And they don't come any realer than ours, do they?
There will be a couple of weeks of strict observation before Miss Fitzgerald begins to teach actual lessons. We will co-teach for some lessons before she takes over the majority of the planning and presentation of lessons and activities. I want this class to be hers as much as mine, so we will encourage students to pay her the same respect. Still, there will some things that remain constant. Fitzgerald does not want to undo any of the progress we have made in the first half of the year, so procedures and certain organizational aspects will stay in place, and I will continue to monitor what's going on.
I think the Hoggatteers will be in good hands. I am excited about the responsibility of helping influence this young lady as she embarks on a new career. One of my former student-teachers went on to be voted the best new teacher in his first year in a neighboring district before garnishing a lucrative national award.
Still, there is more here than meets the eye. I'm always looking for hints and ideas for my own teaching. The candidate teacher program is a great way for a seasoned teacher to reconnect with the college community. I'm hoping to learn just as much along with Miss Fitzgerald during this adventure. It should give me the opportunity for some reflection, as well as develop more materials for use with my students.
Consider the following list from MSSU. These are the things Miss Fitzgerald's university supervisor will look for when visiting our school to observe her.
* Include specific directions and modeling of any new skills
* Introduce, incorporate, or review vocabulary
* Challenge students to critically think beyond recall of information
* Cause students to physically move and be active participants throughout the lesson
* Include ways to check for understanding throughout the lesson
* Consider the way students learn best
* Incorporate ways to help struggling students during the lesson
* Consider students who will finish early
* Consider how to reinforce on-task behavior and manage off-task behavior
* Consider physical times of activities and transition times
* Reflect best practices and research-based instructional strategies and learning activities
* Represent your best work
Here's a list of questions the candidate teacher is supposed to answer for every lesson. Let me say that these questions obviously come from a college and are only loosely rooted in reality. Each is a good question in isolation, but a teacher can quickly become burned out if s/he stresses out about all of them all the time.
* Who is doing most of the talking/work throughout the lesson?
* Are students reading, writing, listening, and speaking throughout the lesson?
* Which procedures need to be established or reviewed for this particulat lesson?
* Have I considered how I will be able to demonstrate with-it-ness throughout the lesson?
* Have I prepped my materials and thought through the logistics of the lesson plan delivery?
* Have I ensured that all technology is working and ready to go?
* Will my supervisor be able to see my best skills reflected in this lesson?