The University of Michigan-Flint
Student Teaching Handbook
Education Unit Mission
Our mission is to guide and support the growth and development of our teacher candidates into caring educators and engaged citizens who embrace our guiding principles in their understanding of the many aspects of their roles in schools and society.
Education Unit Vision
.…to prepare teachers who, as socially responsible individuals, are committed to shaping classrooms, schools, and communities that are caring and student centered.
Unit Goals
1. Instill our teacher candidates with an ethic of caring which must be nurtured and exists as a foundation for fostering a sense of student-centeredness in the classroom.
2. Prepare our teacher candidates to make instructional decisions that reflect a belief in and commitment to the potential of all learners.
3. Guide our teacher candidates to employ effective teaching strategies through reflective practice, and create environments that encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills so they can be academically successful.
4. Teach toward the goal of preparing our teacher candidates to become respectful and socially responsible professionals not only in their classrooms and schools, but also in the local, national, and global communities they and their students share.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Information
Meeting the Assigned Mentor Teacher 4
Student Teaching Calendar 4
Extending Student Teaching Time 5
School Hours and Duties 5
Student Teaching Seminar 5
Grading Requirements 6
Tk20 6
Absence Policy 7
Substitute Teaching 7
Misdemeanor/Felony Conviction Form 7
School District Strikes 8
Remediation/Removal from Student Teaching
Teacher candidate 8 Mentor Teacher or University supervisor 9 School District Administration 9
Certification
Checklist for Recommendation for Provisional Certificate 10
Instructions for Application on MOECS 12
Roles and Responsibilities
The Teacher Candidate
Beginning Responsibilities 13
Ongoing Responsibilities 14
The Mentor Teacher
Mentor Teacher Qualifications 15
Mentor Teacher Responsibilities 15
Guidelines: Beginning of Student Teaching 16
Guidelines: Middle of Student Teaching 17
Guidelines: End of Student Teaching 17
The University Supervisor
University Supervisor Qualifications 17
University Supervisor Responsibilities 18
Legal Issues and Student Teaching
Negligence 19
Corporal Punishment 19
Search and Seizure 19
Administering Medications 20
Copyright Laws 20
Freedom of Religion 21
Academic Freedom 21
Appendix A: Introducing the Student Teacher 22
Appendix B: Entry Level Standards for Michigan Teachers 23-25
General Information
Meeting the Assigned Mentor Teacher
In some instances student teachers will first meet their mentor teachers during an interview, where the mentor and student teacher will work to determine whether or not the placement will be a good fit for the student teacher. In other instances a placement is confirmed before the mentor student teacher and mentor teacher ever meet.
When the latter is the case, the student teacher should make an appointment with his/her mentor teacher(s) and arrange a meeting before the actual start of student teaching. If for any reason the student teacher has doubts or concerns about the placement after this meeting, then he/she should voice those concerns to the assigned university faculty administrator.
Student Teaching Calendar
Student teaching is a course offered to eligible teaching candidates during the fall and winter semesters. Teacher candidates completing their experience during the fall semester begin in late August on the first day that teachers must report to the district. Teacher candidates completing their experience during the winter semester begin the first day after the winter break in January. Teacher candidates will student teach for 15 weeks in their assigned classrooms.
Teacher candidates follow the school district calendar where they have been placed, not the university calendar. Please make all the necessary work and childcare arrangements well in advance of beginning your placement. Both mentor teachers and building principals, as well as university faculty, expect that teacher candidates will be in attendance on the appropriate start date.
The calendar below serves only as a guideline (thus the overlapping week numbers) for what activities the student teacher might be doing or what responsibilities the student teacher might take on during a given week. However, all student teachers must complete a minimum of seven weeks of full responsibility for the classroom.
Weeks / Responsibilities/Activities1 & 2 / · Observe and assist cooperating teacher
· Learn and participate in all classroom and school routines
· Work with small groups of students
2-7 / · Take over the class schedule gradually: one content area, subject, or period at a time.
· Co-plan with mentor teacher
· Co-teach with mentor teacher
7-14 / Take full teaching responsibility for 7-8 weeks, including:
· creating lesson plans
· assessment and grading
· conferencing with parents
14 & 15 / Gradually phase out of teaching
Extending Student Teaching Time
Under certain circumstances, the teacher candidate may be required to continue the assignment beyond the minimum 15 weeks. This decision is made after a conference between the mentor teacher and the university supervisor. The extension may be necessary because the teacher candidate has not yet achieved the expected level of competence. It may also be to make up days missed for excessive absences, holidays, or snow days.
School Hours and Duties
Teacher candidates are expected to follow the arrival and dismissal times established by the school district for its regular teaching staff and to follow the mentor teacher’s schedule (including any assigned lunch, bus, or playground supervision).
Attendance at all faculty meetings, parent-teacher conferences, in-service days, open houses, etc. is expected. Some evening meetings may be required depending on district calendar. Teacher candidates are also strongly encouraged to become involved in extra-curricular activities.
Teacher candidates may not attend any union meetings.
Student Teaching Seminar
All teacher candidates are required to take the student teaching seminar course. The student teaching seminar is designed to support the teacher candidate and allow the candidate an opportunity to reflect on his/her experience, discuss concerns/issues and explore topics that will further his/her teaching skills.
A course syllabus and schedule will be provided at the start of the student teaching semester and will include the seminar schedule.
Attendance at all seminars is mandatory, and teacher candidates will be notified in advance of Saturday seminars.
Grading Requirements
In order to be recommended for certification, all teacher candidates must pass both student teaching and the student teaching seminar. If a “Fail” or “E” is received in either student teaching or the student teaching seminar, the teacher candidate will meet with the Director the Center for Educator Preparation, the Student Success Center Education Advisor, and the Elementary or Secondary Coordinator to determine the teacher candidate’s options.
Student Teaching:
If, in the judgment of the mentor teacher and the field instructor, a teacher candidate has earned either an “Acceptable” or “Target” rating in all items of Assessment Four: Evaluation of Student Teachers for the final evaluation, then the teacher candidate will pass student teaching.
Student Teaching Seminar:
The grade determination for the seminar course is dependent on the course instructor for either elementary or secondary. If the course is graded Pass/Fail, then a student must receive a grade of Pass in order to successfully complete student teaching. If the course is graded, then a teacher candidate must earn a grade of “C” or above in the student teaching seminar in order to pass the seminar. The requirements for earning a “C” or above are outlined in the course syllabus for the student teaching seminar.
Tk20
The state of Michigan’s expectation for continual improvement in the quality of teacher preparation, as well as our work towards national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), requires us to systematically and regularly assess our teacher preparation programs. The data we are required to collect includes, but is not limited to, key unit and program level assessments and field experience evaluations. The UM-Flint Education Unit utilizes this data to determine how to improve programs, curriculum, and overall unit operations.
For these purposes, the Education Unit is using a comprehensive data management system called Tk20. Tk20 provides a centralized repository for certain required assessments, as well as the evaluations of candidate fieldwork conducted by the faculty, cooperating teachers and university supervisors. By using this system, the Education Unit can regularly assess and accurately synthesize the work that is done to prepare candidates to become teachers.
Teacher candidates use Tk20 in courses where key assessments and field evaluations are being administered using the system. They are provided with information regarding Tk20 during their orientation to the program and receive training within the context of certain courses and field experiences. Over the course of their program, they develop an electronic portfolio in Tk20, which showcases their work throughout their teacher preparation program. All new mentor teachers, university supervisors, and content faculty are provided with Tk20 training as needed by the Tk20 Unit Administrator.
Role / Tk20Mentor Teachers / 1) Professional Dispositions Assessment
2) Mid-term Student Teaching Evaluation of Candidate Performance
(Assessment Four)
3) Final Student Teaching Evaluation of Candidate Performance
(Assessment Four)
University Supervisors / 1) Professional Dispositions Assessment
2) Mid-Term Student Teaching Evaluation of Candidate Performance
(Assessment Four)
3) Final Student Teaching Evaluation of Candidate Performance
(Assessment Four)
Absence Policy
If the teacher candidate is going to be absent, he/she must contact the mentor teacher and the University supervisor prior to 7:00 am the day of the absence. Teacher candidates are allowed two (2) excused absences while student teaching for personal illness, family illness, doctor appointments, and district snow days. With prior approval of the mentor teacher, the building principal, and the University supervisor, the teacher candidate may also be excused to attend professional or college meetings and professional job interviews.
Teacher candidates are allowed three (3) excused absences for death in the immediate family while student teaching.
If a teacher candidate has more than two (2) excused absences (or three (3) in the case of death of an immediate family member), the candidate will be required to make up the missed day(s). If the candidate has any unexcused absences, the candidate will be required to make up the missed day(s). Special consideration may be given for extenuating circumstances.
Teacher candidates are responsible for supplying the mentor teacher with lesson plans and materials for any lessons they were scheduled to teach the day(s) of their absence. Excessive absences, for any reason, will result in a failing grade in student teaching.
Substitute Teaching
The Michigan Department of Education stated in 1999 that teacher preparation institutions might permit a teacher candidate to be employed as a substitute teacher. The faculty of the School of Education and Human Services at UM-Flint has developed a policy to allow teacher candidates to substitute for their mentor teachers.
At the discretion of the University supervisor, the mentor teacher, and the school district, the teacher candidates may substitute for their mentor teachers after four weeks of successful student teaching. Teacher candidates are limited to ten days of substitution and may substitute only for their mentor teacher. Prior to the teacher candidate’s substituting, the candidate must complete any paperwork required by the school district and inform the University supervisor.
Misdemeanor/Felony Conviction Form
At the student teaching orientation session, the teacher candidate will complete the misdemeanor/felony conviction form. The State of Michigan Department of Education (MDE) requires all teacher candidates to complete the misdemeanor/felony conviction form prior to the student teaching semester.
Teacher candidates who have a new conviction or one not previously reported will be required to provide the appropriate court documentation prior to beginning the student teaching experience. Upon disclosure of a charge or a conviction, the process outlined in the Education Unit handbook will be followed. Failure to do so will result in an automatic withdrawal from student teaching and possible termination from the teacher certification program.
Note: Should a candidate receive a felony/misdemeanor conviction during the student teaching semester, he/she is required to report that to the University within 30 days.
School District Strikes
If the school district to which a teacher candidate is assigned is subject to a strike or work stoppage, the teacher candidate will not report for duty or be in or near the assigned building.
Remediation or Removal from Student Teaching
In some situations, the issues that arise during student teaching are so egregious that immediate removal from the student teaching placement is required. Depending on the issues surrounding such circumstances, the mentor teacher, the University supervisor, and/or the teacher candidate may initiate the resolution of the issue. Outlined below are the protocols to follow, depending on who is initiating the concern and the nature of the concern.
Teacher Candidate
If a teacher candidate identifies an issue with the mentor teacher, he/she should first work to resolve the issue with the mentor teacher. Additionally, if a teacher candidate identifies an issue with the University supervisor, he/she should first work to resolve the issue with the University supervisor.
If the issue with the mentor teacher persists, the teacher candidate should meet together with the mentor teacher and the Elementary or Secondary Coordinator. If the issue remains unresolved, the teacher candidate should meet with the Director of the Center for Educator Preparation.
If these steps still do not resolve the issue (or if any of the above individuals deem that the placement is unsatisfactory), the teacher candidate; the mentor teacher; the University supervisor, the Elementary or Secondary coordinator, and the Director of the Center for Educator Preparation will convene to discuss the issue. The results of this meeting may include any of the following:
• a plan to resolve the issue, including a course of action;
• reassignment for the teacher candidate; and/or
• the choice of the teacher candidate to withdraw from student teaching.
Should the teacher candidate choose to withdraw from a student teaching assignment after the assignment has begun, he/she should follow the usual and customary policies of dropping a course at UM-Flint. Depending on assessment of the situation by the Department Chair as well as a recommendation by the Elementary or Secondary Coordinator, the teacher candidate may be allowed to apply for student teaching again in a subsequent semester.