Student Teacher Series: Classroom Observations

I recently started a mini-series of blog posts dedicated to hosting a student teacher in one's classroom. I kicked off the series by sharing the importance of connecting with your student teacher prior to their official start date, as well as pre-planning how they'll fit into your classroom community and routine. These key steps help lay the groundwork for an effective student teaching experience.

Today's blog post focuses on the next step in the experience, which is providing classroom observations. Not only should student teachers see you in action, but they also should see different teachers, grade levels and subjects around the building. Getting student teachers into other classrooms as they gradually take over your own is important to their growth and development as educators. Rather than waiting until the end of their student teaching time to get into other classrooms, it's important to get them in early. Not only do they have more flexibility to go and observe as they phase in to teaching in your room, but they also gain insight and ideas from other teachers that they can utilize.

In order to provide this opportunity to my student teacher, I did the following:

1. During our first meet and greet, I shared with my student teacher how I wanted to get her into other classrooms and watch other teachers teach. She was more than willing to do this and was eager to see what she would learn!

2. After coming back from winter break, I sent a separate email to each grade level asking for observation opportunities. I introduced my student teacher, asked for whoever was willing to reach back out to me and explained her purpose in observing. I also asked if there was any preference of subject they wanted her to observe. Observing in someone's classroom is an opportunity rather than a given right, so I wanted to make sure I was respectful of their comfort level and their choice.

3. As I received word and permission from various teachers, I kept track of teachers from each grade level. I did this to make sure I had a mixture of teachers in each grade level that my student teacher could see in action. While even one teacher per grade level would have been just fine, I knew I wanted her in as many classrooms as possible. I was so fortunate to get great feedback from all grade levels, which gave my student teacher plenty of options!

4. After I heard back from a variety of teachers, I mapped out a timeline for when my student teacher would go to each classroom. I assigned each grade level a specific week. From there, I looked at each grade's schedule, so my student teacher could see different subjects. It made sense for her to see math from one teacher, ELA from another, small group time with another, all in the same grade level. This allows a student teacher to see a specific grade level in different ways, with different methods of teaching.

5. Following the timeline creation, I sent out calendar invites to my student teacher and the teachers she would go and observe. I indicated the specific timeframe that she would be in their rooms, attached meeting reminders and let her know what subject she would observe. I wanted to be as transparent and communicative as possible!

6. Not only did I invite my student teacher and the teacher getting observed to these observations, but I also had them in my calendar as well. In order to be a supportive cooperating teacher, I held my student teacher accountable, as well as myself.

7. Another piece of this puzzle was asking my student teacher about her observations. Anytime she came back from an observation, i'd ask how it went, what she saw, if there was anything unique she brought back, etc. It was good conversation and a way for her to reflect on what she observed.

Fast forward to this past week and my student teacher officially completed all her observations! YAY! The timing worked out really well, as she is almost 100% teaching my class everyday. I'm glad she had the opportunity to get into so many classrooms, and I know I have my wonderful colleagues to thank for opening their doors and letting her in.

As the semester continues, I look forward to seeing more of my student teacher in action. I'm excited to see what she took from other rooms and brought back into mine, and how she continues to grow as an educator.

Sharing Perspective. Encouraging Perseverance.

~Kendall