Cooperating Teacher Training

1. Cooperating Teacher Training College of Education and Health Professions University of Texas Arlington

2. Welcome • Thank You for partnering with UTA in the process of educating our teacher candidates! • Your role as a cooperating teacher is critical to the success of our future teachers! • This power point is designed to clarify your roles and responsibilities as a cooperating teacher and explain what you should expect from your student teacher. • Please use this information along with the UTA Handbook as a guide to having a successful year as a cooperating teacher in the state of Texas.

3. Completion of Training • At the end of this PowerPoint please make sure to follow the link on the last slide. Please complete and submit the linked survey to indicate your completion of the training. • This training is mandated by the Texas Education Agency and we must be able to document all cooperating teachers have completed this training. By completing the final survey you document your participation. • Thank You for your efforts in helping us maintain a successful educator preparation program.

4. The College is guided by: • State and National Standards • Texas Education Association (TEA) • The National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER) • Supports Educational Renewal through school-university partnerships • The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation • Commitment to improve the education of all P-12 students by providing each student with a caring, competent, and highly qualified teacher.

5. UTA College of Education Standards of Professional Development -The Candidate: • Demonstrates excellence in teaching • Creates a learner-centered environment • Applies research-based pedagogy • Participates in on-going collaboration with colleagues, parents, and the community • Exhibits commitment to diversity • Uses instructional technology • Participates in a variety of field experiences • Demonstrates an understanding of learners and the learning-process

6. Definition of a Cooperating Teacher: • A Cooperating Teacher is a classroom teacher who volunteers to work with a university early field experience student or a student teacher. • Research demonstrates that the most important influence on a teacher candidate is the cooperating teacher.

7. Qualifications of a Cooperating Teacher: • Must hold a current Texas Educator Certification • Has a minimum of three years of successful classroom experience, in the content area of the candidate’s certification program Must also have: • Approval of the building principal • A high level of commitment to the candidate's professional development • An eagerness to continue professional growth • Effective communication skills • Outstanding collaboration skills

8. Roles of a Cooperating Teacher: • serves as a model for teacher preparation and assists the candidate in becoming an effective first year teacher. • models best practices, provides clear and honest feedback, makes suggestions for improvement, and motivates and encourages the candidate. • is committed to the role of mentoring, and has a positive effect on candidate learning. • influences a candidate's ability to synthesize and apply teaching strategies, and emphasizes conceptual application of ideas. • establishes a relationship of trust and communication with the candidate.

9. Preparing for the Candidate • Each certification program and level have individual Handbooks that outline the format of the field experiences. • Links to the handbooks are provided at the end of this ppt. • The Handbooks provide detailed information needed for each candidate to successfully complete the field experience. • Cooperating teachers should review the Handbook with the candidate. • Any questions may be directed to the university supervisor or the program coordinator.

10. Preparing for the Candidate • Your student teacher will be with you one day a week in the fall semester and every day of the week in the spring semester. • Contact your student teacher via email or telephone prior to his or her first visit. • Learn about your student teacher. • Share your own experiences, skills, interests, and expectations.

11. Preparing the Candidate • Orient your student teacher to: • You - introductions, teaching philosophy, “survival kit”, assignments/schedule, expectations • The classroom - getting to know your students and your classroom routines • The school - maps, routines, rules, emergency procedures

12. Candidate Responsibilities • Dress and act in a professional manner. • Commit to a full partnership with the cooperating teacher. • Learn and follow the rules and regulations of the school. • Actively participate in the classroom. • The candidate will be in the classroom one day a week in the fall semester observing and teaching a few lessons. • The candidate will follow the cooperating teacher’s schedule throughout the student teaching placement in the spring including: • Attending school the same hours as the cooperating teacher. • Attending professional meetings including faculty meetings, parent conferences, PTAmeetings and workshops. • Taking part in extra-curricular activities as appropriate.

13. Candidate Responsibilities • Learn the daily responsibilities of a teacher. • Gradually take on the responsibilities for the class and teach full-time for at least two full weeks in each placement. • Lesson plans are required by each program and should be submitted 48 hrs. in advance of the lesson being taught. This allows for feedback from the cooperating teacher. • Weekly reflections are completed by the candidate and in some programs must be completed in the presence of the cooperating teacher.

14. Evaluating the Candidate • Supervising teachers need to be made aware of any concerns. Identifying these areas early allows for supervisors and cooperating teachers to work together to provide support and guidance to the candidate. • Issues may be documented through action plans (provided in the handbook). • If improvement is not made and the candidate creates a negative learning environment, the cooperating teacher or principal may ask for removal of the student.

15. Evaluating the Candidate • Formal observations are required by every department, usually two per placement. These are submitted electronically. • Each evaluation needs to provide an honest assessment of the candidate and his or her work.

16. The UTA Supervisor – liaison between cooperating teacher and UT A Is Responsible for: • Staying in frequent contact with the candidate • Completing three 45 minute formal observations • Conferencing with the candidate and the cooperating teacher • Providing written feedback to the candidate, cooperating teacher, and the school principal • Providing specific feedback to the candidate for professional improvement or growth • Leading the candidate in reflection of his or her performance • Contacting the program coordinator and the field office about issues which may need an action plan or change of placement.

17. Links to the handbooks: • EC-6 Undergraduate Student Teaching Handbook • EC-6 Graduate Student Teaching Handbook • Mid-level Undergraduate Cooperating Teacher Handbook 2011-2012 • Mid-level Graduate Cooperating Teacher Handbook Fall 2011 • Secondary Undergraduate Student Teaching Handbook • Secondary Undergraduate Cooperating Teacher Handbook

18. Contact Information • Dr. John Smith Chair, Curriculum and Instruction Program Coordinator, Secondary Program (817) 272-0116  smithJ@uta.edu • Dr. Jiyoon Yoon Program Coordinator, EC-6 Program (817) 272-1268 jiyoon@uta.edu • Dr. Luis Rosado Program Coordinator, EC-6 Bilingual/ESL Program (817) 272-7567 rosado@uta.edu

19. Contact Information • Dr. Diane Galloway Program Coordinator, Middle-Level Program (817) 272-7447 dianeg@uta.edu • Dr. Jean Helm Program Coordinator, Physical Education/ Kinesiology (817) 272-1400 jahargreaves@uta.edu • Dr. Diane Lange Program Coordinator, Music Education (817) 272-2434 lange@uta.edu

20. One More Step! • Please click on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/39J9XBT Completing this very short informational survey documents your completion of this training. We thank you for your assistance as we are required by the Texas Education Agency to collect this documentation for our Cooperating Teachers. • Thank You!