Amazing Tips for Supervising Student Teachers
Within your teaching career, there might come a time whereby you are required to give direction to a student teacher. This might be for an entire semester, a quarter, or a whole academic year. All in all, undertaking some prior preparation can lead to a rewarding experience for all the involved parties. This text, therefore, highlights some of the techniques that can be used to supervise student teachers.
Spare some time to ensure that the student teacher gets acquainted with important people within the institution. These include the principal, office staff, custodian, health assistant, any other crucial staff members he or she is bound to interact with regularly.
Ensure they know the location of the workrooms, places to store their items, copy machines, etc. inform them about the required dress codes (especially ladies), the procedure for calling in sick, in addition to start & end times. It would be better even to have the student teacher arrive after school hours the day before the starting date, to have ample time to give him/her a leisurely tour as well as introductions.
• Introduce the student teacher to your class
Create time for the student teacher to introduce themselves to the class. You can even take an hour off the student teacher’s maiden day for him/her to spend time getting acquainted with the class. They can even carry their favorite books or even pictures and other items that will enable them to better connect with the student. Kids in particular, like seeing their teachers’ pictures when they were in elementary school, etc.
• Offer them time to observe things
Allow the intern teacher time to spend. This might include the entire first week. Encourage them to jot down questions and also take notes. You can dedicate a few minutes at the beginning of each teaching week writing a thesis statement in order to explain why you undertake certain actions and how you handle various situations in a particular manner. This offers them time to gain comfort in the routines as well as your expectations.
• Begin with short teaching sessions
When the intern begins the actual teaching process, begin with something easy to understand and manageable to teach. Some student teachers might be slow learners of a bit incompetent and only joined the teaching degree program through assistance from admission services. It could even be a mathematics practice, a read aloud, or even group work activities. When the intern feels successful at a minor task, he or she will better be prepared to handle something bigger.
• Set an exemplary performance
Ensure that you set a good example through your orientation process. There might be a time whereby you might feel like complaining about a parent, student, or even a fellow staff member. Do not forget the fact that you are a supervisor and are representative of what a quality educator should be.
• Involve yourself in activities outside the classroom
Encourage these interns to be involved in extracurricular activities or any other outdoor activities. However, you might need to perform this together the first time so that they can feel comfortable. This is an efficient networking method enabling you to know students/kids and their families. You can assist in a fundraiser, a club, or even in a school dance.
• Take note of their strengths
In case you are working with a teaching intern who is great in arts, technology, or even talented at playing a musical instrument, develop a way of incorporating that into your days with them. The students might love it, and it is always something great to exhibit something you are good at. This will make lessons more interesting as well as building confidence and rapport.
• Be consistent as well as patient in classroom management
Do not have the unrealistic expectation of managing the classroom. Do you remember how your first day as a teacher was challenging? This is among the most challenging aspects to learn. However, learning new techniques takes time. The supervisor, therefore, should be patient with interns.
• Develop a sense of humor
Teaching is hard work that can drain a lot of your energy at times. Especially as a new teacher, you might find it unbearable. At times, the only way to get through the day is by taking things less seriously and laughing. All of us can attest that the best teachers were the ones who could crack some jokes and relax. Numerous funny things can happen within a classroom each day: take some time to enjoy it.
Orienting a student can be tiring at times. However, following the above tips will enable the student teacher to settle fast and easy.
