Student Teaching Handbook

You should be logging into Tk20: for each placement** to complete evaluations on your Cooperating Teacher & University Supervisor. The evaluations you leave for your cooperating teacher and supervisor are confidential. They cannot see your response.

**If the dates in the evaluation schedule section do not quite align with the timing for your particular placement, due to late starts and/or adjusted dates, you would complete them on a date (after they become accessible) that makes the most sense for the timeline you are currently working within.

**Yes, you should be doing this even if you are in a single continuous placement (OCP) for the semester. This gives us a snapshot of how the collaboration process is evolving with your supervisor and cooperating teacher. The first set of evaluations would be considered "Mid-Point". You will receive another towards the conclusion of your placement. This would be then considered your “Final” evaluation.

As outlined above at the end of each placement, SUNY Oneonta will send you an email inviting you to complete the (3) Final Evaluations on your student teacher and the university supervisor. This email will contain a direct link to your student’s evaluation information in Tk20. Please note: Not all school district email systems will allow this type of email invitation through their server. If you do not receive an email link on the date(s) outlined in the evaluation schedule section, you will need to email Jennifer.Mancke@oneonta.edu for a direct link. (Please check your spam folder and also note the release date of the evaluations before reaching out. Evaluations are not viewable or accessible until the date indicated.)

Your evaluation of the student-teacher is a critical component and receipt of the evaluations from you is one way we document the student-teacher’s progress.

The (3) final evaluation(s) indicated below must also be completed in order for you to receive the compensation for having a student-teacher:

The Student Teaching Evaluation: This will appear to you as 2017.V12 Student Teaching Evaluation

The Education Dispositions Survey: This survey will automatically default to "2-Meets Expectations". If your student is above or below this, you will need to move the indicator.

The Supervisor Evaluation: This is your evaluation of the University Supervisor. This is confidential. The supervisor cannot view this.

Reminder: Student Teaching is not a grade-specific course. It is Pass/Fail. We do not require you to enter a "grade" or score within the Tk20 system

Tk20 is accessible here (once you have been assigned a SUNY Oneonta username/password):

There are three items that you need to complete and submit for each student, each quarter:*

The Student Teaching Evaluation: This will appear to you as 2017.V12 Student Teaching Evaluation

The Education Dispositions Survey: This survey will automatically default to "2-Meets Expectations". If your student is above or below this, you will need to move the indicator.

The Cooperating Teacher Evaluation: This is your evaluation of the Cooperating Teacher. This is confidential. The teacher cannot view this.

*Yes, to clarify this means even if your student is in a single continuous placement, these items need to be completed both times. In instances like this, the first evaluation would be considered "mid-point" and the second evaluation "final". This gives us an opportunity to see how the collaboration between you, the student, and the cooperating teacher progress throughout this process.

Reminder: Student Teaching is not a grade-specific course. It is Pass/Fail. We do not require you to enter a "grade" or score within the Tk20 system.

To access the evaluations once you have logged in:

1.) Click on the FIELD EXPERIENCE tab on the screen.

2.) Click on the NAME OF THE STUDENT you want to access to open a split screen*.

*If you do not see your student's name indicated on the "current" placement tab within Field Experience, you may need to click on the "past/previous" placement tab, especially if entering in information after the system due date.

The first set of evaluations will be set to roll out on Friday, October 13th. This would be considered the "final" evaluation for placement 1 or the "mid-point" evaluation for a single continuous placement scenario (OCP).

The second set of evaluations will then be set to roll out Friday, December 8th. This would be considered the "final" evaluation for all second placements and any students in a single continuous placement scenario.

Evaluations will be there and available for you to complete on these dates, please mark your calendars. (If the dates above do not quite align with the timing for your particular student, due to late starts and/or adjusted dates, you would then complete them on a date (after they become accessible) that makes the most sense for the timeline you are currently working within).

**Please note that the evaluations are not accessible or viewable until the dates indicated above.

The first set of evaluations will be set to roll out on (Friday, March 1st) This would be considered the "final" evaluation for placement 1 or the "mid-point" evaluation for a single continuous placement scenario (OCP).

The second set of evaluations will then be set to roll out (Friday, May 3rd). This would be considered the "final" evaluation for all second placements and any students in a single continuous placement scenario.

Evaluations will be there and available for you to complete on these dates, please mark your calendars. (If the dates above do not quite align with the timing for your particular student, due to late starts and/or adjusted dates, you would then complete them on a date (after they become accessible) that makes the most sense for the timeline you are currently working within).

**Please note that the evaluations are not accessible or viewable until the dates indicated above.

The Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience (OEAFE) clinical placement staff will facilitate all student teaching placements. The one exception is for placements in any of the five boroughs of New York City. Anyone placed there will be part of and placed by the SUNY Urban Teacher Education Center (SUTEC). OEAFE will request and consider input and suggestions for placements from our teacher candidates and see ourselves as partners in the placement process. However, it is important to understand that the OEAFE staff will make these placements to the best of their ability and knowledge at that point in time.

At the beginning of each semester, OEAFE will hold student teaching interest meetings to include those teacher candidates who plan on completing the student teaching and capstone experience in the following semester. At this meeting, you will be given important information regarding the student teaching application process and be asked to fill out several forms.

Application Process

• Who Should Attend? Teacher candidates in any of SUNY Oneonta’s undergraduate education programs that will have completed all requirements of the program except student teaching by the end of the current semester.
• What Takes Place at the Interest Meeting:
  • You will receive information about the creation of an appropriate student teaching resume.
  • You will receive information regarding the placement process, including where you can live, other programs (i.e. SUTEC), and the placement procedure timeline.
  • You will be asked to complete various documents. These include:
  • The Information Release form (this allows us to recommend you for certification after you graduate and have received degree clearance)
  • The teacher candidate data sheet (electronic form submission)
  • Resume and Cover Letter
  • Philosophy of Teaching Statement
  • Degree Works PDF or Unofficial Transcript
  • Sample letter to Cooperating Teacher
  • “If I could tell” statement (optional)
  • Proof of fingerprinting
  • Emergency Contact Form
• When are These Held? To be determined by OEAFE. You will receive an email with the information regarding when and how this meeting will be held. Please NOTE: Due to a variety of circumstances, these meetings have been held virtually. If this is the case, you will be informed as to the date and time of the meeting which will be set up through TEAMS.
• Additional Applications: Student teaching in New York City (SUTEC) will require an additional student teaching application and eligibility requirements. Please contact OEAFE for more information.
• What Happens After the Meeting? You will be given time to write your resume, as well as to complete the other pieces required for your student teaching folder. You will be asked to make an appointment with an OEAFE placement coordinator for your student teaching interview.
• What is the Student Teaching Interview? Each teacher candidate planning to student teach will be asked to complete a student teaching interview with an OEAFE placement coordinator. This is an opportunity for your placement coordinator to get to know you better to assist in providing you with the best possible placements. These will last approximately 30 minutes and are professional interviews during which your coordinator will:
  • Review your materials and discuss student teaching with you
  • Ask you questions regarding student teaching and go over the information that you provided on your teacher candidate data sheet
  • Ask you questions about your philosophy of teaching
  • You will be able to ask questions and offer suggestions at this time.

Prior to student teaching, a teacher candidate’s academic records and any other pertinent records will be reviewed by that student’s program/department and OEAFE. This is done at the beginning and end of the semester prior to student teaching. The review includes several categories established by SUNY Oneonta and the program in which the teacher candidate’s major resides. Generally, this includes:

• Overall GPA
• GPA in Education Program Courses
• GPA in your concentration
• Other requirements as noted on Degreeworks and found in the Academic Catalog and on the OEAFE Website.
• Completion of all prerequisite coursework, including general education, education program, and concentration coursework.
• Completion of all required workshops (successful completion of EDUC 213 now EDUC 3013).
• Lack of any college based disciplinary, academic, or any legal issues that may prevent you from student teaching (if something such as this arises, you will meet with us to discuss your options).

Please note: Summer Sessions I and II and Winter Sessions immediately preceding student teaching may delay the start of one’s student teaching experience depending upon when the grades for the courses are released. These are reviewed individually, and OEAFE will work with the teacher candidate and their cooperating teacher to adjust the dates if needed.

Eligibility Checks will be performed prior to your registration in your methods classes, and then again prior to student teaching.

After you complete the semester prior to student teaching, your Degreeworks page will be checked to see if you have met all eligibility requirements needed prior to student teaching. This information may be found on our website.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding this, please bring them to our attention as soon as possible.

New York State requires all applicants for teaching certification to have completed the following prior to application (as of July 1, 2013)

• At least two clock hours of coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of suspected child abuse or maltreatment (in accordance with requirements of section 3004 of the Education Law).
• At least two clock hours of coursework or training in school violence prevention and intervention (also known as S.A.V.E) (as required by section 3004 of the Education Law).
• At least six clock hours of coursework or training in harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention and intervention (also known as DASA: Dignity for All Students Act) (as required by section 14 of Education Law).

All those who have successfully completed EDUC 213/EDUC 3013 from Fall 2013 on will have met all the aforementioned requirements.

Workshops that are completed within a course, or within an approved teacher preparation program will not appear in the "workshop" section of TEACH. This section is generally only used to house information on workshops that you may have completed outside of a program.

OTI/TEACH does indicate this about each workshop:

DASA: If you received a college recommendation for certification from a New York State college or university with a degree date after December 30, 2013, then you completed the DASA training during your educator preparation program. TEACH will automatically credit the workshop to your TEACH account when the college recommendation is submitted to TEACH; the Workshops section in your TEACH account will not list this workshop. No additional training is required.

Child Abuse Identification: If you received a college recommendation from a New York State college or university with a degree date of May 2001 or later, no Certification of Completion will be awarded because the training was a required component of your program. TEACH will automatically credit the workshop based on the degree date listed in your college recommendation; no additional training is required.

SAVE: If you received a college recommendation from a New York State college or university with a degree date of May 2001 or later, no Certification of Completion will be awarded because the training was a required component of your program. TEACH will automatically credit the workshop based on the degree date listed in your college recommendation; no additional training is required.

This information can also be found here: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/workshops-required-for-educator-certification.html

If a school district requires proof beyond that of your certification that you have taken the DASA, S.A.V.E., or Mandated Child Abuse training, you may have a paper copy of your certificate of completion to show them. If you do not have this, please contact the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience.

Most schools require fingerprinting of student teachers before they can start Student Teaching. Fingerprinting is required by the State of New York for teacher certification.

Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000, the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE) requires the New York State Education Department to request a criminal history background check of all applicants for certification as a school teacher or school administrator on or after July 1, 2001 through the submission of fingerprints to the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This legislation also mandates that all prospective employees of school districts hired on or after July 1, 2001 be fingerprinted and cleared for employment by the Department.

Our program has fingerprinting as a co-requisite of EDUC 3001, so you should have all been fingerprinted by this point in the program. If not, please contact OEAFE to discuss this.

Directions regarding how to find your fingerprinting information on your TEACH account.

If you are found ineligible to student teach in a specific semester, we may be able to work with you to create a path forward. This may require taking additional courses or meeting other requirements to support your eligibility to student teach. Students in these circumstances often delay student teaching by one or two semesters as needed.

When you complete your teacher candidate data sheet for student teaching, you will be asked to include information regarding school districts at which you have relatives employed or attending school. In most cases, student teaching in a school in which you have relatives can pose issues for teacher candidates. Historically, we have found that it is better when student teachers are not put in this situation. For this purpose, “relative” would include parents, siblings, children, spouses, aunts, uncles, etc. While we seek to place you at schools where you do not have relatives in attendance or employed, there are circumstances in which this has been allowed. Each case is considered individually, and the decision is made carefully for the best possible outcome for our teacher candidates.

Situations may arise that support the need for a teacher candidate to student teach at a school in another state. The ability to support this will depend upon many things, including finding an appropriate placement and having a supervisor in that geographic area who will work with the student teacher throughout the semester. We will work with you to see how best to meet this need and to ascertain if it will be possible to do so.

Any out-of-state placements will be secured to fulfill regulatory, certification, and program requirements of New York State. It is the sole responsibility of the student teaching candidate to determine if there are differing certification requirements and/or additional steps that need to be taken to get certified outside of New York State.

As stated by NYSED regulations, student teachers must always work under the direct supervision of a cooperating teacher who holds the same certificate as the teacher candidate is working toward. Also, we support the principle that student teachers should not be used by districts as unpaid substitute teachers in their classrooms or other classrooms, nor should they be pulled from their classrooms to serve as lunchroom or playground aides, unless that is a role concurrent with their student teaching placement. Due to these expectations, it is difficult for student teachers to act as substitute teachers during this time period.

However, due to the extraordinary circumstances which surround COVID-19, the current staffing crises in public schools, and the effect of both of these, there may be a need for a student teacher to take on the role of a paid substitute teacher (the student teacher then acts as a district employee at these times). These will be considered and approved by OEAFE on a case-by-case basis after discussion with the building administrator, the university supervisor, and the teacher candidate. After consideration of all of these factors, and an agreement can be put in place to meet certain guidelines regarding supervision, this may be approved.

Requests to act as a substitute teacher should be brought to our attention as soon as possible so that an appropriate determination may be made in a timely manner.

While we fully understand the need for our student teachers to have a source of income during student teaching, the Division of Education discourages teacher candidates from being employed during their student teaching experience if at all possible. This capstone clinical practice experience is equivalent to a full-time job and requires a total commitment. This will include not only the time spent in the classroom during the school day but also time spent outside of regular school hours to prepare for future lessons. If the teacher candidate discerns that they must be employed during the student teaching semester, it is best to have those hours take place on weekends whenever possible. Please bring any concerns about this to our office so that we can help support you.

While SUNY Oneonta recognizes the importance and value of participation in college activities and athletics, please remember that student teaching is a full-time responsibility.

While we support participation in extracurricular college activities, they should never interfere with the student teaching assignment. This includes but is not limited to, being absent from one’s student teaching placement, arriving late, or leaving early due to practice, games, performances, or other extracurricular college activities.

Any special requests to miss time from student teaching for such purposes need to be made in writing to the Director of OEAFE and the teacher candidate’s university supervisor as soon as possible.

If absences accrue beyond three consecutive days, the student teacher may be required to make up the entirety of the time missed during student teaching even with prior approval. This may involve the assignment of an “Incomplete” grade and an extension of the student teaching experience to account for the days absent. Please direct any questions regarding such participation to our office so that we can best support you here.

On the student teaching candidate data sheet, teacher candidates will be asked where they will be living during their student teaching semester. Our office will make every effort to place you as close as possible to your residence. However, please be aware that placements may be up to an hour away depending upon where we could obtain those placements.

Please be aware that living in Oneonta does not mean that you will be placed in the Oneonta City School District. You will be placed in the local area but may need to travel up to an hour away depending upon where the placement is.

Remember that many factors combine to affect a placement, including your major, geographic region, and availability of teachers. With the current staffing shortages in many school districts across New York State, placements in some districts may be especially difficult. Your ability to be flexible and patient with this process is appreciated.

Transportation to and from student teaching and related events is the sole responsibility of the teacher candidate. Placements will be secured to fulfill regulatory, certification, and program requirements. In some instances, teacher candidates should be prepared to travel approximately one hour, each way, per placement. If you do not have a vehicle or access to a vehicle, it is very difficult to find a suitable placement if the area does not have a good public transportation system. If this is your circumstance, please make sure that our office is aware of this. While we cannot guarantee any specific placement, we will try to assist you with this if possible.

Neither SUNY Oneonta nor candidates have a contractual agreement with the school system; candidates are participating in a long-term academic experience at the invitation of the school system. Thus, candidates are not involved in determining policies or procedures of the school or teachers’ associations or unions. In the event that a job action or strike situation should arise during a candidate’s placement at the school, the following procedures should be followed:

• The candidate should inform the university supervisor as to the possibility of a job action.
• The candidate should maintain a neutral stance regarding the job action and not engage directly in the activity or related activities, such as preparation of flyers or mailings.
• At the commencement of a strike, the candidate must contact the university supervisor (or other designated emergency contact person at the university) to receive further instructions.
• If the strike continues past three days, the candidate’s placement will likely be changed to another school system. (This may be done earlier at the discretion of the university supervisor.)

Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Plan to meet each appointment and class on time. This would include daily attendance at school, faculty/professional in-service meetings, and duties assigned before and after regular school hours. Plan to be at your school building at the time suggested by your cooperating teacher. Discuss your time of departure with your cooperating teacher and leave at the agreed-upon time. Candidates will take vacation time according to the school calendar rather than the SUNY Oneonta Calendar. Any departure from the agreed-upon schedule should be discussed with one’s supervisor and cooperating teacher in advance whenever possible.

In the event of an anticipated absence of more than three days (for a reason other than illness or bereavement), the teacher candidate must request advance permission from their university supervisor, cooperating teacher, and the OEAFE Director no later than 10 days PRIOR to the requested date of absence.

Generally, absences are NOT permitted during the student teaching experience except for extenuating circumstances (such as illness, personal or family crises, or bereavement). Should such conditions merit your absence, the cooperating teacher and university supervisor should be notified immediately, since adjustments within the classroom will need to be made. If more than one or two days of absences occur, a doctor's note may be required. Please make sure to communicate any situations that may occur with your cooperating teacher and university supervisor. This will allow everyone to provide you with the best possible support during these times.

If absences accrue beyond three days, our office must be notified. The student teacher will be required to make up the entirety of time missed during student teaching. This may involve the assignment of an “Incomplete” grade and an extension of the student teaching experience to account for the days absent.

Student teachers DO NOT have “Personal Leave” days.

NOTE: Due to the ever-changing circumstances regarding COVID-19, we are acutely aware of the potential for our teacher candidates to miss days in the classroom due to the need to quarantine, or due to having received a positive COVID-19 test. Please inform your supervisor and our office immediately if you need to miss days due to this so that we can work with you to best support you during this time.

Student-teacher candidates must abide by the health and safety requirements and protocols of the districts in which they are placed. This may include a requirement to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as a face mask while participating at the clinical experience site. As these frequently change, specific questions regarding COVID-19 testing and vaccination may be directed to our office and/or the personnel or health office of the school in which one is student teaching.

Some districts require proof of vaccination prior to acceptance as a student teacher in that district. When this happens, you will be contacted by our office or the district and asked to provide your proof of vaccination directly to the school district. We will not provide that information on your behalf.

If you are not vaccinated for any reason, you need to provide us with this information as there could possibly be districts in which you will be unable to be placed. The sooner you make us aware of this, the better so that we can find you the best possible placements.

Noncompliance with a district’s health and safety protocol is serious. A school may ask for your removal, or we may need to provide a remediation agreement to prevent the termination of your placement there. Please communicate any issues surrounding health and safety with your supervisor and our office as soon as they occur. Also, if the clinical experience site becomes unsafe, please notify the OEAFE so that alternative arrangements will be made.

Should you need to leave a placement or choose to complete the placement at a later date, the specifics will be determined in coordination with and approved by OEAFE. OEAFE cannot guarantee the same placement at a later date and cannot guarantee the timing of such a rescheduled placement. Such a change in placement may extend the time needed to complete your program.

Certification/licensure program requirements are designed to meet applicable laws, regulations, policies, and accreditation standards and I understand that SUNY Oneonta can only make curricular adjustments consistent with these laws, regulations, policies, and accreditation standards.

If there is a possibility that a candidate may be called to military service or training, it is recommended that the candidate meets with the Director of Education Advisement and Field Experience to discuss a plan to fulfill the degree requirements.

Sexual harassment is an unlawful practice, referring to any unwanted verbal or physical sexual advance or sexually-explicit derogatory statement made by someone in the classroom or workplace that is offensive or that causes the recipient discomfort or humiliation, or that interferes with the recipient’s education or job performance. It is the policy of SUNY Oneonta to take affirmative action to provide an environment where employees and candidates are free from sexual harassment. If any such issue arises within the context of the student teaching experience, please notify the Director of the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience as soon as possible so that we can best address this issue to ensure that you have a comfortable and safe student teaching environment.

The candidate is responsible for the safety and comfort of all students. No harassment of students by students or by the teacher candidate can be tolerated. Candidates should be aware of their behavior with students, both physically and verbally. Touching students, even simple expressions of care and concern, could be misinterpreted and should be used cautiously. This was covered in your EDUC 213 class (now EDUC 3013), and if you require further clarification, please contact our office.

The important issue of felony and misdemeanor convictions is presented to candidates in EDUC 1060, and again during Methods. As part of your student teaching folder, the teacher candidate must fill out the Crime Conviction Sheet. This topic is brought up as early as possible so that candidates realize that they may not be able to complete fieldwork and/or student teaching, complete their coursework or earn teacher certification if they have a misdemeanor or felony. It is important that student candidates realize that a felony or misdemeanor conviction may affect their ability to receive certification from the State of New York. This information is officially determined when Fingerprinting and Criminal History Checks are completed by the State Education Department during the certification application procedure.

Candidates, who have been charged and/or convicted of felonies and/or misdemeanors, should direct any questions to the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience. All information will be confidential. Each situation will be reviewed on an individual basis. The Director will request, at the candidate’s expense, a copy of the original deposition of the case in order to review these documents and take appropriate action. Certain crimes are considered more serious than others in the evaluation process and can possibly deter any chance of certification. The nature of the crime, its recency, and frequency are the factors considered when deciding on potential certification. If a candidate has a felony or misdemeanor charge and working with children or youth is determined to be inappropriate, the OEAFE will not set up a fieldwork experience for this candidate.

Information Security and Data Protection Laws

As you learned in your Education Health and Safety Requirements course (EDUC 213/3013), many State and Federal Laws oversee various aspects of a teacher’s work with students. One such area surrounds the privacy of student data, and it is becoming increasingly important to school districts that student teachers are aware of and abide by these regulations. In some cases, districts are asking student teachers to sign agreements pertaining to such privacy laws. Below are explanations of some of the most important regulations in this area currently:

FERPA, or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act gives parents and students aged 18 and older rights over student education records. The foundational federal law on the privacy of student’s educational records, FERPA safeguards student privacy by limiting who may access student records, specifying for what purpose they may access those records, and detailing what rules they must follow when accessing the data.

More information on federal laws protecting student data and data privacy security.

The Educational Law Section 2-d

This is known amongst NY schools as EdLaw 2-d and prohibits the unauthorized release of personally identifiable information. EdLaw 2-d provides “guidance to educational agencies and their third-party contractors on ways to strengthen data privacy and security to protect student data and annual professional performance review data.” NYSED, Sep 18, 2020

More information about the educational law.

New York State Regulations Covering Liability Protection for Practice Teachers

NYSED GUIDANCE RELATED TO INSURANCE AND STUDENT TEACHERS The New York State Education Department (NYSED) issued a formal opinion explaining that school districts and BOCES that partner with institutions of higher education on the placement of student teachers are required to insure student teachers pursuant to Education Law section 3023. They do not have the authority to require the institutions to insure student teachers more than the statute. Below is the language used in this law.

"New York State Education Law section 3023 requires school districts to insure teacher candidates against financial loss arising out of any claim or lawsuit for alleged negligence resulting in accidental personal injury to any person or property damage while the teacher candidate at the time of the accident or injury was acting in the discharge of their student teaching duties. A teacher candidate who is involved in any accident or incident where there is personal injury or property damage while they are student teaching should immediately inform their cooperating teacher and notify the college supervisor as soon as possible. A teacher candidate who is served with legal papers involving any accident or injury that occurred in the course of their student teaching placement must immediately forward a copy of such papers to the college supervisor and to the school administrator where the student teaching took place." Attorneys, school district administrators, BOCES District Superintendents, and education Deans and Directors on July 11, 2022. Opinion No. 240 is posted online

Many school districts will require an identification badge to either be carried or worn by district employees and student teachers. Teacher candidates are required to always wear appropriate identification during their student teaching assignments in their schools and districts. Individual district requirements vary as to the form of identification that is required. Student teachers are expected to adhere to the policy set forth by each school district.

Privacy and free speech rights permit you to maintain and submit information on the Internet, including postings on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, and other social websites. However, you must consider how the information you post may be interpreted and used by colleagues, parents, administrators, and students. When you decide to post personal and private information on the web, you run the risk that the information will be widely viewed and that your exposure may not be to your benefit. Any school district that learns of publicly available postings that put into question the character of those working alongside the students of their district may refuse a placement, or continued placement in that school.

Please consider:

• Administrators, parents, and mentors browse postings and pictures on social media sites, forming impressions and judging the moral character of pre-service and practicing teachers.
• You cannot completely control how others judge you, fairly or unfairly, but you can control the information from which others make judgments.
• Students look to their teachers to model appropriate behaviors and choices. Students may not be able to distinguish between adult choices and appropriate behaviors for children. Further, behaviors and choices that may seem appropriate in private contexts may be inappropriate in public and professional situations.

Professional Guidelines:

• Maintain separate sites for professional and personal use or if you choose not to do that, use a name that is not easily searchable by students and parents (as is often the practice with teaching professionals).
• Do not share your username or personal web address with students. Do not interact with any students via social media, not even to play online games.
• If you do have personal social media accounts, arrange for them to be password-protected and readable only by friends or chosen members.
• If you choose to connect and interact with your cooperating teacher or university supervisor via social media, please be aware of the potential ramifications this may have. Be aware that this person will now be able to view your pictures and postings and act accordingly.
• Do not permit anyone to post on your site without your approval.
• Never post negative comments about your cooperating teacher, university supervisor, school, administration, or students on your social media. This may seem like harmless venting to you but looks very negative and could be potentially harmful to your future employment in an area.
• If you know that a student has accessed your personal site, make it clear to the student that this is an inappropriate way to communicate with you.
• Do not ever post pictures of your students online. You make take and post pictures of your classroom, but it is not acceptable to post pictures of students under any circumstances.

Voicemail messages.

School districts, supervisors, cooperating teachers, and our office will often contact you via cell phone. Please make sure that:

• You delete messages so that your voicemail box is not full and may receive incoming messages.
• That you have a professional outgoing message. It is always better to hear “You have reached the voicemail of Ima Teacher. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible” rather than the computer-generated “you have reached 555-555-5555...leave a message”

Remember that your outgoing message and any messages that you leave may be your first introduction to your supervisor, mentor teacher, or a potential employer.

Email messages.

Much communication these days is completed via email. It is vital, then, that your email interactions with the school districts in which you are placed, your mentor teacher, your supervisor, and others (potentially even parents of students in your classroom) related to your student teaching experience be as professional as possible.

Emails from your university supervisor, cooperating teacher, or our office should be answered in a timely fashion. Please read and respond to your SUNY Oneonta email frequently during the student teaching placement process and throughout your capstone semester.

Please use your SUNY Oneonta email address, or if you use a private email address, make sure that it is appropriate and professional. Be aware of any inappropriate signatures, pictures, or clip art attachments to your email.

Make sure that you check your emails for grammar and spelling errors as well (remember it is principal, not principle). These emails reflect who you are as a professional and a future teacher. Be careful of sharing any personal information through email, and do not share personally identifiable student information through email.

If you have any questions regarding professional emails, please contact our office. We are happy to help you.

Throughout your four years at SUNY Oneonta, you have undoubtedly heard much about the importance of professionalism in your education classes and from our office. Professionalism embodies how you present yourself, including how you communicate, your physical appearance, your verbal and body language, your behavior, and your ethics. Attention to professionalism will assist you in creating your teaching persona, and establishing a good reputation with your students, cooperating teachers, and the schools in which you are placed. Making sure that you present yourself professionally at all times is of vital importance during student teaching and any time you are engaged with those who are associated with your classrooms and schools.

You will find that different districts and schools have different dress codes, whether spoken or not. It is always important to meet and, in many cases, exceed the expectations of dress for your buildings. Remember, you are on a semester-long job interview of sorts, and dressing professionally is part of that process. Physical appearance can be a concern if it distracts from student learning or is discordant with the cooperating teacher and/or school. The most frequently mentioned concerns that districts and teachers have include tattoos, piercings, hairstyles and/or color, clothing choices that are not practical for the classroom (immodesty in clothing), or clothing that is too casual for a professional. Other concerns include personal grooming and attention to hygiene.

If you have any questions or concerns about what your school or college finds appropriate, you should check with your cooperating teacher, your university supervisor, or our office before wearing or doing something you might later regret. Schools vary widely in their expectation of what constitutes appropriate dress and grooming and will often take negative views of students who do not follow them.

Other guidelines for professional behavior for teacher candidates include:

• Observe the cooperating teacher and give special attention to classroom organization and management routines and try to respect and support those.
• Take care of the physical appearance of your classroom, the care of equipment and materials, the safety of the students, and other environmental factors surrounding the management of the classroom in which you are a guest.
• Be receptive to suggestions and constructive feedback given to you by your cooperating teacher (should this ever be overly negative, hostile, or problematic, please contact our office immediately).
• Handle all confidential information in an ethical manner. Do not discuss student issues with anyone outside of the classroom, other than our office or your university supervisor.
• Refrain from criticism of the school or classroom in which you are placed. Questions regarding policies and procedures are fine but complaining about the way things are done (even if your cooperating teacher does this) is not.
• Please do not start or repeat rumors or gossip.
• Never place your hands on a student in a negative way (grabbing, shoving, pushing, etc.). Even if you see your cooperating teacher do something similar, this is something to avoid under any circumstances.
• Provide your lesson plans, and address requests made to you by your university supervisor and cooperating teacher in a timely fashion.

All teacher candidates must complete and submit the Emergency Contact Form (PDF) as part of their student teaching folder. This form will contain contact information in the event of a medical emergency (a copy of the form is submitted to the teacher candidate’s university supervisor).

The teacher candidate should become familiar with the following information and materials:

• School regulations and policies (handbooks, emergency procedures, classroom visitors’ policy) especially those relating to privacy, and health and safety protocols in the district. Note: You may be asked to sign additional forms agreeing to such protocols and procedures before you begin your work in a district.
• Administrative forms (absence reports, health records, progress reports)
• Classroom materials (textbooks, state and local curricula, library books)
• Resource contacts (assistant principals, librarian, counselors)
• Policies regarding responsibility for materials/equipment (teaching aids)
• Special note: Teacher candidates are reminded that it is their personal and professional responsibility to return all materials which have been borrowed from the school and their cooperating teacher before leaving the classroom at the end of the time period there. This includes any library books, classroom materials, etc.

Teacher candidates are required to contact their university supervisor and both cooperating teachers shortly after placements are received to establish methods of communication and initial school visits. Teacher candidates may contact their university supervisor with questions and/or concerns at any time. You will receive the contact information for your cooperating teacher(s) and university supervisor in your student teaching confirmation email.

In your student teaching folder, you will have created a basic email to send to your cooperating teacher. This is a good start for you as you create this very important first contact with this teacher whose classroom you will be in for several weeks. Pay careful attention to this introductory email, and make sure that it lends the first impression that you are hoping to make.

Over the course of your capstone semester, remember that communication with your university supervisor is crucial. Please stay in touch with them on a regular basis and bring issues surrounding your placement to them in a timely fashion. Should you have a problem contacting your supervisor, or an issue with your supervisor, please contact the Director of OEAFE as soon as possible.

NOTE: This is a guideline. The university supervisor may present a somewhat different sequence of experiences to be followed. With the agreement of the university supervisor and cooperating teacher, teacher candidates may advance in assuming responsibilities at varying rates during the student teaching placements. This timeline is just a suggestion and should be modified to reflect the student teacher’s readiness to teach on a regular basis, or the cooperating teacher’s preferences. The number of weeks may vary by semester.

Week 1

• Review “Getting Acquainted Checklist”.
• In collaboration with your cooperating teacher, choose a topic for the unit plan and design a timeline for its implementation.
• If applicable and in collaboration with your cooperating teacher, choose dates for solo week.
• Discuss school policy on recordings and make arrangements for recording a lesson if this is part of your supervision requirements. (See Videotape Authorization Form.)

Candidates should, whenever possible:

• Introduce themselves to the class
• Work with the teacher to create and send a letter of introduction home to parents (note: if you do create this, a copy of this will be requested on your student teaching course brightspace page. Look for the information and drop box there.)
• Take attendance
• Take the class to specials etc.
• Teach an introductory lesson (i.e. reading a story).

Week 2

• First formal observation by the university supervisor and cooperating teacher
• Work on a draft of the unit plan

Week 3

• Second formal observation by the university supervisor and cooperating teacher
• Work on a draft of the unit plan

Week 4

• Third formal observation by the university supervisor and cooperating teacher
• Three-Way Midpoint Conference ( between the student, cooperating teacher, and university supervisor)
• Draft of the unit plan is due to cooperating teacher and university supervisor for approval

Week 5

• The completed unit plan is due to cooperating teacher and university supervisor
• Fourth formal observation by the university supervisor and cooperating teacher

Week 6

• Begin implementation of the unit plan
• The candidate is often responsible for teaching at least half the day by now.

Week 7

• Solo Week

Week 8

• Begin to return class to Cooperating Teacher
• Final three-way conference before completing final evaluations for this placement.
• Professional Exit Portfolio is due to the university supervisor (Second placement only)

Notes about this section:

• You are only required to do ONE Unit plan, so this would be a suggested placement period with that in it.
• Your university supervisor may have different thoughts or guidelines on this which you will follow in place of this.
• You will have other expectations from your university supervisor (such as formal lesson plans prior to your observations). Please work with them to create your particular timeline.
• Different cooperating teachers may have differing expectations or timelines and may be less inclined to give over responsibility for all parts of the day or classes. This is their prerogative, so please work with them to progress through your placement period.

The Division of Education at SUNY Oneonta is committed to preparing educators who not only possess content knowledge but also conduct themselves professionally through the expression of appropriate professional dispositions. A Professional Disposition Survey will be completed by the teacher candidate’s supervisor and each cooperating teacher. The areas below will be scored on a scale of 0-4, with the targets being:

0-Not applicable; the behavior was not observed
1-Does Not Meet expectation
2-Meets expectation
3-Exceeds expectation

Please review the categories in this survey and use them for personal reflection and self-evaluation. Please consider these items when reflecting upon your current teaching growth and growth within the program.

Area: Learner and Learning; The candidate:

1. Demonstrates respect for cultural differences and the beliefs of others.
2. Demonstrates patience and flexibility during the learning process.
3. Creates a challenging learning environment that demonstrates high expectations for others.
4. Develops, maintains, and models appropriate relationships within the learning environment, community, and larger diverse society.

Area: Instructional Practice; The candidate:

1. Demonstrates student-centered decision-making based on student needs when planning and adjusting instruction.
2. Demonstrates critical thinking in written and oral form.
3. Demonstrates use of Evidence-Based Practices.

Area: Professional Responsibility; The candidate:

1. Demonstrates compliance with New York State Code of Ethics for Educators and SUNY Oneonta academic standards.
2. Demonstrates initiative and responsibility for own actions: independence, going beyond what is given, seeking after knowledge and professional development, and actively seeking solutions to problems.
3. Demonstrates professional demeanor and appearance appropriate to the situation.
4. Fosters respectful communication among all members of the learning community.
5. Is prepared for class or appointments.
6. Is punctual for class or appointments
7. Demonstrates reflective practice in written and verbal form.

SUNY Oneonta’s Student Teaching Evaluation is used as our final evaluation tool at the end of each placement. This is filled out online through TK-20 by both the university supervisor and the cooperating teacher.

The evaluation focuses on the following indicators:

1. Planning
   1. The teacher candidate prepares high-quality written objectives for the lesson
   2. The teacher candidate prepares an effective lesson sequence
   3. The teacher candidate plans how all students will actively participate during the lesson.
   4. The teacher candidate plans effective questions.
   5. The teacher candidate plans to check for understanding throughout the lesson.
   6. The teacher candidate collaborates with the cooperating teacher as needed to establish effective classroom routines
2. Teaching to a Clear Objective
   1. The teacher candidate provides the students with the objectives for the lesson.
   2. The teacher candidate and student actions throughout the lesson are aligned with the objectives
3. Ensuring Participation of All Learners
   1. The teacher candidate ensures that all students are actively participating throughout the lesson.
4. Effective Questioning
   1. The teacher candidate engages students by asking questions.
5. Checking for Understanding
   1. The teacher candidate checks for all students’ understanding throughout the lesson.
6. Managing Classroom Routines
   1. The teacher candidate consistently implements classroom routines.

The criteria for evaluation assigns points in four areas:

1. Ineffective
2. Developing (understanding that as teacher candidates progress from one placement to the next, they may often be developing in an area)
3. Effective (expected level of performance)
4. Highly Effective (in addition to the criteria for effective)

The capstone clinical practice experience for SUNY Oneonta’s teacher preparation program contains a full semester of student teaching for full days according to the district calendar in which the teacher candidate is placed. This is divided into two quarters of approximately 8 weeks each (depending upon the semester and district calendars) and each quarter (or placement period) receives a pass/fail grade.

The final grade is established through collaboration between the university supervisor and the cooperating teacher. The university supervisor will communicate with the Director of OEAFE who is responsible for the input of the final grade.

The criteria for grading may be based on several things but is a holistic overview of the teacher candidate’s growth from week to week within a placement. Evaluation criteria may include:

• Daily and/or weekly evaluations by the cooperating teacher
• Observations, feedback, and evaluations by the university supervisor
• Mid-quarter and final “Student Teacher Evaluation” (STE) completed and submitted by the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor.

The following grades can be assigned:

• P (Passing): The teacher candidate has successfully met the criteria for completion of the student teaching placement.
• F (Failing): The teacher candidate did not demonstrate successful completion of the criteria for completion of the student teaching placement.
• I (Incomplete): A teacher candidate may be assigned a grade of I (incomplete) when they are performing satisfactorily and
  • The university supervisor in conjunction with the Director of OEAFE recommends that an extension be granted to allow for required assignments to be submitted to the university supervisor and/or cooperating teacher.
  • The time period in a particular placement needs to be extended in order for the teacher candidate to make up days missed due to:
    • Approved missed days due to illness or family emergency
    • A placement that starts late due to completion of a summer or winter session course completion.
    • A pre-approved time period during which the teacher candidate will not be in the classroom. These must be approved by the Director of OEAFE and arrangements made to extend the placement.
• Withdrawal (W) from Student Teaching: If a circumstance arises that necessitates withdrawal from student teaching, this appears as a “W”. If a student teacher feels that there is a need to withdraw from student teaching for any reason, they must relay this information to the Director of OEAFE and work through the necessary paperwork and planning involved with this.

The university supervisor, in consultation with the cooperating teacher, should identify as early as possible in the student teaching experience any student teacher candidate who is at risk of receiving a failing grade and notify in writing SUNY Oneonta by utilizing the Referral/Remediation form.

The university supervisor, in collaboration with the Director of OEAFE, will develop a written statement of understanding/agreement that identifies the specific deficiencies, provides recommendations for addressing them, and sets forth a timeline for demonstrating satisfactory performance. Remediation must be able to be implemented by the end of the student teaching placement in which the issues/concerns arose.

After this agreement is completed, the Director of OEAFE, the university supervisor, and the teacher candidate will meet to review the issues involved, and to go over the remediation plan. The teacher candidate is expected to sign this agreement and move forward with support to address the issues outlined therein.

If a student teacher candidate is unable to successfully complete the remediation plan or a remediation plan is not possible and a grade of “F” has been assigned, the grade and factors contributing to it are reviewed by (at a minimum) the Director of OEAFE and the university supervisor.

The teacher candidate will be interviewed and asked to reflect on the factors contributing to their unsatisfactory performance during student teaching.

If the student teacher candidate wants to repeat the student teaching experience, the Director of OEAFE in collaboration with the university supervisor, will develop a remediation program to help the teacher candidate address the deficiencies that led to the unsatisfactory grade and a decision is made as to the ability of the teacher candidate to repeat a placement. Remediation prior to repeating a placement may include:

• The taking or retaking of appropriate coursework
• A suggestion for personal counseling
• Additional experiences with children at the developmental level of certificate sought
• Observations (with written summaries and reflections) of effective teacher(s) at grade levels of certificate sought
• Other remedial steps appropriate to the deficiencies identified

The duration of the remediation program is determined by the Director of the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience. The failed student teaching experience may be repeated only once.

If the student teacher candidate is incapable of successfully completing student teaching, they will be terminated from the certification program and referred to their academic advisor for an alternate academic route to a degree.

Termination procedures are infrequent but do occur; criteria for termination include, but are not limited to, the following conditions which may end a candidate’s placement in a field assignment. (Occasionally, a school administrator will request that a candidate be removed from the school. As candidates are guests of the school, SUNY Oneonta must defer to the building administrator’s request. The removal may or may not result in the termination of student teaching as each case is reviewed in depth by the Director of OEAFE in consultation with the cooperating teacher, university supervisor, and the Dean).

The classroom students’ learning is significantly impeded due to the student-teaching candidate’s:

• Lack of content knowledge
• Inadequate planning
• Inadequate classroom management and/or discipline
• Deficiency in oral or written communication skills
• Ethical impropriety (with documented evidence)
• Violation(s) of community standards or practice (with documented evidence)
• Improper professional judgments (with documented evidence)
• Inappropriate personal or professional behavior (with documented evidence)
• Consistent with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), being unwilling to seek appropriate advice/counseling to address impairments that interfere with the student candidate’s ability to function as a teacher candidate in a classroom setting.

It is to be understood that a student teaching experience is for a whole semester and normally includes two 8-week placements that coincide with the certification area that the student is seeking. If a candidate is unable to complete their student teaching experience in a satisfactory manner and their student teaching experience is terminated, a remediation plan* may become necessary. In certain cases, the candidate may be given another opportunity for a student teaching experience: however, this will impact the candidate’s graduation date and could affect graduate school acceptance, as well as delay certification by New York State.

*If a remediation plan is not possible, or requirements of such a plan or a second assignment are not satisfactorily completed, termination from the program will be final.

If a teacher candidate withdraws or fails a student teaching placement and wishes to repeat that placement, they must first obtain permission from OEAFE in conjunction with their Department Chair. If permission is granted, the student must register for the course(s) they are to repeat prior to being able to do so.

Prior to being placed for your capstone clinical practice experience, you were asked to carefully review, and sign several statements of understanding outlining the expectations our programs hold of you before, and during your student teaching placements. This includes remediation and termination information. If you have questions regarding these agreements, please review them carefully, as we may refer to them in any remediation process.

If you have questions regarding these, please contact OEAFE.

Teacher candidates will be asked to complete an evaluation of each cooperating teacher as well as their university supervisors. These evaluations will not be shared with those being evaluated until the end of the semester; however, if concerning issues present themselves, the Director of OEAFE may contact the teacher candidate to discuss the problem further. Evaluations are completed electronically via Tk20 as per those instructions. Evaluation scoring from very poor (1) to very good (5) is available.

Categories in which the university supervisor will be evaluated include:

1. Clarity of SUNY Oneonta rules, requirements, and supervisor’s expectations.
2. Supervisor’s availability for consultation.
3. Supervisor’s enthusiasm for and interest in working with candidates.
4. Supervisor’s preparation for conferences.
5. Supervisor’s mastery of the field of education.
6. Supervisor’s awareness of newer methods and theories and ability to suggest ways to implement.
7. Supervisor’s ability to offer relevant feedback and practical suggestions to move the candidate’s performance forward.
8. Supervisor’s awareness of unique aspects of your classroom, as well as your relationship with the cooperating teacher.
9. Supervisor’s encouragement of reflective and self-evaluative practices in the candidate.
10. Supervisor’s example as a professional.
11. Supervisor’s encouragement of professionalism in the candidate.
12. Supervisor’s desire to shape a student teaching experience that benefits and supports all who are involved.
13. Supervisor’s cooperation with the cooperating teacher in guiding the candidate’s progress.
14. Relationship of mutual respect between the supervisor and the cooperating teacher.
15. Conference procedures were helpful and effective.

Categories in which the cooperating teacher will be evaluated include:

1. The cooperating teacher was aware of the placement.
2. The cooperating teacher was familiar with the expectations of the handbook prior to the arrival of the candidate.
3. The cooperating teacher had materials prepared for the candidate’s arrival.
4. The cooperating teacher prepared a work area or desk for the candidate.
5. The cooperating teacher made the candidate feel welcome and provided a supportive environment for the candidate.
6. The cooperating teacher was available to the candidate and supervisor.
7. The cooperating teacher allowed the candidate to participate and turned over the classroom within a reasonable time.
8. The cooperating teacher found positive aspects of the candidate’s ability.
9. The cooperating teacher professionally mentored the candidate.
10. The cooperating teacher offered useful suggestions for the candidate to improve.
11. The cooperating teacher was well-versed in current research and teaching methods.
12. The cooperating teacher helped the candidate to network with others in the building, who could assist the candidate.

The candidate may elect to make optional comments in the evaluation process on Tk20.

As is the case with any clinical practice experience, issues, questions, or problems related to the student teaching experience may arise. The protocol for addressing these issues is as follows:

General Questions, Issues, and Problems in the Classroom:

These are to be addressed/discussed with your cooperating teacher. The better your communication is with your CT, the better your experience there will be.

Questions, Issues, and Problems Regarding Assignments, the Program, or the Cooperating Teacher

These should be addressed/discussed with your university supervisor. Please strive to have excellent communication with your university supervisor.

Questions, Issues, and Problems Not Being Addressed OR Problems with the University Supervisor:

These should be addressed/discussed with the Director of the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience as soon as possible so that they may be addressed in a timely fashion. In the rare occasions that a teacher candidate needs to be placed in a different classroom the sooner this can be resolved, the better.

Also: OEAFE supports our teacher candidate’s requests for specific use of pronouns or ways to be addressed in the classroom so that each one may feel comfortable and at ease in their student teaching setting. Should there ever be an issue with this or any other factor of one’s background, please contact our office immediately so that we may discuss the situation and formulate a possible plan to address it.

REMINDER: Communication with those involved in supporting you during this vital semester is crucial to your success. Please communicate any potential absences, problems, concerns, or questions with the appropriate people as soon as they arise. Our goal is your successful completion of this experience, and to do that we need to be aware of any issues you are having. Thank you.

Thank you so much for being willing to host a student teacher during these uncertain times in public education. We hope that having a student teacher’s support for your classroom will be a benefit for both of you.

As always, our goal for our student teachers is to work on planning, delivering, assessing, and reflecting on lessons. We are aware of the varied needs and changes inherent in this time period and want to work with you to best support not only our student teachers’ learning experiences but the needs of you and your classroom as well.

During this uncertain time period, we realize the need for flexibility in everything we do. Therefore, please see the following as guidelines that are meant to provide a framework for what we see as your responsibilities as a cooperating teacher. While the list looks long, the gist of it is to:

1. Prepare for the student-teacher (often referred to here as the teacher candidate or candidate)/
2. Orient your student teacher to your school and classroom procedures, requirements, protocols, health, and safety practices, etc.
3. Explain your management techniques and plan to assign teaching duties to the candidate.
4. Assist in your student teacher’s professional development and growth.
5. Assist the candidate in the vital task of lesson planning and unit planning.
6. Guide your student teacher in their growth and repertoire of strategies, materials, techniques, etc.
7. Assist the candidate in planning for observations in person or remotely using the appropriate technology.
8. Observe the teacher candidate.
9. Confer and communicate with the candidate and the university supervisor regarding your student teacher’s time with you. If you do not have appropriate communication from the candidate’s supervisor, please contact SUNY Oneonta’s OEAFE Director.
10. Evaluate the student-teacher providing timely and meaningful feedback. Our goal is to promote reflective practice, which will lead to the growth and development of greater skills.

Please see the following as recommendations and greater detail. SUNY Oneonta’s Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience understands that each placement and cooperating teacher is unique, and that you know best what will work best in your classroom and with your students.

A. Prepare for the candidate

• Discuss with your student teacher what the classroom modality and requirements are during this time period of COVID-19 and other health and staffing issues. Explain the school’s and classroom’s procedures to maintain health and safety during this time.
• Attempt to enhance the status of the candidate in the classroom by preparing students and parents for the arrival of a new teacher and by encouraging their acceptance of and cooperation with the candidate. Consider sending home a letter to parents to make them aware of the candidate’s arrival.
• Provide a work area for the candidate, including a desk or desk space, shelves, and a place for planning if possible. If this is a remote placement or includes a remote piece, please explain the procedure to your student teacher and assist them in getting access to the program(s) that you will be using.
• Provide the candidate with instructional resources and texts, including online technology as needed.
• Share your own teaching philosophy and objectives with the candidate.
• Have a dialogue with the university supervisor regarding policies and procedures.

B. Orient the candidate.

• Introduce the candidate to colleagues, administrators, and other staff members.
• Introduce the candidate to the various classes of students, emphasizing his/her status as a teacher and his/her interests or achievements.
• Familiarize the candidate with the students' names, special needs (i.e., IEPs, labels, one-on-one aides), interests, and community background.
• Acquaint the candidate with the student's cumulative records and the manner in which they are maintained and used.
• Provide the candidate with a class schedule and with a school handbook.
• Familiarize the candidate with school policies and procedures regarding such things as: facilities, records and reports, classroom management practices, health and safety procedures, and technology.
• Acquaint the candidate with supplies, instructional materials and resources, AV and duplicating equipment, the computer lab, and the library.
• Share your expectations for the experience with the candidate.
• Please note that some teacher candidates may have specific preferences for how they are to be addressed, and/or the pronouns they prefer to be used for them. We respect and honor our students’ requests for these and support their use in your classroom and school. Should this prove to pose an issue for you, your students, or your school, please advise us of this as soon as possible so that we may address or reassign this student teacher. Our goal is for everyone involved with this process to be comfortable, as that provides the best environment for success. Thank you for your support of this.

C. Explain routines and management techniques used in the classroom.

• Plan with the candidate and the university supervisor a tentative timeline for assigning teaching responsibilities to the candidate
• Clarify the candidate's responsibilities regarding school hours, clerical duties, scheduled conferences, and other commitments.

D. Assist the candidate in becoming a professional

• Respect the candidate as a partner in the responsibility for his/her/their own growth as a teacher.
• Provide for a variety of professional experiences, such as attending professional and staff meetings, PTA meetings, and after-school functions such as school concerts, science fairs, etc.

E. Assist in Lesson Planning.
.

• Assist the candidate in considering the learning abilities of students when developing lesson plans.
• Use cooperative planning during the student teaching experience.
• Discuss any preference for the type of lesson or unit plan (format) that you may have.
• Be clear as to when you expect to see a lesson plan prior to the lesson being taught in your classroom.
• Guide the student to become a self-initiated planner.
• Acquaint the candidate with your long-range goals and plans, and with what has occurred before their arrival and what will probably follow it (e.g., share curriculum guide and plans for the semester and year).
• Assist the candidate in considering the learning abilities of students when developing lesson plans.
• Review the candidate's lesson plan and offer suggestions well in advance of when the lesson will be implemented. (Students may have a lesson plan format they were instructed to use during their methods semesters; if you wish to use a different format, please guide the candidate in doing so).
• Encourage the candidate to think through objectives and to decide which teaching techniques will best meet those objectives.
• View planning as a basis for later evaluation and analysis of a lesson.
• Assist the candidate in selecting a topic for the unit and review and approve the candidate’s unit plan before implementation (if the candidate chooses to complete their unit plan assignment in your placement period).

F. Guide the candidate.

• Suggest and, if possible, model the use of various teaching strategies and materials.
• Explain and, when appropriate, demonstrate techniques for establishing and maintaining classroom control.
• Encourage the candidate to take an interest in the individual needs and progress of each student.
• Guide the candidate in the development of his or her own individual style of teaching.
• Encourage the candidate to develop and implement a variety of teaching techniques.
• Determine the pace at which the candidate should increase his or her teaching responsibilities (according to his or her readiness and in cooperation with the university supervisor).
• Provide the candidate with the opportunity to establish his or her own authority and rapport with the classes of students.
• Provide the candidate with the opportunity to establish his or her own authority and rapport with the classes of students.

G. Assist the candidate in planning for observations.

• Assist the candidate in scheduling observations of other teachers in consultation with the school administration and the university supervisor if appropriate and possible.
• If the student-teachers supervisor is supervising remotely, please assist the student-teacher in preparation for recording or live-streaming lessons, as remote supervision requires the ability of the supervisor to watch the candidate teach while not being in the classroom.
• Help the candidate to reflect upon and to evaluate the teaching that has been observed.

H. Observe the candidate.

• At least initially, try to observe at least one lesson taught by the candidate each day, and provide informal feedback (observational notes and suggestions).
• Observe lessons with written feedback a few times during the placement where appropriate. Timely and useful feedback supports the ability of the student teacher to reflect, respond and grow throughout the placement.
• Keep written notes on the candidate’s general performance, to share with the candidate and the university supervisor.
• Guide the candidate in arranging for the videotaping of lessons taught by the candidate.
• If you have not had contact with your candidate’s university supervisor, please contact OEAFE as soon as possible so that this might be addressed.

I. Confer with the candidate.

• If possible, select a place that will allow privacy or communicate through Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or a similar platform or via phone.
• Attempt to create an atmosphere that will allow a free flow of ideas.
• Consider scheduling conferences for specific times on a regular basis (daily preferred, if possible).
• Possibly schedule conferences to discuss topics agreed upon in advance, such as planning or evaluation.
• Participate in three-way conferences with the candidate and the university supervisor.

J. Evaluate the candidate.

• Review evaluation forms with the candidate and the university supervisor.
• Consider growth, not evaluation per se, as the real purpose of assessment.
• Assess and record, in cooperation with the candidate, their progress.
• Emphasize the strengths and progress of the candidate, as well as any weaknesses.
• Encourage the candidate to engage in self-evaluation of professional experiences.
• Work with the university supervisor and the college should there be a need for remediation if a student-teacher is presenting any issues that may impede their ability to successfully complete the placement.
• Help provide a cumulative look at the candidate’s progress and provide input for the Teacher Candidate: Final Evaluation Rubric.
• Final evaluations of the teacher candidate and the university supervisor will be completed through the TK-20 system

K. Evaluate the university supervisor

• Complete and submit the Evaluation of the university supervisor electronically using Tk20. The university supervisor will complete the Supervisor’s Evaluation of the Cooperating Teacher.

In this handbook, there is a suggested timeline and information regarding weekly written observations. We understand that every classroom and situation is different right now, so please use a timeline that best suits your needs. If something takes less or more time, that is fine. If a full solo week doesn’t suit the modality or structure of your classroom, we can work around that as well. The goal of student teaching this semester is to support you and your students while providing our student teachers with the experience, feedback, and mentorship they need to grow to be better educators.

As for the weekly evaluation paperwork that is referred to in this handbook, that is for you to use to offer feedback to your student teacher. It does not need to come back to SUNY Oneonta’s OEAFE, nor go to the university supervisor. It is a basis for you to help your student teacher grow and to identify any problems that might crop up.

OEAFE fully supports our teacher candidates’ needs to be their most professional and authentic selves in your classrooms as outlined in the New York State Dignity for All Students Act. Any issues that may present themselves should be brought to the attention of our office. Our goal is the mutual comfort of all, in a positive classroom environment, and we hope to assist in supporting that wherever possible.

Should you have any questions, issues or concerns, please contact us at any time:

When you have any questions, please contact our office
SUNY Oneonta, Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience Phone: (607)436-2538

Jennifer Mancke, Administrative Assistant I jennifer.mancke@oneonta.edu
(For any questions on paperwork, Tk20, payment, or general questions)

Julia Baxter, Director OEAFE julia.baxter@oneonta.edu
(For any questions on procedure, information on students who are having issues or struggling, problems with the university supervisor, or any other questions or requests to meet.)

The university supervisor is responsible for supporting their student teachers throughout this vital capstone clinical practice experience. They are also expected to lend support to cooperating teachers and administrators in their associated work with our teacher candidates. The following recommended guidelines are intended to clarify the responsibilities of the university supervisor, but as always, individual circumstances may vary, and these should be seen as a guideline.

Note: Cooperating teachers and school administrators should not hesitate to seek assistance from the university supervisor in areas not specifically mentioned below.

It is recommended that the university supervisor:

1. Serve as a liaison between SUNY Oneonta and the cooperating schools in which their teacher candidates are placed.
2. Serve as a liaison between the cooperating teacher and the student teaching program through:
   1. explaining the philosophy, goals, and policies of the student teaching program.
   2. informing the cooperating teacher of any written records and reports required of them, and their nature, purpose, and due dates.
   3. informing the cooperating teacher of the assignments, and seminars required of the candidate, and their nature, purpose, and due dates.
3. Serve as a resource person for the cooperating teacher if needed.
4. Confer with the cooperating teacher regularly. NOTE: This is of vital importance. Communication with the cooperating teacher is a key component in the support of our teacher candidates and the success of the experience.
5. Work with the cooperating teacher to review the increasing or changed responsibilities of the candidate and the possibility of planning a variety of teaching experiences for them.
6. Guide the progress of the candidate through:
   1. orienting candidates to the assignments and expectations of SUNY Oneonta’s Capstone Clinical Practice Experience.
   2. orienting the candidate to the individual way in which you, as supervisor, will handle these assignments, and what your individual expectations are.
   3. communicating regularly with your candidate(s) and answering their emails/texts/phone calls in a timely fashion.
   4. observing the candidate four times during each placement (more if the student is involved in a remediation plan).
   5. sharing comments and feedback on observations with the candidate and cooperating teacher.
   6. conferring with the candidate to cooperatively reflect upon and analyze their teaching performance.
   7. counseling the candidate concerning problems of adjustment to his/her teaching role.
   8. scheduling three-way conferences with the cooperating teacher and the candidate at the mid-point and the end of each placement (others added if needed).
   9. informing the candidate of favorable aspects of their teaching performance, as well as areas in need of improvement.
   10. making the candidate aware of ways by which their teaching might be modified to increase its effectiveness.
   11. making the candidate aware of teaching strategies, techniques, and materials that might be used to improve their teaching performance.
   12. working with the candidate to create, implement and monitor any remediation plan set in place by OEAFE.
   13. Download the Observation Report Template.
7. Direct all three-way evaluation conferences which should take place at the midpoint and end of each placement.
8. Serve as a liaison in the documentation of candidate performance. Communicate regularly with the Director of OEAFE.
9. Evaluate any assignments uniquely associated with the candidate’s placement and expectation, which may vary by certification sought.
10. Review and evaluate the candidates’ Professional Exit portfolios as OEAFE’s basic guidance and the supervisor’s expectations (or that of the student’s seminar instructor).
11. Complete & submit the Evaluation of Cooperating Teacher electronically using Tk20.
12. Complete and submit the Student Teaching Evaluation of your candidate electronically using Tk20 at the end of each placement.
13. Communicate your recommendation for a final grade (P/F) for each placement period with the Director of OEAFE as requested.

• Communication is the key to success in these placements. The university supervisor is a crucial partner in the relationship between the college, cooperating teacher, and the teacher candidate. All partners need to be communicated with regularly.
• If a student teacher is struggling in any way, or in danger of potentially being unsuccessful in the completion of a student teaching placement, please contact the Director of OEAFE as soon as possible. If the decision is to create a remediation plan, you will work with the Director in its creation and then meet with the student and the Director to explain the remediation plan, requirements, and timeline. The supervisor will monitor the implementation of the remediation plan and report back to the success or lack thereof to the Director of OEAFE.
• Should any issue arise that changes your ability to undertake this communication or observations in a timely fashion, please contact OEAFE as soon as possible.
• OEAFE fully supports our teacher candidates’ needs to be their most professional and authentic selves in your classrooms as outlined in the New York State Dignity for All Students Act. In addition, we support our student’s requests to be addressed in a certain manner as well as the use of particular pronouns when being referred to. Any issues that may present themselves should be brought to the attention of our office immediately. Our goal is the mutual comfort of all, in a positive classroom environment, and we hope to assist in supporting that wherever possible.

It is the Division of Education’s intent that you will use this handbook as a guide, and maintain ongoing communication with your university supervisor, cooperating teachers, and other professionals in the field and on campus. The following helpful hints are shared to get you thinking about your new responsibilities as a student teacher:

• Read and make use of the information contained in this Student Teaching Handbook.
• Become acquainted with school personnel and their roles and responsibilities.
• Provide the cooperating teacher with pertinent biographical data (personal and professional) by the first meeting. This includes how you wish to be addressed, and what pronouns you prefer. It is also recommended that the candidate take the initiative to inquire about how they might become involved in other aspects of the overall school program (e.g., after-school help sessions, chaperoning a school event, clubs, etc.).
• Conduct yourself as a professional at all times, particularly in relationships with school colleagues and students.
• Learn and carry out school policies and procedures, including those pertaining to health and safety.
• Acquire relevant information about students for whom you are responsible.
• Refrain from inappropriate discussion of confidential information.
• Take the initiative in seeking help from the cooperating teacher.
• Display a willingness to adapt to various situations, accept feedback, and to learn from mistakes.
• Read professional literature and attend professional workshops if invited.
• Work with a diverse student population throughout the assignment. This will include lesson planning and teaching that demonstrates recognition of exceptional students (e.g., academically gifted, learning disabled, emotionally, or physically challenged). Planning for differences posed by culturally and linguistically diverse students should also be evident. This involves differentiated instruction as you learned during methods.
• Complete any reflections or reflective assignments as required by the university supervisor.
• Inform the university supervisor of progress made and problems encountered.

Please see also the professionalism information in the early portion of this handbook.

• Dress and act professionally at all times.
• Use professionalism in your speech and in all written communications (such as emails).
• Observe the cooperating teacher and give special attention to classroom organization and management routines.
• Assume responsibility for classroom management and the physical appearance of the room, the care of equipment and materials, the safety of the students, and other administrative routines.
• Be receptive to suggestions and constructive feedback about teaching.
• Keep and submit accurate, updated records, lesson plans, journals, and portfolio materials as required by the cooperating teacher, and/or university supervisor.
• Handle all confidential information in an ethical manner.
• Refrain from criticism of any phase of the school’s operation. Questions about the purpose and/or implementation of policies are appropriate, but criticism is not.
• Refrain from starting or repeating rumors or gossip.
• Do not at any time discuss a particular student by name, except in professional sessions with the cooperating teacher, principal, or university supervisor.
• Avoid corporal punishment under any circumstances.
• Be mindful of being left alone with a student, and avoid this if possible.
• Do not leave your classroom unattended.
• Do not handle/be in charge of receiving money (This might be given to you for various reasons, such as field trips, etc. Please have your cooperating teacher handle this).
• Be mindful of your use of electronics while in the classroom. Please refrain from using your laptops and phones except for class-related work unless you are on a break from the classroom.
• Be mindful of your social media presence (mentioned more in-depth earlier in this handbook).

Download the getting acquainted checklist.

Here are some things that it is good to become familiar with:

YES NO ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH: YES NO CAN YOU LOCATE -
___ ___ morning arrival time? ___ ___ the central administrative office?
___ ___ departure time? ___ ___ location of supplies?
___ ___ responsibility on the playground? ___ ___ the library?
___ ___ hall duty? ___ ___ the cafeteria?
___ ___ responsibility in the lunchroom? ___ ___ the auditorium?
___ ___ special teacher schedules? ___ ___ the playground areas?
___ ___ lunch orders and schedules? ___ ___ the duplicating facilities?
___ ___ fire drill procedures? ___ ___ the audio-visual aids?
___ ___ safety procedures? ___ ___ the nurse’s office?
___ ___ universal health precautions? ___ ___ the Guidance Office?
___ ___ school safety procedures? ___ ___ the computer facilities?
___ ___ procedure for purchasing and serving food? ___ ___ the Principal’s Office?
___ ___ method of checking daily attendance? ___ ___ First Aid Procedures?
___ ___ handling of attendance reports?

YES NO DO YOU HAVE -
___ ___ procedure for excusing pupils to leave building?
___ ___ a desk of your own?
___ ___ schedule of subjects and activities?
___ ___ a planned time to meet with your cooperating teacher?
___ ___ staff meeting procedures?
___ ___ a teacher’s copy of the texts?
___ ___ schedule of other professional meetings?
___ ___ a copy of the teacher’s handbook?
___ ___ accident reports?
__ ___ a procedure for requisitioning supplies?
___ ___ ventilation, lighting, and clean-up practices?
___ ___ a school calendar of activities?
___ ___ rules governing discipline?
___ ___ the school’s curriculum guides?
___ ___ bus regulations?
___ ___ the freedom to implement your own ideas?
___ ___ general care of classroom?
___ ___ administrative forms?
___ ___ reporting practices?
___ ___ parent-teacher conferences?

The main goal of this important capstone clinical practice experience is to grow in your ability to do the following things:

• Prepare high-quality written objectives for lessons
• Prepare effective lesson sequences
• Plan how all students will actively participate during the lesson
• Plan effective questions to use during the lesson
• Plan to check for understanding throughout the lesson
• Collaborate with your cooperating teacher as needed to establish effective classroom routines to use throughout lessons and transitions.

In methods courses, you may have already used a variety of lesson planning templates or formats. Additionally, your cooperating teacher and/or supervisor may request that you use a specific format or template for lesson plans and/or unit plans. Please work with your cooperating teacher and supervisor to choose and be comfortable with the format of the lesson plan you will be using during each placement.

Regardless of the template, all good lesson plans include similar factors:

• Lesson Objective(s): What do I want students to learn as a result of this lesson?
  • Be sure to clearly define what you want students to do. The verbs you use make a difference.
  • Make sure objectives are clear and measurable.
• Time and Materials:
  • What materials will I need to complete this lesson?
  • Do I have the necessary time needed to do this?
  • Is that additional information that I need to know to carry out this lesson well?
• Questions:
  • What questions will I ask the students to be sure that they are learning well?
  • How will the questions be sequenced?
    • Do my questions match the rigor and thinking of my objectives?
  • Will my questions come from different learning levels?
• Ensuring Participation of All Learners:
  • What strategies will you use as students answer the questions?
  • How will you ensure that ALL students are “doing the thinking”?
• Checking for Understanding:
  • When will you check ALL students to be sure that they are ready to move on?
  • What evidence are you looking for to be sure they are ready to move on?
• Managing Routines and Procedures
  • What directions will I need to give to ensure that all students are successful in accomplishing the tasks?
  • What routines have been established that I will use and reinforce in this lesson?
• Assessment
  • How will I know that the students have learned what I intended for them to learn as a result of this lesson?
  • How will I create and engage in any re-teaching if my assessment shows that the objective was not met?
• Reflection
  • What went well?
  • What will I do differently?

As you begin to construct your lesson plan, take note of the above. Think about and note your concerns, and what you might do to address them. The list below is a sample guide of questions to ask yourself as you begin to plan. Note: The actual written plan can follow a format agreed upon by the teacher candidate and cooperating teacher and/or supervisor.

1. Goals for students
2. Knowledge of content
3. Knowledge of students (e.g., ability levels, interests)
4. Knowledge of pedagogy (alternate ways of teaching content)
5. Anticipated difficulties
6. Student behavior expectations
7. Management issues: directions, distribution/collection of materials, provisions for those who finish early, utilization of support staff, timing/pacing, interruptions, discipline issues
8. Specific means of evaluation (If teacher observation, EXACTLY what are you looking for? Precisely how will you know that individual children achieved your goal?)
9. Sources used to get ideas. Criteria for selection

Post-Lesson Thoughts/Reflections

Some of your most important learning comes from reflections about lessons already taught. It is important to use both good and bad experiences to your advantage. After your lesson write a reflection (either in a journal, or other document), sharing what you learned from your experience. Explain your reactions to comments made to you by others – students and support personnel throughout the lesson and cooperating teacher and supervisor during the post-lesson discussion. To help guide you, consider some of the questions listed below.

1. Consider your goals for the lesson. Did you accomplish these goals? How do you know?
2. What were some of the thoughts you had during the lesson that caused you to make the decisions you made?
3. What were the strong points of the lesson? The weak points? How do you account for them?
4. What did you learn that you would apply to the teaching of future lessons?

“To teach is to learn twice” - Joubert

Other questions to help you analyze your lessons include:

1. Did the students seem to grasp how the lesson was tied to previous learning?
2. Did you do a good job of assessing prior knowledge and attaching the new information to that?
3. Were the purpose and relevance of the lesson made clear to the students? Why or why not?
4. Were your procedures effective for presenting the content? Might other procedures have been more effective?
5. Were the lesson materials appropriate and effective? Would other materials have been more effective?
6. Was your teaching style effective with this particular group and for this particular lesson?
7. Did you have adequate knowledge of the subject matter? Was enough outside knowledge brought into this lesson? What else might have been included?
8. Was content effectively related to students' lives/if not, how could this have been accomplished?
9. Were adequate provisions made for individual differences? If not, what steps might improve the situation?
10. Were classroom management techniques appropriate and effective? If not, what might have been better?
11. Was the conclusion of the lesson effective? If not, what might have been done to improve it?
12. Were your evaluation techniques appropriate and effective? If not, what might have been better?

Good teachers engage in constant reflection, analysis, and revision of lessons. Getting into the habit of doing this will help this practice to become automatic, and you will eventually find yourself thinking about what you are doing and its efficacy while you are doing it!

Your success as a student teacher during this capstone clinical experience is based upon your growth from day one to the end of the semester. Success in student teaching is based upon the candidate’s willingness to work with their cooperating teacher(s) and their university supervisor to create, design and implement good lessons, to accept and incorporate feedback received, and to use that feedback (and one’s personal reflective practice) to grow as a teacher. The main evaluative tool for student teaching is SUNY Oneonta’s Student Teaching Evaluation. The cooperating teacher and university supervisor will complete this evaluation at the end of each placement. The assignments and expectations noted thus far support the outcomes inherent in that evaluation.

During the course of each placement period, though, there are additional opportunities for evaluation and feedback.

1. Midpoint Conference
   The university supervisor is expected to schedule a three-way (Candidate, Cooperating Teacher, and University Supervisor) midpoint conference for each placement. During each conference, participants will review evaluations of the candidate in terms of planning and instruction, management and routines, and other areas of their choice. Those areas in need of attention should be highlighted along with plans and strategies for improvement.
2. Solo Week (If the School Permits)
   Solo Week is defined as the time when the candidate takes the primary responsibility for the organization and procedures of the class under the continued observation of the cooperating teacher. The candidate, in consultation with the cooperating teacher, should plan for a solo week. (Check the school calendar to avoid testing dates, field trips, and assemblies). Also, some teachers and/or districts prefer not to allow student teachers to have a complete solo week. The opportunity to have this experience is up to the classroom teacher and building administration. It is suggested that at least a few days be left after the solo week and before the end date of the placement to allow time to return the class to the cooperating teacher and to perhaps observe other teachers in other classes if allowed and invited to do so.
3. Endpoint Evaluation
   The university supervisor may schedule another three-way conference to conclude the placement.
   Each university supervisor and cooperating teacher will complete and submit the Final Evaluation electronically using Tk20 at the end of each placement.
4. University supervisors may schedule individual conferences and/or group seminars with candidates as to be determined by them. Some supervisors elect to have several group meetings or seminars while others prefer one-on-one meetings. This is individual to that particular supervisor and is supported by our office.
5. Candidates will have individual conferences with their cooperating teachers as well when requested. Again, it is particular to each individual teacher.
6. Student Teaching Grades
   1. Student teaching is Pass/Fail. The grades for student teaching are input at the end of the semester by the Director of the Office of Education Advisement and Field Experience after consultation with the student teacher’s supervisor.
   2. While cooperating teachers and supervisors evaluate the student teacher, they are not responsible for the input of the final grade at SUNY Oneonta.
   3. Any questions about student teaching grades should be directed to the OEAFE.

Live Video In the Classroom

In some circumstances, it may be necessary to assign a remote supervisor. This permission form is to be utilized when a supervisor is unable to observe in person and will be observing virtually via a video conferencing platform (Zoom, TEAMS, Google Meet, etc.) instead. The observation will not be recorded but will be observed "live" through the conference platform by the university supervisor.

Live Video Observation Form

Video Recording in the Classroom

In some circumstances, it may be necessary to assign a remote supervisor. This permission form is to be utilized when a supervisor is unable to observe in person or live via a video conferencing platform (Zoom, TEAMS, Google Meet, etc.). This necessitates that the lessons being taught by the student teacher are recorded and submitted to their assigned university supervisor as a reflective tool to improve their teaching performance. The videos are used solely for the purpose of examining student-teacher behavior to refine beginning teacher skills.

Videotape Authorization Form

1. Lesson Plans
Throughout student teaching, the candidate is expected to write detailed lesson plans for both the cooperating teacher (when requested) and for their university supervisor in advance of their formal observations (there should be a minimum of four formal observations made in each placement period, and supervisors will vary in how much in advance they will want your formal lesson plan sent to them).

Formal lesson plans come in various formats, and your cooperating teacher and supervisor may have suggestions for these. You most likely learned several different lesson plan formats when you were in methods and may be more comfortable with one over another. Regardless of which exact format you use, most lesson plans include common elements:

• A well-stated and measurable learning objective or objectives
  • What do you want your students to learn as a result of this lesson?
  • Be sure to clearly define objectives in a measurable way. The verb(s) you use will make a difference. See information on Bloom’s Taxonomy for assistance in using verbs that align with different levels of learning.
• Connection of the learning objective to any relevant NYSED Learning Standards.
  • Here is a link to the NYSED page from which students can review NY State Learning Standards.
• Connection to any Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks, if required by your cooperating teacher.
• Incorporation of the use of multiple assessments, both qualitative and quantitative. For example:
  • Observations
  • Questions and questioning strategies
    • What questions will you ask the student to be sure that they are learning well?
    • How will the questions be sequenced?
    • Do the questions match the rigor and thinking of the objective(s) stated?
    • What strategies will you use as students answer the questions?
    • How will you ensure that all students are engaged?
    • When will you check all students to be sure that they are ready to move on?
    • What evidence are you looking for to be sure they are ready to move on?
  • Written responses to questions either formative or summative.
  • In class work, written work, or activities
  • Papers and projects connecting to the lesson
  • Quizzes and tests associated with the lesson
• The use of technology as a tool to facilitate learning in the lesson.
• What materials will you need?
• How much time will this take?
• What is the procedure you will use during the lesson? How will you start, and how will you finish?
• What are any behavior objectives you are looking for, if any?
• How will you adapt or differentiate the lesson to include all of your students including those with exceptionalities?

The actual written plan must follow a format upon which the student teacher and cooperating teacher have agreed (and please include your university supervisor as well). Unless otherwise stated, plans should be submitted to the cooperating teacher and/or supervisor well in advance of teaching the lesson to allow for feedback and revision if needed (24 to 48 hours in advance is usually what is requested, but this may vary by supervisor and cooperating teacher).

2. Reflections
Some of the most important learning as a teacher comes from reflections on lessons already taught. Becoming a teacher who practices reflection is a goal that you have been aware of since your first education class. Most reflection takes place after a lesson, and includes asking oneself any or all of the following questions among others:

• What went well with this lesson?
• What did not go well or as planned?
• What would I do differently if I taught this lesson again?
• Would there be additional skills or knowledge I would need to teach this lesson better?

Overall, consider whether objectives were met, what strategies worked well, what follow-up measures need to occur, and what modifications should be made if the lesson was taught again.

While each teacher candidate’s university supervisor will request your reflections in a different way (some may ask for an ongoing journal, some may ask for these in a meeting in a verbal form as well, etc.), each will be looking for evidence of ongoing reflection as one of your student teaching assignments. Sample reflections will also be included in your exit portfolio.

3. Unit Plan

Good teaching involves good planning, and the cornerstone of that is the lesson plan which was just addressed. While some lesson plans may support a standalone objective, most lessons are part of a greater unit of learning (for example a lesson on taste as part of a unit on the five senses). Units vary in length and the amount of time necessary to complete them. Some may be only five lessons long and some may include weeks of learning objectives.

As a student teacher, the candidate is expected to design a unit that reflects curriculum goals and is aligned with any appropriate NYSED learning standards. The candidate should work with the cooperating teacher, in consultation with the university supervisor where appropriate, to determine the content area and to establish an appropriate time frame in which to implement and evaluate the unit. The candidate must submit the unit plan to the cooperating teacher and university supervisor for review and approval prior to implementation.

While we do not require a learning center as an assignment for student teaching, a learning center or several learning center lessons may be part of the unit.

The unit plan may be completed in either placement period as works best for the teacher candidate and/or cooperating teacher’s classroom and curriculum.

4. Professional Exit Portfolio

Over the years the exit portfolio has taken on many different formats. Once a physical binder containing many elements, many teacher candidates now create an online portfolio, often with input from their educational technology course. The purpose of this is to give you a collection of documents that will prepare you for and support you as you seek a teaching position. While some supervisors may vary somewhat from this, the required elements in your portfolio will include:

• Your most updated resume
• An updated Philosophy of Teaching Statement (you had to submit one as part of your application for student teaching). Please revise your most recent philosophy of teaching to reflect your experiences as a student teacher. How did this semester affect your philosophy?
• A sample of the formal lesson plans used during the semester
• The complete unit plan
• Sample of student work, if available with no identifiable student information on or attached to it.
• A representative sample of reflections including a closing reflection on the student teaching semester experiences and how you have grown as a result.

While the above information contains what one needs to know about the assignments, there is always the need for more resources. The information below may be helpful as you move through your assignments.

Unit Plans

While a Unit Plan as a whole may take on many different forms, the following guideline has been used in the past. It is particularly intricate as it was created during the time NYSED implemented the EdTPA, which is no longer in place. Therefore, this can be ONE guideline for what may go into it. This is not to be considered a template, but a tool for looking at one way of approaching a Unit. Your cooperating teacher or university supervisor may have a differing approach, or you may have learned to do this in a different fashion during Methods.

What is a Unit?

A Unit is a product that documents your ability to plan a major topic, problem, issue, or concept that will occupy approximately two to four weeks of instructional time. A sequential set of five or more lesson plans should be designed that include introductory, developmental, and culminating lesson experiences. There are seven elements that should be included in the unit. See items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, and 7 below. In addition, you should include an annotated list of materials and resources.

Unit Title

1. Competent Written Communication Skills
   1. Professionally formatted
   2. Professionally organized
   3. Follows a prescribed lesson plan format
   4. Proper conventions of writing
   5. Clear and understandable
2. Learning Environment and Student Individual Differences
   1. Impact of relevant community characteristics on instructional planning
   2. Impact of relevant school and classroom characteristics on instructional planning
   3. Impact of relevant student characteristics on instructional planning, i.e., average ability, exceptional, prior knowledge, first language, specific needs.
3. Learning Objectives and Rationale
   1. Clear and concise behavioral objectives
   2. Objectives represent multiple levels of thought
   3. Objectives are developmentally appropriate for all students
   4. Objectives align with national, state, local or professional standards
4. Assessment Plan
   1. Assessments aligned with the criteria of lesson objectives
   2. Multiple methods of assessment planned
   3. Plans for assessing before, during, and after instruction
   4. Consider evidence available at the individual student level to help in the design of the lesson.
   5. Adaptations to assessments appropriate for individual student needs
   6. Copies of assessments, prompts, scoring keys, or rubrics
5. Rationale for Instructional Planning
   1. Knowledge of Students: personal/cultural/community assets
   2. Examples of students’ prior academic learning
   3. Connections to research and/or theory
6. Design of Instruction (Include 5 or more lesson plans for the unit that include introductory, developmental, and culminating lesson experiences.
   1. Each day’s lesson builds on the other, reflecting the central focus of the unit
   2. Evidence that pre-instruction assessment data were used to guide instructional planning
   3. A variety of instructional strategies and resources
   4. Lesson activities connect content to real-world applications and make subject matter meaningful to students
   5. Lesson activities are appropriate, i.e., aligned with the objectives, consist of appropriate procedures and reasonable time allocations
   6. Evidence that characteristics of the learning environment and individual students were used to plan instructional adaptations
7. Assessment Data and Analysis of Student Learning
   1. Summary data on class performance is provided and analyzed for individual, group, and whole-class learning
   2. Pre-instruction and post-instruction assessment data is provided for each student to demonstrate the extent of improvement
   3. Assessment data is provided on the three identified/focus students, with an analytic explanation of their progress
8. Reflections on Progress and Implications for future teaching
   1. Reflections on what worked well regarding student learning that is grounded in assessment of evidence, with implications for future teaching
   2. Reflections on what did not work well regarding student learning that is grounded in assessment evidence, with implications for future teaching
   3. Description of revisions made in the plans, during on-the-spot adjustments, or for future lessons with rationale
   4. Reflections on own teaching strengths and areas in need of improvement, justified with principles from research and/or theory

While we no longer require you to plan for and complete learning centers during student teaching, it is highly likely that you will need to do so in one or both of your placements. Because of that, information on learning centers is included here.

A learning center is an area in the classroom that contains a collection of activities and materials to teach, reinforce, and/or enrich a skill or concept. It is comprised of independent and/or cooperative activities for students. They may be permanent, ongoing, or temporary depending on the purpose. The purpose of a center is to provide students with opportunities for exploration, problem-solving, creativity, review, reinforcement, enrichment, responsibility, cooperation, and evaluation.

Key Points for a Learning Center

• A learning center must have a variety of activities for the children to do
• The activities and materials within a learning center must cover the range from simple to difficult and from concrete to abstract.
• A learning center should be geared to the abilities, interests, and needs of the students within the classroom.

Using a Learning Center
For the student, the learning center is used as:

• A self-selected activity for independent study.
• Follow-up for a teacher-taught lesson or unit.
• In place of a regular assignment.
• Or as an enrichment activity.

For the teacher, the learning center may be used as:

• A follow-up for a lesson or unit taught.
• A small group instruction area.
• An individualized learning experience.

Components

1. I. Background/overview – briefly describe the purpose, theme, and/or discipline.
2. II. Organization
   1. Arrangement of center – how presented (tubs, bulletin board, etc.)
   2. Physical area – where in the room.
   3. Time – when will students work on the activities
   4. Appearance – interesting, hands-on, attractive, inviting
3. Activity (for each activity) – number, title
   1. Objective – what will students learn
   2. Materials
   3. Directions – posted, written, oral, number of participants, behavior, voice
   4. Mode of monitoring participation – agenda, charts, choices
   5. Evaluation – self/teacher correcting
4. IV. Assessment
   1. Record-keeping: portfolio, checklist, rubric
   2. Evaluation: Teacher-student conference, class-sharing, self-evaluation

Learning Center Chart Categories
Bloom Level
Objective
Hands-on Activity/Manipulative
Assessment
Standards
Media integration?
Record keeping system - individual chart for young children or folders for older children

In all lesson planning, and within your unit, the concept of assessment of learning should be at the forefront of your thinking. While not all teachers use all the ideas below (some are newer and some are very tried and true), the following remains a good review of assessment ideas. Your cooperating teacher will have other tools and expectations for this. Work with the cooperating teacher to support their methods of assessment and to learn new and exciting strategies.

At the outset of your planning ask yourself, "What are all of the things the student must know and/or be able to do to achieve the goal?" Then assess the students’ prior knowledge in an organized and measurable way. Use the results to inform your instruction.

Assessing Prior Knowledge

The list below represents just a few ways that you can assess your students’ prior knowledge. You should find that pre-assessment is time well spent because no matter how you choose to pre-assess, your instruction will be more effective if you build on and make connections to what your students already know. Your students will realize that what they bring to the classroom in terms of prior knowledge and experience is important. Instruction can be more focused and effective when you, as the teacher, have taken the time to diagnose entering strengths and weaknesses, and have identified students who do not remember or may have never mastered pre-requisite skills and knowledge. Classroom instruction can then be based on knowledge of student ability, rather than on what faculty members assume students know and can do.

1. KWL CHART
One way to begin is to engage students in a brainstorming session on the upcoming topic. Keep a list of student contributions as to “what we know”, “what we want/need to know”, and later, “what we learned” on a particular topic.
Example of a K-W-L chart about the heart:

We know... We want/need to know… We learned...

The heart is a muscle... What causes a heart attack?... A heart attack is caused by damage to the muscle...

The heart pumps blood... How big is your heart?... Your heart is as big as your fist...

2. WEB

Another way to begin is to write the topic to be studied in the center of a circle or square. Then ask students what they know about the topic and write the information on lines that extend out from the center. This should also result in a general brainstorming of the group.

3. CONCEPT MAP

An extension of the web idea that is helpful in revealing each individual student’s knowledge is the concept map. Provide students with the major concepts of the upcoming unit and ask how if and how those concepts relate to each other. Students can provide a web drawing of the concepts and draw in connecting arrows with descriptors.

4. CREATIVE WRITING

Another way to engage students individually is through a creative writing pre-assessment. Provide an interesting prompt to get students thinking, for example, in exploring the digestive system, you might ask students to write a description of what they think is inside their stomach right now or ask them to describe the journey of a piece of hamburger as it goes through their body.

5. DRAWING

You can also ask students to represent their ideas about a particular topic in a drawing. This works particularly well for younger students. At the end of the unit, students can compare their drawings with what they have learned.

6. ANTICIPATION GUIDE

Give your students a preliminary survey on the upcoming topic, asking them to identify statements that they agree or disagree with. Another form of anticipation guide asks students to identify statements as fact or fiction. This type of guide works well for subjects about which many students have misconceptions.

Remember, the list above is just a beginning. Continue to add to this list as you explore some possibilities for assessing students’ prior knowledge.

Once you have a better sense of what your students are bringing to the classroom in terms of prior knowledge and experience, it is time to design your instruction. The purpose of selecting an instructional method is to identify and employ teaching strategies and techniques that most effectively achieve the performance objectives. Current educational theory and research support the use of instructional methods that engage students as active learners (i.e., use a mix of lectures, lab, small group discussion, hands-on experiences, simulations, technology–related explorations, and independent study experiences).

Assessing Knowledge During and After the Lesson

Consider multiple ways to assess:

1. Individual assessments---written assignments, presentations, performance assessment tasks, tests, quizzes, etc.
2. Group assessments -- on social skills and cooperative learning processes and products
3. Self and peer assessments
4. Journal responses and quick-writes or “tickets out the door”.
5. Observations—(look for non-verbal clues) record in notes and on checklists
6. Individual interviews
7. Portfolios
8. Scoring rubrics

A quick way to gather end-of-the-lesson assessment data is to ask students one or two questions directly targeted to the lesson just taught and get their individual written responses.

Example: At the end of a first-grade cooperative dice game activity (which had the objective of adding two numbers), the student teacher handed out index cards, told students she had a challenge for them, and asked them to answer two questions written on the board. For the first question, the student teacher drew a picture of two faces of a die (reflecting a 5 and a 3) and asked students for the total. For the second question, the student teacher drew one face of a die (reflecting a 6), and asked students what the second die must be for the total to equal 15. The student teacher said these were special dice! Basically, within three minutes, all students had written or drawn their response, and the student teacher had a stack of data indicating which students had met the addition objective (all were successful) and which students had made the leap on their own to subtraction (about half of the students).

As a Secondary Education student teacher, you will take a Seminar Course in addition to student teaching. This course takes place throughout both student teaching placements and is directed by your Seminar instructor. For the purposes of your student teaching, you are expected to turn in formal lesson plans as requested by your University Supervisor prior to your observations. Additionally, you will be required by your supervisor to engage in ongoing reflection. The format and frequency of those reflections will be given to you by your University Supervisor.

Please note that you will have several tasks/assignments that are part of your Seminar course that are not part of your grade for student teaching. This includes the pieces of the TPA that you will be completing during this semester (this information will come to you from your Seminar professor). You may certainly share this information with your supervisor, and/or ask for input on classroom-based tasks; however, you are not required to do so. If your supervisor would like to see any of this, please feel free to share your seminar work with them. This is especially pertinent if the lesson being observed is part of something that you are doing for Seminar. If you have any questions or confusion regarding your assignments, please contact the Director of OEAFE.

1. Lesson Plans
Throughout student teaching, the candidate is expected to write detailed lesson plans for both the cooperating teacher (when requested) and for their university supervisor in advance of their formal observations (there should be a minimum of four formal observations made in each placement period, and supervisors will vary in how much in advance they will want your formal lesson plan sent to them).

Formal lesson plans come in various formats, and your cooperating teacher and supervisor may have suggestions for these. You most likely learned several different lesson plan formats when you were in methods and may be more comfortable with one over another. Regardless of which exact format you use, most lesson plans include common elements:

• A well-stated and measurable learning objective or objectives
  • What do you want your students to learn as a result of this lesson?
  • Be sure to clearly define objectives in a measurable way. The verb(s) you use will make a difference. See information on Bloom’s Taxonomy for assistance in using verbs that align with different levels of learning.
  • Connection of the learning objective to any relevant NYSED Learning Standards.
    • Here is a link to the NYSED page from which students can review NY State Learning Standards.
• Connection to any Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks, if required by your cooperating teacher.
• Incorporation of the use of multiple assessments, both qualitative and quantitative. For example:
  • Observations
  • Questions and questioning strategies
    • What questions will you ask the student to be sure that they are learning well?
    • How will the questions be sequenced?
    • Do the questions match the rigor and thinking of the objective(s) stated?
    • What strategies will you use as students answer the questions?
    • How will you ensure that all students are engaged?
    • When will you check all students to be sure that they are ready to move on?
    • What evidence are you looking for to be sure they are ready to move on?
  • Written responses to questions either formative or summative.
  • In class work, written work, or activities
  • Papers and projects connecting to the lesson
  • Quizzes and tests associated with the lesson
• The use of technology as a tool to facilitate learning in the lesson.
• What materials will you need?
• How much time will this take?
• What is the procedure you will use during the lesson? How will you start, and how will you finish?
• What are any behavior objectives you are looking for, if any?
• How will you adapt or differentiate the lesson to include all of your students including those with exceptionalities?

The actual written plan must follow a format upon which the student teacher and cooperating teacher have agreed (and please include your university supervisor as well). Unless otherwise stated, plans should be submitted to the cooperating teacher and/or supervisor well in advance of teaching the lesson to allow for feedback and revision if needed (24 to 48 hours in advance is usually what is requested, but this may vary by supervisor and cooperating teacher).

2. Reflections
Some of the most important learning as a teacher comes from reflections on lessons already taught. Becoming a teacher who practices reflection is a goal that you have been aware of since your first education class. Most reflection takes place after a lesson, and includes asking oneself any or all of the following questions among others:

• What went well with this lesson?
• What did not go well or as planned?
• What would I do differently if I taught this lesson again?
• Would there be additional skills or knowledge I would need to teach this lesson better?

Overall, consider whether objectives were met, what strategies worked well, what follow-up measures need to occur, and what modifications should be made if the lesson was taught again.

While each teacher candidate’s university supervisor will request your reflections in a different way (some may ask for an ongoing journal, some may ask for these in a meeting in a verbal form as well, etc.), each will be looking for evidence of ongoing reflection as one of your student teaching assignments. Sample reflections will also be included in your exit portfolio.