Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1991

Thesis Director

Larry Janes

Abstract

The purpose of this field experience was to identify how the student teaching experience could be improved based upon recommendations by cooperating teachers, first year teachers and student teachers who completed a questionnaire. Each group was asked its opinions of the current status of the student teaching experience and how the process could be improved.

Cooperating teachers provided information relative to the special types of activities they conducted to better prepare student teachers for the profession. Current student teachers were asked to determine the teaching skills with which they needed the most assistance. First year teachers provided information that compared the student teaching experience to the reality of the first year on the job and what teaching skills needed to insure educational survival in the first year of teaching.

This survey was conducted in conjunction with the Office of Clinical Experiences at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois under the direction of Dr. Francis Summers. Findings from this study include (a) feelings by all groups that a semester of student teaching was ample time to effectively conduct the experience, (b) a listing of possible activities that could be used to effectively orient the student teacher to teaching profession, (c) while the working relationships between student and cooperating teachers were good, stress factors revolved around the student teachers' inability to effectively discipline the classes, (d) the video camera is an effective but little utilized tool for self-evaluation during student teaching, (e) feedback from cooperating teachers to student teachers has been continuous, productive and positive, (f) teacher preparatory college classes are preparing students for the teaching profession except for the subject of disciplining students and (g) the role of the university coordinator includes the functions of an evaluator and counselor for the student teacher along with being a liaison/administrator for the teacher education program and periodically a trouble shooter when problems arise between the student and cooperating teacher.

Major recommendations were (a) for colleges of education in universities across the nation to devote at least one methods class to prepare student teachers for the rigors of disciplining students and (b) that the position of university coordinator must include the role of identifying and weeding out cooperating teachers who do not provide a high quality student teaching experience.

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