General requirements for PREK-4/SPECAL EDUCATION PREK-12/MIDDLE LEVEL:
Development and completion of at least one Professional Goal:
During the first week of each placement, the student teacher will develop a professional goal that should be attainable during the student teaching experience. The professional goal will include a measurable objective related to one or more teaching skills which the student teacher wishes to improve as well as the strategies the student teacher will use to reach the objective. The professional goal will be shared with the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor. Progress towards meeting the measurable objective will be documented by the student teacher, and progress updates will be provided throughout the student teaching experience.
Working toward a professional goal does not mean that the student teacher is deficient in that skill. It relates to the continuous process of teacher improvement.
Weekly Observations
There will be weekly observations, based on submitted lesson plans. The Classroom Observation Form will be used to provide formal written feedback to the student teacher at least once a week.
Student teachers must use this feedback to reflect and improve on their teaching each week.
Weekly Reflections
At the end of each week, the student teacher will submit a typed reflection to the university supervisor, based on the reflection topic provided in the student teaching syllabus for that week. The reflection topics are aligned with the Student Teaching Competencies, and allow student teachers to explain how they are demonstrating these competencies in professional practice.
In addition to the focused reflection, the student teacher will reflect on the lesson that was formally observed that week by responding to the post-observation questions posed by the supervisor or cooperating teacher.
Lesson Plans
The student teacher is responsible for submitting all lesson plans to their cooperating teacher by the Thursday prior to the week they plan to teach the lessons. This will allow time on Friday for the cooperating teacher to provide feedback before the lessons are taught.
In addition, the student teacher will submit at least one detailed lesson plan by Saturday to the university supervisor, and schedule an observation of that lesson for the following week.
Failure to submit lesson plans in advance indicates that the student teacher is not accepting professional responsibility, and is therefore a reason for removal from the student teaching placement, with no credit.
The student teacher, cooperating teacher, and university supervisor should agree on a lesson plan format that will be used during the student teaching experience. Sample lesson plan formats are included in the "Supporting Documents" section.
All lesson plans will include the following aspects:
Pennsylvania Academic Standards or Assessment Anchors related to the content area and grade level of the student teaching placement
Measurable objective that is aligned with the selected standard, instruction, and assessment
Strategies for adapting and accommodating the instruction for students with disabilities in an inclusive setting
Introductory Letter to Families
The student teacher will write and send a letter to the families of the students they are teaching. The letter will provide an opportunity to introduce themselves to parents. A letter will need to be sent for each placement. The letter must be approved by the cooperating teacher before it is sent to families.
5-Day Lesson Sequence
You will prepare and teach a 5-day lesson sequence in one subject area. The cooperating teacher and the university supervisor will review the lesson plans before they are taught. Each lesson should include standards/objectives, a detailed procedure, and a lesson assessment.
**One of the lessons should be designed as learning stations, so that students are working in small groups practicing content/concepts that you are teaching during this sequence. Each learning station should align with standards, have a specific objective, adequate description, and assessment.
The sequence should also include a summative assessment designed by you to measure how students met the objectives. Rubrics should be included for any performance-based assessments.
You should also collect a sample of student work w/written feedback as part of this instructional sequence. (You should clearly indicate in your lesson plan(s) when you plan to collect this artifact.)
Substitute Plans - Emergency Lesson Plan and Daily Routine Letter
Highly qualified teachers must be prepared for all situations. Therefore, the student teacher will prepare at least one lesson plan that can be used in an emergency. This will be a “stand alone” lesson, aligned with the grade level and subject area of the student teaching placement, that could be used at any time.
The student teacher will also write a letter to a substitute teacher that summarizes the daily routines of the classes in the placement (such as calendar time, lunch count, attendance).
This daily routine letter and emergency lesson plan will be completed for each placement, and would be a valuable tool for a substitute teacher, if needed.
Interactive Reinforcement Activity
During each placement, the student teacher will create at least one interactive activity to reinforce skills. This could be in the form of a bulletin board, learning center, web quest, etc. Submit a picture or video of your display with a written explanation of how you met the requirements and how students responded to this display.
Requirements:
Must coincide with the subject matter being presented at the same time to reinforce what students have learned (related to PA Academic Standard).
Must be interactive (complete with directions for students to follow).
If you choose to do a learning center, a lesson of how to facilitate must accompany photo or video.
Gradebook and Student Data Comparison Synopsis
The student teacher will write a synopsis that compares “course” grades to state and benchmark assessment data. A conversation with the cooperating teacher will need to take place so that data pertaining to growth and achievement can be shared and examined. The synopsis should maintain confidentiality and focus on notable data connections and trends between the varied grades/assessments for one student.
TEM Assessment
The Danielson Teacher Effectiveness Model (TEM) will be completed (rating and comments for each component) by the student teacher, cooperating teacher, and university supervisor at the mid-point and final evaluation periods of the student teaching placement(s). This assessment is in coordination with the PDE 430 and PDE 430A.
Logs
Teachers are expected to maintain positive connections with families, provide service to their school and participate in professional development opportunities. One of the ways to document these responsibilities is to keep a log of family contact, school service and professional development activities. See the logs in the "Forms" section.
*All family contacts (such as Open House and Parent Teacher Conferences) should be done in the presence of the cooperating teacher, with the approved consent of the family member(s). During these family meetings, student teachers should refrain from making specific comments about the student’s performance, unless approved in advance by the cooperating teacher.
The following logs will need to be completed during the entire student teaching experience.
· Family Contact (including self-initiated communication)
· Professional Development
· Service to School Community Log (minimum of 3 hours, outside of regular school hours and teacher responsibilities)
Attendance at Student Teaching Placement and Seminars
Daily attendance at the student teaching placement and attendance at student teaching seminars is mandatory. The student teacher will complete an attendance form (located in the "Forms" section) to document any dates/times that were missed.
INSURANCE INFORMATION:
Liability Insurance
Go to www.psea.org
In the left column click on:
MEMBER LINKS - STUDENT PSEA
LIABILITY INSURANCE - $1 MILLION LIABILITY INSURANCE
EDUCATORS EMPLOYMENT LIABILITY POLICY
Health Insurance
Proof of health insurance must be provided to the Education Department.
MIDDLE LEVEL specific requirements:
Teaming Interview: Interview the team of teachers you are working with or shadow a team of teachers in your building and answer the provided questions.
SPECIAL EDUCATION specific requirements:
Co-teaching Lesson Plan
Co-teaching is two or more people sharing responsibility for teaching all of the students assigned to a classroom. In the co-teaching approach, the cooperating teacher and the student teacher will prepare lesson plans together. This will provide the student teacher the opportunity to become familiar with effective lesson planning.
The student teacher will co-plan and co-teach at least one lesson with their cooperating teacher, utilizing one of the six listed co-teaching approaches. Additional details about co-teaching strategies can be found in the "Supporting Documents" section.
IEP Assignment
Select one student for whom you wish to examine his/her IEP. Review the IEP carefully and respond to prompts.
Progress Monitoring Assignment
Choose one student for whom you will complete the data and reflection. List the IEP goal(s) for that student in the chosen subject area.
Complete any charts or graphs based on progress monitoring of that goal. Answer the provided reflection questions.