Cooperating Teacher

Role of the Cooperating Teacher

The cooperating teacher is a crucial contributor to teacher candidates’ growth and development as novice teachers. Cooperating teachers model effective teaching practices, plan collaborative teaching activities with teacher candidates, assure that teacher candidates receive extensive experience in planning instruction, teaching, assessment, and communicating with colleagues, administrators and parents.  They provide regular, written feedback and help assess whether a teacher candidate should be recommended for licensure. Where co-teaching is in place, the cooperating teacher actively supports the teacher candidate in this work. The relationship between a cooperating teacher and a teacher candidate is a complex one that takes different forms depending on the individuals and the specific school contexts. The role of the cooperating teacher follows:  

• Welcome the teacher candidate to the school(s) or educational agency through introductions to students and colleagues; provide a desk or other personal workspace (including a space to secure valuables); provide information about procedures and policies; and share information about the culture within each setting;   

• Provide the teacher candidate with varied opportunities to work with students with visual impairments as early as possible, beginning with observations and working with individuals and small groups. Then, gradually increase their responsibilities to include collaborative planning and co-teaching with the Cooperating Teacher, and eventually assuming full range of classroom responsibilities. 

• Use the COE Dispositions Rubric and Field Experience Checklist in the Candidate Field Experiences Portfolio to help identify activities that can be addressed during Practicum II;  

• Provide opportunities for the teacher candidate to learn about all facets of the job as a TSVI including assessment, IEP development, consultation, ordering materials, using assistive technology, etc.  The broader the experience, the more skills the teacher candidate student will be able to develop;

• Provide opportunities for the teacher candidate to implement educational and assessment activities as part of their program and course requirements;  

• Facilitate opportunities to attend professional meetings, such as IEPs, with related servers, parents, paraeducators, and general education teachers as often as possible; 

• Engage in collaborative planning with the teacher candidate as they take on more teaching responsibilities, and when they plan and teach the edTPA assignment required by the State of Oregon. Cooperating teachers need to provide some flexibility in the topic and content of their lessons within the existing curriculum so that the teacher candidate can demonstrate proficiencies in planning and implementing a unit of study and assessing student learning;  

• On a regular basis and at least three times over the term, observe the teacher candidate in a range of teaching contexts, provide written feedback using the Observation of Teaching Candidate Teaching Skills form, and allow time for post-observation conversations;  

• Plan regular times to meet with the teacher candidate for planning and feedback; 

• Demonstrate an effective role model of research-based teaching; 

• Be available to meet with the teacher candidate’s university supervisor for scheduled conferences and occasional informal conversations; 

• Communicate any concerns about a teacher candidate to the university supervisor and Cohort Leader promptly. Be available to attend meetings with appropriate stakeholders to address concerns about a teacher candidate who is struggling. The meetings should be held at the earliest sign of difficulty;

• Provide feedback on assignments, as appropriate; 

• Complete appropriate evaluation forms prior to evaluative conferences; 

• Meet and consult with the university supervisor to reach consensus concerning the midpoint and final evaluation of the teacher candidate’s performance and grade. 

What to Expect

The university supervisor and teacher candidate will both introduce themselves and exchange contact information during an initial meeting. Include the preferred way to reach each other (e.g., cell phone, e-mail) and the best times everyone is available. This meeting may take place online using Skype or Blackboard Collaborate, or by telephone conferencing. Discussion topics may include: (a) the schedule for the teacher candidate, (b) the assignments the teacher candidate will plan to complete in the placement, (c) the university supervisor’s projected schedule (e.g., number of observations, possible weeks in which they will be scheduled), and (d) any concerns or questions. 

At midpoint and during the last 1-2 weeks of the placement, the teacher candidate will set up a meeting with the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor to complete the Evaluation of Field Experience form.  Both the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor should complete the evaluation form prior to the meeting. The form can be filled out electronically or by hand. During this meeting please provide the teacher candidate with feedback about his/her performance during the quarter. These meetings can take place by phone or online using Skype, Google Hangout, Blackboard Collaborate, etc. 

Who Becomes a Cooperating Teacher?

Cooperating Teachers have at least three years of experience as a teacher of students with visual impairments and hold a valid license for their current assignments. The College of Education’s Field Placement Office, in cooperation with school districts and Cohort Leaders, arranges field placements for Visually Impaired Learner (VIL) teacher candidates with cooperating teachers who meet state and program qualifications.