Responsibilities of the Teacher Candidate During the Internship
The internship is an opportunity for teacher candidates to synthesize what they have learned with how they teach and reflect on the experience. The coordination of the internship and student teaching experiences in carefully selected settings with experienced clinical educators allows for collegial dialogue and reflection in a guided professional experience.
The part-time internships offer prospective teachers the opportunity of an extended placement in the public school setting. It is expected that the student intern has developed a good self-awareness by this point in the program. Study of the liberal arts core is helpful in developing self-knowledge and should be completed by the senior year. The completed preliminary education courses and the methods courses that are taken along with this internship help the teacher candidate develop a professional knowledge base. Student interns also begin spending time in their student teaching classroom prior to student teaching to develop a familiarity with the curriculum, students, policies, and procedures of the host school.
All teacher candidates in undergraduate programs (Elementary Education or Middle Grades Education) will complete a semester-long internship during the semester before they student teach. Candidates are required to spend one full school day per week in their placement observing, assisting, planning, and teaching. Interns are expected to apply what they are learning in their final courses in the student teaching classroom during this semester. The intern may begin planning for the spring student teaching experience during the fall internship with the guidance of the cooperating classroom teacher and the university supervisor. There are also assignments scheduled in methods courses that interns are expected to complete during the internship. These assignments are geared toward allowing the student to learn the content as well as gain insight into appropriate strategies for teaching in the placement setting. The assignments will directly contribute to the edTPA© portfolio that is the culmination of the student teaching experience.
Responsibilities of graduate candidates in the Master of Arts in Teaching program are available here (click here).
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Responsibilities of the Teacher Candidate During Student Teaching
The student teaching experience is designed to help the student teacher bridge that gap between the experience of being a student and that of being a teacher. Since the entire experience is focused on the student teacher, he/she has a special role to play in that process. Among the things expected of him/her are the following:
Placing school duties and responsibilities ahead of personal wishes and accepting all duties assigned to him/her.
Striving to exemplify the attitudes and actions of a teacher rather than those of a student.
Conforming to school regulations and policies and to local standards of behavior (including criminal record, university conduct, and academic integrity records).
Reporting for all school appointments and duties on schedule.
Planning all work and submitting plans to the clinical educator 24 hours prior to the teaching of a class, or as requested.
Safeguarding all personal and confidential information concerning his/her students and using it only for professional purposes.
Refraining from making unfavorable remarks about his/her university program, chosen profession, cooperating school, and the community (includes verbal remarks, as well as written correspondence, or online postings).
Having an appreciative attitude toward all services rendered in his/her behalf.
Dressing appropriately and in keeping with faculty, school, or district standards.
Endeavoring continuously to discover and correct shortcomings.
Avoiding all partiality and favoritism toward his/her students.
Striving for personal and professional growth through continued study and effort.
Maintain the standards of the North Carolina Code of Ethics for Educators and the Code of Professional Conduct for North Carolina Educators (click here).
The transition from student to teacher should be gradual and individualized. The student teacher should be given adequate opportunity to assist before being expected to do significant hours of actual teaching. When the student begins to teach, he or she should be given needed guidance and supervision by both the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor. For Teacher Education candidates, lesson plans should be studied and approved by the cooperating classroom teacher, and evaluative conferences should be conducted as frequently as necessary to help student teachers grow and to reassure them that they are succeeding.
During the full-time 16-week experience, the student teacher will carry the entire teaching load of the cooperating classroom teacher for at least five full weeks (click here).
In programs where the candidate has two placements, the student teacher should carry the entire teaching load of the cooperating classroom teacher for at least three full weeks in one placement and five full weeks in the other placement. The sequence of the placements is determined by the student teacher, the cooperating teachers, and the university supervisor collaboratively.
We strongly suggest that this experience be deferred until all concerned are confident that it will be worthwhile for both student teachers and students.
We believe that the basic purpose of the public school is the best possible education of each child. The student teacher, given guidance and encouragement, should add to the educational opportunity of public school students by exposing them to different points of view, youthful enthusiasm, and an attitude of discovery toward the teaching-learning process. Student teachers should never attempt to replace or compete with the cooperating classroom teacher, but should collaborate and apprentice as a professional alongside the mature guidance of the experienced classroom teacher. In those rare instances where the best interests of the students are not being served by the presence of the student teacher, the Lenoir-Rhyne School of Education will act to improve the situation by formulating action plans, or if necessary, remove the student teacher from the classroom.
Pursuant to § 115C-269.1.4 a clinical educator is defined as any “individual employed by a partner school, including a classroom teacher, who assesses, supports, and develops a clinical intern’s knowledge, skills, and professional disposition during an internship.” The clinical educator has direct responsibility for a university student who has been assigned to the school system for field experience. One individual may hold this responsibility, or two or more staff members may share it. A clinical educator is directly responsible to the principal of the school in which a field experience is provided.
The primary responsibilities of the clinical educator during internship and full-time student teaching semester include:
Providing orientation for the teacher candidate concerning the specific opportunities offered and responsibilities required by the internship or student teaching assignment. This orientation shall include introducing them to the other staff members and with the school and community, and providing knowledge about:
the school’s policies, procedures, and philosophy;
The organization and administration of the instructional program; and
The specific students with whom the teacher candidate will work.
Ensuring that the teacher candidate experiences a breadth and depth of involvement commensurate with one’s ability and training, the nature of the assignment, the resources of the situation, and the welfare of students in the school system.
Demonstrating a high quality of planning, organization, methodology, and professionalism.
Promoting the professional growth of the teacher candidate through encouragement, counsel, suggestion, delegation of teaching responsibilities, and continuous evaluation of the candidate’s student teaching activities.
Working in close cooperation with the university supervisor.
Completing written formal evaluations of the teacher candidate, which include: one formal observation; the Educator Dispositions Assessment (EDA) at the beginning and end of the internship; the midterm evaluation; and the final evaluation. These evaluations will be kept on file with the Director of Teacher Education.
Signing the LEA/IHE Certification of Teaching Capacity form at the conclusion of the student teaching semester (click here).
Clinical Educators supervising students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program will serve as local scorers for mock-edTPA portfolios.
Other suggestions for the clinical educator include:
Help the student teacher develop a professional attitude toward all roles of the teacher. Establish good rapport with the student teacher. Gain the student teacher’s confidence and respect. Evaluate constructively and with empathy. Let the student teacher know that all make mistakes and are constantly working towards improvement.
Introduce the student teacher to colleagues, parents, and students as another teacher who will work with the students during this period of time.
Encourage students to display courtesy, cooperation, and appreciation toward their student teacher.
Observe and review the strengths and weaknesses of the student teacher, never just the weaknesses. Emphasize strengths and successes during the early phase of student teaching. Be honest and frank, and never leave the student teacher in doubt as to how one is getting along.
Encourage the student teacher to develop his/her own style of teaching and management rather than imposing your own upon the student teacher.
Support and reinforce the student teacher’s classroom management consistently.
Maintain an open mind toward the student teacher’s suggestions and act on those that appear to be promising.
Provide a work area commensurate with the classroom teacher (i.e., desk and other professional requirements).
Give the student teacher increased responsibilities as they are ready to accept additional roles and duties.
Model a variety of procedures and methods to increase skill in teaching and to show the many roles of the teacher.
Support the student teacher in his/her efforts to solve teaching, professional, and related personal problems.
Allow the student teacher to plan all matters of routine management.
Help the student teacher recognize evaluation as the chief means of professional growth and improvement.
Emphasize strengths and successes during the early phase of student teaching.
Document concerns with detail. (Progress reports and records can be used advantageously; trusting your memory for details is dangerous.)
Make evaluations comprehensive--do not let a single factor (such as personality, effort, scholastic record) overly influence your final judgement.
Give the student teacher both written and oral evaluations.
Help the student teacher to gain confidence in teacher-parent conferences through participation in such conferences.
Remuneration for Clinical Educators
University supervisors will request that all clinical educators complete, sign, and turn in an agreement to supervise a given student for two semesters. The agreement form for clinical educators supervising teacher candidates should be completed and sent to the Director of Teacher Education by the end of the second week of school. At the close of the student teaching semester, clinical educators will be mailed a $100 stipend and a Lenoir-Rhyne tuition voucher valid for one three-credit hour course.
The university supervisor has a crucial responsibility in the success of the internship and student teaching experience. As the liaison between the teacher preparation program and the public school, the university supervisor facilitates the transition of the student to teacher during the final field experiences. If the resources of both the university and public schools are to be utilized most effectively in this transition, there must be a thorough understanding of the unique role and contribution each can make in the education of teachers.
The university supervisor shall visit each student under their supervision at a minimum of three times to communicate with the host teacher and check on the candidate’s progress and performance. During these mandatory visits, the university supervisor will complete formal observations of the teacher candidate using the approved evaluation instrument. In addition to three formal observations, routine visits by the university supervisor include and orientation visit and a final evaluation conference with the cooperating classroom teacher, the intern, and the principal (or his/her designee). If possible, the teacher candidate may prepare and present one or two lessons for observation during the internship and participate in pre- and post-observation conferences to scaffold preparation and reflection processes.
The university supervisor’s orientation visit will occur during the first week of the placement and shall include conferences with the school principal, the clinical educator, and the teacher candidate. Subsequent visits shall include conferences with any or all of the above as needed. On-campus group or individual conferences with interns may be scheduled at the discretion of the university supervisor.
The university supervisor is responsible for the assessment and evaluation of the intern’s work and performance periodically during the semester. Included in these assessments are:
completion of the Educator Dispositions Assessment (EDA) at the beginning and end of the internship;
completion of three formal observations;
completion of the midterm evaluation; and
completion of the final evaluation.
Additionally, the responsibilities of the university supervisor include:
Consistently adhering to the policies and regulations for student teaching as specified in this handbook.
Working in close cooperation with the clinical educator.
Providing the necessary orientation to prospective clinical educators concerning the responsibilities of supervision of the student teachers.
Acquainting oneself with the school programs and instructional personnel of the schools in which one will supervise.
Acting as liaison person between the school and the university.
Acquainting oneself with the qualifications - personal, social, and educational - of the teacher candidates one will supervise.
Participating in orientation meetings for teacher candidates prior to the beginning of the internship and/ or student teaching.
Counseling with individual student teachers concerning personal and professional concerns.
Participating with the teacher candidate, clinical educator, and principal when appropriate in planning the individual teacher candidate’s program and schedule.
Visiting and observing in the cooperating schools and holding individual and joint conferences about the student teacher’s progress.
Assisting in arranging for resource persons to consult with special instructional problems when possible.
Participating in the final evaluation conference to help teacher candidates generalize from the field experience.
Collecting and interpreting all evaluative information in collaboration with the principal, clinical educator, and teacher candidate to arrive at a final report or grade for the student.
Assisting the Director of Teacher Education in providing professional development opportunities for clinical educators.
Assisting in the continuous evaluation and revision of the student teaching and internship programs.
Participating in the student teacher seminar as needed.
The building level administrator supports the student teaching program by:
Helping to select competent cooperating classroom teachers.
Protecting the student teacher against exploitation.
Orienting the student teacher at work and helping in the evaluation of progress.
Making the student teacher’s experience as meaningful as possible using whatever means are available and expedient.
Signing the North Carolina Local Education Agency Evaluation of Student Teaching/Internship Performance as designee of superintendent.
The Director of Teacher Education has the responsibility for coordinating any field experience including the internship and student teacher placements. The responsibilities of the Director of Teacher Education include:
Acquainting oneself with the qualifications - personal, social, and educational - of the teacher candidates prior to placement by reading references, evaluations, and other credentials.
Acquainting oneself with the school programs and instructional personnel of the schools in which candidates will be placed.
Working with the public school administrators and supervisory personnel in the selection of clinical educators and placement of teacher candidates.
Working in close cooperation with university supervisors.
Acting as a liaison between the university supervisors and the School of Education faculty.
Planning/implementing in-service programs for cooperating classroom teachers.
Managing the field experience component of all education courses at the university.
Notifying teacher candidates of placements for internship and student teaching and any subsequent changes in placements.
Providing pertinent information concerning student teachers to the school principal and clinical educators.
Submitting the names of qualified candidates to the Teacher Education Council for admission to student teaching.
Keeping current on changes in licensure requirements in the state.
Helping compile all required paperwork for licensure.
The teacher preparation team is by no means limited to university faculty, public school clinical educators, and the intern/student teacher. Various special subject teachers, supervisors, the school principal, the supervisor of instruction, and the superintendent all have definite, though somewhat limited, roles to perform.
Special Subject Teachers or Supervisors
The Special Subject Teacher or Supervisor assists in the internship and student teaching program by:
Helping the teacher candidate become familiar with the subject and its methods and materials.
Encouraging the teacher candidate to develop channels of communication and cooperation with special teachers.
Conferring with the teacher candidate about those students with special abilities or disabilities in the area of specialization or enlist the services of the Exceptional Children’s Coordinator in the school for conferences.
LEA Supervisor of Instruction/Coordinator
The Supervisor of Instruction/Coordinator assists in the internship and student teaching program by:
Helping in the selection of competent cooperating clinical educators.
Serving as a resource person to help cope with special instructional problems.
Observing the teacher candidate at work when circumstances permit.
Helping cooperating clinical educators and university supervisors evaluate the overall field experience program.
Superintendent or his/her Designee
The district superintendent assists in the internship and student teaching program by:
Cooperating with the university in the location of schools and cooperating clinical educators.
Encouraging personnel in the administrative unit to participate in the internship/student teaching program.