Student Teachers: A Starting Point
1. What is a Practicum
The practicum is a period of time during initial teacher education that
student teachers are attached to schools, in order to experience what it
means to teach. It provides an opportunity for student teachers to practice
and at the same time, to reflect about their practice.
During practicum, student teachers are mentored and guided by their
School Teachers and the university Supervisors through focused
conversations (if applicable) and systematic observations. Student
teachers will have the opportunities to become involved with, and
actively participate in all aspects of the school’s activities.
2. Value of the Practicum
1. Allows the student -teachers to learn and grow as teachers through
observing and participating in the day-to- day realities of teaching in
school settings;
2. Provides student -teachers with periods of observation and classroom
interaction in different classrooms ;
3. Allows the student -teachers to appreciate and gain insights regarding
school culture and the professional community in which they work;
4. Provides a context within which student -teachers are able to question,
reflect, and entertain uncertainty as they articulate and examine their own
understandings of teaching, and learning;
5. Enables student -teachers to demonstrate an increased understanding of
their developing self as a teacher.
3. Student-Teachers’ Responsibilities
There are three sets of responsibilities to be done by the student-teachers.
1. Student -teachers’ responsibilities in pre-practicum
The aims of this period are to:
deepen the quality of learning, in the form of critical thinking or
developing a questioning attitude.
enable the student-teacher to understand their own learning process.
facilitate learning from experience.
increase active involvement in learning and personal ownership of
learning.
increase the ability to reflect and improve the quality of learning.
enhance problem-solving skills.
enhance professional practice or the professional self in practice.
explore the self-personal constructs of meaning and one's view of the
world.
enhance the personal value of the self towards self-empowerment.
enhance creativity by making better use of intuitive understanding .
provide an alternative 'voice' for those not good at expressing
themselves.
foster reflective and creative interaction in a group.
2. Student teachers’ responsibilities during the practicum
Student-teachers are being welcomed into a school by the principal and
staff as associated members of the teaching profession and are expected
to take on the responsibilities assigned by the school principal and the
Associate Teacher.
The student- teacher is expected to take into account the following six
Guiding Principles:
• Knowledge
The student- teacher is expected to be well-grounded in student
development, the content areas that are central to teaching, and
assessment strategies.
• Learning Environment
The student - teacher is expected to create and nurture positive physical,
social, and academic learning environments.
• Personalized Learning
The student - teacher is expected to understand their pupils’ ability levels,
interests, and learning styles. The student teacher demonstrates
instruction that reflects the diversity among all learners.
• Community
The student- teacher is expected to understand and to be involved in the
academic learning community. The student teacher builds and develops
relationships within the school, corporation, and community.
• Reflection
The student-teacher is expected to reflect continuously on all aspects of
the teaching experience to identify ways for improvement as an
individual, as a part of the school community, and as part of the teaching
profession.
• Growth
The student- teacher is expected to develop a philosophy of teaching and
learning, which demonstrates continuous professional growth in values,
commitments, and professional judgments.
Guidelines for Professional Conduct during student teaching
The following are some general guidelines to be taken into account
during student teaching:
1. Know and follow school rules and procedures.
2. Read the school’s handbooks, and follow all rules and procedures
while in the school.
3. Be reliable and on time.
4. Dress professionally.
5. Maintain strict confidentiality.
6. Practice professional dispositions.
7. Maintain a professional relationship with students.
8. Accept direction and feedback gracefully.
9. Patience.
10. Organization.
11. Awareness of need.
12. Flexibility and imagination.
13. Variety and balance.
3. Student teachers’ responsibilities : post -practicum
Post-Practicum is the phase when student-teachers finish and return back
to their colleges or universities. During this phase the student-teachers’
responsibilities can be inferred as follow:
1. Identify areas of strength and areas of weakness.
2. Share on how their practicum experience helped to develop their
teaching competencies.
4. Habits of highly effective teachers: How to stay fresh in
the Classroom
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Act in the classroom , not re-act.
Every teacher needs a pause button.
Don’t create problems for yourself.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Teachers need a destination and a compass.
A Teacher’s Mission Statement-Why did you become a teacher?
The end should always be “what is best for the students under your
care?”
Planning ahead always makes things better.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Establish priorities in the classroom
Habit 4: Seek First to Understand.
Recognize your prejudices in the classroom and work to overcome
them.
Practice Empathic listening.
Give honest feedback to students.
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Habit 5: Synergize
Work together with coworkers, parents, students, and administrators.
Value and celebrate differences.
Involve people in the problem and work out the solution together.
Habit 6: Sharpen the Saw
Renew yourself: Physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually.
Nurture your relationship with students.
Always grow-be a better teacher tomorrow than you were today.
