Particularly in the first days of a placement, intentional and brief daily communication is critical in establishing helpful and efficient interaction patterns. In the beginning, it is recommended these exchanges be initiated by the cooperating teacher; as the semester unfolds, the teacher candidate should take increasingly more responsibility for these daily discussions.

• Think of these interactions as an informal, quick check-in as opposed to a formal “sit-down.” For example, as you are waiting for students to arrive in the morning, during your plan period or, for elementary teachers, on the way to specials.

• A “preview-review” strategy might work – talking through an overview for the day in the morning, then debriefing how things went after students leave for the day.

• As you model teaching, make your thinking transparent - sharing reasons behind your teaching choices and actions will help your teacher candidate understand the work of teaching.

• Maintain clear and open channels of communication; let the university supervisor know if communication is breaking down.