soak it in

Disclaimer: In my student teaching experience, we called our cooperating/coordinating teachers our “mentor teachers.” Terms will be used interchangeably here.

So…the other side of the fence. Well, I haven’t been on that side just yet (how many sides to this fence are there? Student…student teacher….teacher….), but I have had three mentor teachers. Here’s how mentor teachers can make student teachers comfortable and successful in the classroom.

1. Give the student teacher an introduction. Plain and simple. You don’t even have to remember the student teacher’s name! I observed in a 5th grade classroom at the end of my student teaching experience, and I know the teacher didn’t remember my name (as I didn’t expect her to—I was just there for about 20 minutes). When one of the 5th graders raised his hand to ask who I was, she said, “Well, have you asked her who she is?” so the 5th grader got to interview me and then introduce me to the class. This teacher really turned the situation around to work really well. Any way you do it, don’t let the student teacher be a nameless, shady figure in the back of the classroom. After all, this person will be in charge of your students for a period of time. 

2. Give the student teacher some personal space. A desk, a table, a corner, whatever it may be (I understand space is limited sometimes—it may be necessary to get creative!) to feel like s/he has a home. How would you feel walking into a classroom every day to come to just your chair? You probably wouldn’t be a very good teacher without a desk or a work space. See what extra furniture is hiding out in your classroom or in other teachers’ classrooms. I can’t express how excited I was when I walked into my classroom, and I was told I would have my very own desk. It was like someone gave me a key to a brand new house! 

3. Let the student teacher peek into your life. I don’t mean you should share details about personal health issues or marital problems (awkward—trust me), but let the student teacher see how you plan. Let her see how you collect papers and keep them organized. You’ve probably spent a lot of time figuring out the right way things work for you—even down to keeping your pencils in the first drawer so that student don’t steal them—so share it! Think of how much easier the student teacher’s life will be knowing this. After all, there is a whole new realm of problems for student teachers now than there were even five years ago. Give him a bit of an edge—share some secrets :)

4. Give some kind of tour of the school. Even if this means giving the student teacher a paper map of the school, it is so helpful. I used the students’ bathroom for a good two weeks in my high school placement until someone told me where the faculty bathroom was. My mentor teacher didn’t show me the copy room, where I could eat lunch, or where the library was. These are all important places! You could give a mini-tour going down to the copy room—let the student teacher tag along. On the way to the copy room, point out important things—bathrooms, other teachers’ rooms, the office, the supply closet, etc. 

5. Introduce the student teacher to the neighboring teachers (at the very least). Everyone will be like family after a short time—may as well break the ice with an introduction. (And once the other teachers know your ST, you can ask for advice about how to work with a student teacher if you should encounter any difficulties. People who know your student teacher will be able to give much better advice than those who have never met the fellow.) I was thrilled when one of my mentor teachers introduced me to the office staff, the book keeper, the assistant principal, and the principal. It was all in one trip to the office—maybe a five to ten minute trip during planning time. (This also helps to alleviate the problem of the student teacher being mistaken for a student!)

6. Help the student teacher a bit with names. Depending on the age group, the student teacher may have anywhere from 20 to 170 names to learn. As if adjusting to a new sleep schedule, wearing real clothes, and doing SO MUCH work wasn’t enough, learning names is another burden. I found it helpful to listen to my co-op say the students’ names. Sometimes my teacher would tell me how she remembered the names (“These three are the three musketeers…” “This is our resident artist…”). Little facts help when there are so many names to learn. I have heard some suggestions to look at yearbooks (make flashcards from photocopying pictures) to memorize names, which is helpful if you have the time.

With these six small steps, a student teacher can really feel welcomed and comfortable in the classroom. Best of luck to both student teachers and co-ops for the next year!