A Guide for Mentor Teachers, Supervisors, and Liaisons

Looking after a Candidate

Introduction

Assessments

Calendar of Events

Care and Feeding

Handbooks

Honorarium

Mentoring

Effective Mentoring

Stages of Student Teaching

Supervisors

Contact Information

 

  
Teaching practice can be a "make or break time" for potential teachers. They are the future members of the profession and so merit special attention. Their future careers are, to a great extent, in your hands. You have the professional responsibility of making their first steps in the profession a positive experience. Remember your own teaching practice and the blood, sweat, toil and tears of those days. Teaching practice is an exhausting and stressful time. You may well have been appraised, or an appraiser, in the last couple of years and it is important to remember how both of those experiences felt in dealing with an student teacher. Candidates cannot be expected to match an experienced teacher in ability, classroom management or knowledge - so make sure your expectations are realistic. Potential must be nurtured, encouraged and given time.

Try to:

  • Meet the candidate well in advance of the teaching practice.
  • Clarify what classes and themes the candidate will teach - avoid the temptation to give them the "horrors" on Friday afternoon!
  • Make sure the candidate has sufficient opportunity to reflect on their practice each day.
  • As much as possible give the candidates "opportunities to succeed" by matching the themes with the candidates' strengths.
  • Make sure that you provide existing worksheets for the student- allow the candidate to change or develop the work but do not expect them to provide the original work - but do give them some planning opportunities.
  • Closely monitor the candidate's lesson preparation and mark-books - arrange to meet formally with the candidate once a week to discuss the week's work.
  • Achieve a balance of praise and critique in your feedback.
  • Recognize and encourage improvement during the teaching practice.
  • Let the candidate offer comments and encourage self analysis and evaluation.
  • Do not assume that your way of teaching is the best! Arrange for the candidate to observe a range of styles, with different teachers, and if possible a range of subjects being taught.
  • Find something to praise, even if it's difficult!
  • Set achievable goals.
  • When being critical be concise and specific, when giving praise be generous and genuine.