yourself.
Keep an open mind.
Listen! Listen! Listen!
Model effective teaching strategies.
Never criticize your student teacher in front of others.
Observe him regularly and provide immediate feedback.
Provide her with the materials she needs for success.
Quickly include your student teacher in your classroom routine.
Reinforce her strengths.
Support your student teacher's ideas.
Treat him to lunch occasionally.
Use your student teacher's abilities whenever possible.
Value and respect his opinions.
Warmly welcome your student teacher to your class.
X-cellent teaching ideas in your files? Make copies for your student teacher.
You are the experienced professional. Always reflect that in your behavior.
Zero in on areas in which the student teacher needs help, and provide support.
"Good grief," he thought disdainfully. "Almost sounds like they want you to date 'em."
A soft rap at the door interrupted his musings. He instinctively glanced up at the clock first; still four minutes to go until his meeting. He turned his attention to the doorway where a girl he didn't recognize stood. She glanced around the room with wide stormy eyes. She would have looked as though she stepped off the cover of Allure if it hadn't been for her apparent nervousness. She clutched a couple of folders in front of her.
Jonathan raised his eyebrows slightly. Must be one of the new students, he thought.
"May I help you?" he asked.
The girl jumped slightly. "Y-yes," she said weakly. She cleared her throat and frowned at a piece of paper in her hand.
"I'm looking for a Mr. Jonathan Turner." She had steadied her voice and sounded more confidant than she looked.
Jonathan stood up and came around to the front of his desk. "That'd be me," he said after a moment.
The girl stood straighter and smiled slightly as though she had just overcome her biggest hurdle.
"I'm Audrey Andrews," she said with a warm grin and extended a pale hand to him. "Your student teacher."
Again, Jonathan's response was a bit delayed as he studied her. He ventured to guess that it had been dance that she had studied at Julliard- she had a ballerina's slight build and seemed to exude a grace and poise in spite of her nervousness.
Jonathan mentally shook himself from staring at her.
"Right," he replied, slightly embarrassed. He took her hand and gave her a stiff smile. He wasn't entirely sure what he had expected the student teacher to be like, but she wasn't at all what he had imagined.
The meeting went by swiftly as Jonathan gave her an overview of what to expect. She seemed greatly relieved that she would only be observing for the first two weeks. Jonathan covered everything on his agenda much faster than anticipated; Audrey listened intently to everything he had to say and when he was finished, she asked him a series of questions about her internship. As the meeting progress, she became more comfortable and demonstrated that there was an intellectual mind behind her pretty face.
