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Lesson Plans


Re: student teacher help

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Sandra Hildreth (shildret)
Thu, 17 Dec 1998 00:00:17 -0500

Amanda asked about contacting cooperating teachers, etc. prior to
student teaching. I would positively encourage it. As both a Methods
instructor and a high school teacher, I believe teachers like to know
something about their student teacher before they show up on their door
step. I think it's really nice to just come out to introduce yourself
and perhaps provide a brief resume type document - what courses you've
taken, what your specialty or major area is, any previous teaching
experience, any personal issues that perhaps should be known (i.e.,
learning disabilities, or new babies at home, etc.) that might have an
impact on the student teaching semester.

I'd also like to add this funny, but real story. Several years ago I
knew I was going to be getting an older, non-traditional male student
teacher. I was told he was "different". He did call me up in advance to
introduce himself and told me he had a full beard and long hair, which
he usually wore in a pony-tail, and wore nothing but 501 Levis! I
replied that was OK with me, but suggested that he think about trying to
dress a little more professionally because when he really went out and
applied for a job, it would most likely be very important, even for an
art teacher. When he actually showed up on my doorstep, I have to admit,
I was nearly speechless. He had long scraggly dull brown hair - hung
half way down his back, a full sraggly beard that he could nearly tuck
into his belt. He rode a motorcycle and he wore a bandana around his
forehead. He looked more like a 50 year old pot smoking, homeless person
than someone who wanted to be a teacher. We worked things out and I got
him through the semester, but not without great difficulty. His dress
and vocabulary and mannerisms made it very difficult for him to
establish any kind of authority as a teacher. He did wear something
other than 501 Levis, though! In my recommendation I suggested he would
be more suitable for some kind of non-traditional type teaching
position.

-- 
Sandra Hildreth
Home Page: http://www.northnet.org/hildreth
Art 7-12, Madrid-Waddington Central School, Madrid, NY 13660
School Pages: http://www.northnet.org/mwcsart/mwart.htm
Art Methods, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY 13617