Teacher Education Program: Student Teaching Handbook

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Table of contents
Introduction to the Student Teaching Handbook
Teacher Education Program: Conceptual Framework
NYIT Policies and Procedures for Assessment of Candidate Dispositions
Student Teaching Handbook: Appendices
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Introduction to the Student Teaching Handbook

To the Student Teacher

Congratulations on being accepted to the student teaching semester! Student teaching is the most rewarding part and culminating semester for the entire program. We are very proud that you have achieved this important learning goal to become teachers.

Student teaching is a teaching and learning process. You will immerse in the daily activities and culture of your school and its community. You grow and learn together with your students. You will teach in the real classroom and work with school's curriculum to incorporate educational research, theory, and practice you've learned throughout the program.

Good preparation to be an effective teacher in the 21st century classroom is essential to developing the knowledge, skills, technology and dispositions.

An effective student teaching experience requires the cooperation of the student teacher, cooperating teacher, school administrators, and university supervisor. Under the supervision of this collaborative team, the student teacher accepts increasing independence and responsibility as a beginning teacher. Probably at no other time will the student teacher have available the combined resources of the personnel of the school building and district and New York Institute of Technology. Engaging these resources will help the student teacher to grow professionally.

In order for schools to succeed, teachers, students, and families must build a learning community rooted in the authentic practice of education for all. Good luck with your student teaching and enjoy a wonderful semester of teaching in the real classroom.

Sincerely,

Kristen Schaefer
Director of Field Placement and Certification
kschae04@nyit.edu
516.686.1286

Statement of Commitment

New York Institute of Technology is committed to the development and nurturing of a culturally diverse global community. The philosophy is grounded in the belief that cultural awareness and sensitivity stimulates creativity, promotes exchange of ideas, and enriches life.

New York Institute of Technology is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. The University also accepts the responsibility of providing support of a continuous improvement model that is evidence-based, and that evaluates the effectiveness of its completers.

Entry to the professional semester of student teaching includes, review of the Student Teaching Application committee and final approval from the Chair, as well as an application received on the NYIT published due dates (October 1 for spring and March 1 for fall). The essay in the application packet will serve as qualitative evidence of a candidate's dispositions. This is referred to as Gateway 2 and will show the developmental growth of the candidate from their first semester in EDPC 603, to their self-rating in the Exit Survey.

Nondiscrimination Statement

It is the policy of New York Institute of Technology that all persons are to be viewed, evaluated and treated, in any college-related activity or circumstance in which they may be involved, solely as individuals on the basis of their personal abilities, qualifications, and other characteristics relevant to the situation.

No qualified person will be denied admission or employment, nor will any student be subjected to discriminatory treatment or be excluded from participation in any educational program or activity on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, handicap, or status as a disabled person.

Questions and concerns regarding College policy and practice or protection afforded individuals against discrimination should be directed to:

Office of General Counsel
New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury, New York 11568

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Teacher Education Program: Conceptual Framework

Professional Semester Experience

New York Institute of Technology's Student Teaching Handbook was developed for the purpose of informing teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, school administrators, university supervisors and professors of the policies and procedures of the Teacher Education department. When expectations, policies and procedures are made clear, all those involved with the Clinical Practice (Supervised Student Teaching) are able to perform to a higher standard of accomplishment and to excel in demonstrating knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed in teaching.

We believe it is essential to outline the conceptual framework of the Department of Teacher Education and the Mission Statement for Field Experiences and Clinical Practices. The conceptual framework is a statement of core values that shape policy and practice in the education unit of NYIT.

Diversity: Our commitment to diversity is evident in all we do. Our candidates learn to recognize the individual needs of diverse P–12 student populations and to create and customize educational experiences necessary for success in the 21st century global environment.

Technology: Our commitment to technology integration is woven seamlessly through our beliefs and actions. Technology is an integral part of our curriculum, pedagogy and delivery systems. Our candidates learn to make meaningful connections between technologies and their applications for all learners.

Field Relations: Our commitment to collaboration with schools, agencies, community organizations, businesses, and policymakers enriches our programs, our candidates, our partners, and the educational community.

The Student Teaching Experience

With a strong committed to the development and nurturing of a culturally diverse global community, our mission is to prepare teachers who understand the nature of schooling, are able to recognize and address deficit views of children, and possess the skills, knowledge and dispositions to advocate for all students.

However, learning to teach is much more than a technical process of acquiring strategies and techniques. Instead, teaching to meet the complex needs presented by a diverse student population demands the ability to ask critical questions, to innovate practice by learning from children and listening to them, and to operate from a perspective regarded by capacity and possibility, not limitations and low expectations.

As such, student teaching takes place in a wide variety of classroom settings located in an equally wide variety of schools including comprehensive public schools, alternative schools, schools within a school, theme or specialty schools, independent schools, urban and suburban schools and schools that are both large and small. Each student can expect to complete a minimum of two student teaching placements, each in a different grade level according to the requirements of the specific teaching certificate for which she or he is preparing. For example, if a student is working toward initial certification in childhood education—grades 1–6, one student teaching experience must be in grades 1–3, the other in grades 4–6.

During the student teaching experience, pre-service teachers are guided and instructed by two key individuals—the cooperating teacher, and the university supervisor. While both work collaboratively to support the growth and development of the student teacher, each assumes a very specific role.

Cooperating teachers serve as mentors, models and instructors to student teachers. By welcoming a novice into their classroom, they demonstrate their willingness to guide student teachers in planning and implementing curriculum, afford them many opportunities to develop their personal teaching style and full potential, encourage questions as well as open discussion and dialogue, monitor and assess the many aspects of each student teacher's growth, and challenge, re-direct, question and explain according to the needs of the pre-service student.

Field supervisors are resources for the student teacher as well as the cooperating teacher, and serve as liaisons between the college and the field. Supervisors act as critical friends by observing student teachers' work in classrooms with children/adolescents several times each semester, and providing feedback and suggestions to student teachers to help them improve, analyze or re-think their practice. In addition to providing oral and written feedback on lesson plans and their application, supervisors offer experienced and objective perspectives on overall classroom effectiveness, including classroom management, student response and the student teacher's presence and instruction in the classroom. In addition, supervisors work in collaboration with student teachers to identify specific areas of challenge or interest. In this way, student teachers are able to participate in their own learning and make decisions about particular goals they wish to address.

Teacher candidates, who have been fingerprinted during their observational fieldwork, are placed in cooperating schools by the Director of Field Placement and Certification. The teacher candidate's activities, responsibilities, and performance are assessed based on criteria used for evaluation which have been defined and agreed upon in advance by the Dean and the Chairperson of the teacher education division, and the school district personnel. The teacher candidate is under the close supervision of the cooperating school during the entire period of the clinical practice. University supervisors collaborating with the cooperating school professionals provide assurance that the teacher candidate experiences awareness and growth in knowledge, skills, and dispositions consistent with program objectives.

The clinical practice experience of 15 weeks provides teacher candidates with opportunities to relate actual classroom instructional experiences with learned theory: Theory into practice. The content, activities and assignments in the education coursework coordinate with clinical practice.

The underlying philosophy of the Department of Teacher Education is to guide discovery learning, to provide creative problem solving experience and to encourage reflective thinking considering the interaction among learner characteristics, content knowledge, and pedagogical skills.

Coursework incorporates recent evidence-based research regarding the content field, pedagogical knowledge, and classroom diversity. Clinical experience is designed to provide teacher candidates with the opportunity to learn the principles of exemplary practice in classroom settings by developing a range of effective teaching strategies in collaboration with master cooperating teachers, as well as preparation for licensure and certification exams.

Teacher candidates are oriented prior to field experiences and clinical practice regarding confidentiality of student records. Consent forms for videotaping will be given to all student teachers to distribute to their students after permission from the district office is official.

Roles and Responsibilities for Student Teaching

The New York Institute of Technology Teacher Education Program has established relationships with schools to help support your professional growth. Based on this professional relationship, the school principal and teachers accept you into their classrooms. Remember you are a guest. Positive relations must be maintained with teachers, school personnel, students and their parents. In order to continue offering candidates quality experiences, it is imperative that you follow several guidelines. If you fail to adhere to any guidelines, the NYIT Teacher Education Department in collaboration with the school, reserves the right to terminate your student teaching experience. The case will be forwarded to the chair of the NYIT Teacher Education Department.

Punctuality and Attendance

Student teachers are required to arrive at the school punctually and stay at the school for the required time. Student teachers should arrive at the school at least 15 minutes before the beginning of their first period. You are expected to follow the schedule of your cooperating teacher, including extended hours. In case of an unavoidable absence or lateness, the school, your cooperating teacher, and the university supervisor must be notified. Any missed time must be made up at the end of the semester. Student teachers may wish to exchange home phone numbers with their cooperating teachers to notify them in a timely manner of any absence or lateness.

Dress Code

You are a professional in a professional setting. Remember that when you enter the classroom, you become a part of the learning environment. Appropriate dress and good grooming are essential. If the school follows a dress code, be respectful of it. If you are unsure what is appropriate, dress up for your first visit and then follow the cooperating teacher's advice.

Professional Conduct and Attitude

Proceed with student teaching an efficiently and with as little disruption to the class as possible. Remain objective during your experience. Generally speaking, negative criticism is unwarranted and should not be offered. Any concerns you may have regarding you placement or relationship with the cooperating teacher should be discussed with your university supervisor and the Director of Field Placement and Certification in a confidential setting. It will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Do not wait until the end of the semester to correct a lingering problem or misunderstanding. Avoid confrontations. The NYIT Teacher Education Department is your advocate and will support you. Become familiar with school rules. Be alert to standards set by the cooperating teacher. Display a highly professional attitude with respect to confidential information about children and parents and with respect to relationships and practices with colleagues and schools.

Your disposition, as well as your physical appearance, indicates your level of seriousness in the field. Having joined a professional community, it is also expected that you will speak and write in ways that are acceptable to this professional community.

Professional Relationships

Be a responsive person, who is genuinely interested in the teacher and the students, yet maintains enough emotional distance to be seen as a professional. It is expected that you will help in whatever is needed for classroom functioning or the school community. It is expected that you will attend faculty and parent meetings and professional development opportunities whenever possible. You may document classroom activities for methods course, seminars or your portfolio. It is appropriate to share this information with the cooperating teacher. It is also expected that you will ask questions about the school, children and the teacher's practice. The way in which you ask questions is critical. Do not give the impression of criticism or disapproval.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

The clinical practice experience (supervised student teaching) should be the most satisfying phase of your preparation for teaching. The opportunity to work directly with students in the classroom will provide laboratory experience with many characteristics similar to that of your own future classroom. Although you have had opportunities to observe, participate, and perhaps teach in a classroom, full time student teaching carries many additional responsibilities.

New York Institute of Technology is dedicated to preparing its students to meet the challenges of the classroom with a varied program of professional and academic studies infused with technology. It is impossible, however, to substitute course work for the actual experience of working with students. There will be periods of frustration and normal cycles of "lows" and "highs" during student teaching. How much is gained through this experience is largely up to the student teacher. The university supervisor and the cooperating teacher, as well as the chair of the Teacher Education Department and the director of Field Placement and Certification, stand ready to assist with any problem affecting the student teacher. This cooperative approach is intended to make available the best possible teaching experience for all students.

Each student teacher should approach student teaching with a sincere desire to learn as much as possible about children and youth, the teaching profession, the teaching process, the school curriculum, and the culture of the community. To help "set the stage" for this meaningful experience, this handbook is dedicated to you, the student teacher.

Each student teacher should be aware of the protocol of their building regarding the hours of attendance, the professional dress code, and any other policies as described in their school handbook.

Student teaching is a full-time educational experience and as the culminating one, it is important that the student teacher understand his/her commitment to their 15-week internship.

Student teaching is comprised of two related but separate processes:

However, it is important to bear in mind that the 20-day requirement is merely a minimum; the amount of time each student teacher spends in each placement typically exceeds this minimum according to the requirements outlined by the program in which she or he is enrolled. As stated earlier, these placements should be in the appropriate subject area and grade level(s). For example, if students are completing a NYS-approved certification program covering ALL GRADES, they should have at least one placement in grades K–6, and one in grades 7–12, in the appropriate subject area.

Each student teacher is assigned a field supervisor. This is typically an experienced teacher who is selected by the college to provide support, guidance, and feedback to the student teacher over the course of the student teaching term. Supervisors visit and observe student teachers in their classrooms several times during the placement period. The number of observations required are four (4) observations per student teaching experience.

Supervisors will want to observe student teachers working with children/students in a variety of grouping configurations, subject areas and at different times of the day and week. Supervisors also meet with student teachers prior to each observation so lesson plans and instructional decisions can be reviewed and discussed, and they document and discuss their observations with the student teacher after each classroom visit as part of the feedback and assessment process.

The student teaching experience is the only time in a teacher's career when she or he works alongside a veteran teacher, receives constant guidance and feedback, and has the luxury to make mistakes/fail/falter/experiment/take risks without irreparable consequences for children/learners given the close support of a mentor.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

The expectations below represent general expectations across the NYIT Teacher Education Department. As the opportunity for incorporating and applying knowledge, skills and dispositions acquired through your program, student teaching should enable you to:

Satisfactory Completion of Requirements

You are expected to complete all academic program and college requirements in a satisfactory and professional manner. Students who do not satisfactorily meet all program and college expectations and standards cannot be recommended for certification. While teaching is not for everyone and candidates may decide during their program or student teaching experience to consider different career options, the overwhelming majority of student teachers at the NYIT Teacher Education Department successfully completes their program and achieves certification. We have every confidence in your ability to become a thoughtful, skillful and caring educator, and faculty and supervisors alike will strive to give you the support you need to meet the highest standards.

Attendance Policy and Guidelines

The NYIT professional semester requires that student teachers remain at assigned schools for the full school day, five days per week for 15 weeks. They are required to follow their cooperating school's calendar. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the NYIT Teacher Education Department. Our absence policy is based on the normal teacher contract rules. In the event of absence, the student teacher is required to contact the cooperating school in keeping with standard procedures for that building. Additionally, the student teacher must contact the Director of Field Placement and Certification at the University. Such absence will be recorded in the daily log and monitored by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor.

The NYIT Teacher Education Department stresses the importance of a full internship experience and recommends that the student teacher be exposed to all aspects of the cooperating teacher's semester. The determination for an end date of placement will be made by the university supervisor, the education chairperson, and the cooperating school. Determination of the end date will include consideration of classroom testing, student grading, graduation, and so on. All student teachers have been informed that they are to complete their cooperating school's semester, if feasible.

Record Keeping Policy and Guidelines

Each student teacher must maintain a daily summary of activities. The summaries will be reviewed by the university supervisor and shared at a weekly seminar. The detail, quality, and comprehensiveness of the student summary will be a factor in evaluation of the student teacher performance at the semester's conclusion.

STANDARD GUIDELINES

The NYIT Teacher Education Program is committed to its vision of excellence in educator preparation—for both initial and professional licensure programs that have an impact on P–12 learners. Our program is fully grounded on preparing effective teachers for the 21st Century classrooms. Two governing backbones that reflect the voice of the education field on what makes a quality teacher are the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards and the InTASC Standards which articulate the content and pedagogical knowledge expected of teacher candidates.

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards

Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge
Standard 2: Clinical Partnerships and Practice
Standard 3: Candidate Quality, Recruitment, and Selectivity
Standard 4: Program Impact
Standard 5: Provider Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC)

Standard #1: Learner Development

The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Standard #2: Learning Differences

The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Standard #3: Learning Environments

The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Standard #4: Content Knowledge

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

Standard #5: Application of Content

The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Standard #6: Assessment

The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher's and learner's decision making.

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction

The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

Standard #8: Instructional Strategies

The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration

The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning and development, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

PREPARING FOR STUDENT TEACHING

Our teacher education faculty views the student teaching professional semester experience as an important component in the overall sequence of teacher candidate activities to ensure that all candidates develop a deep understanding of the critical concepts and principles of their discipline. We have developed a series of checkpoints such as Gateways to assist the teacher candidate and the teacher education faculty in assessing the normative performance of each individual.

We believe that the teacher candidate's development and growth is a continuous process during their coursework, the field experience, and the student teaching semester. At the completion of these experiences, candidates are able to use evidence-based data to inform their decision making, thereby advancing students in their classrooms toward college and career-readiness standards.

We believe that each individual student teacher moves through transition phases or stages and assumes responsibilities, deepens his/her ability in classroom instruction, and assumes the role as the major facilitator of their classroom These steps are suggestions:

To assist the student teacher in preparing for his Professional Semester Experience NYIT Teacher Education Department has designed templates to include, planned instructional strategies, and developed assessment activities that are aligned with our institutional mission, our school mission, our conceptual framework, as well as Common Core, CAEP and INTASC standards.

Toward the end of the placement, the cooperating teacher will be asked to submit a summative evaluation of the student teacher's performance. The cooperating teacher's knowledge and guidance are essential to the student teachers' professional development; additionally, his or her impressions constitute a meaningful factor in the student teacher's assessment.

It is the policy of our Teacher Education Department to work cooperatively and in partnership with the school district and building personnel at all times. Consistent with this policy, we require student teachers to be under direct supervision of certified personnel at all times. Occasionally a situation may arise wherein the cooperating teacher may be absent for a day or for several days. We encourage the student teacher to assist in providing continuity to instruction at these times, by accepting responsibility as the cooperating teacher determines to be appropriate, and to instruct classes under supervision of a district-approved substitute teacher.

PREPARING FOR NYS CERTIFICATION

The goals you have been working toward are finally within your reach—graduation and teacher certification. Congratulations! Below are some steps you can take to ensure that you have all you need in place for the certification process to go smoothly. In addition, we have included a certification checklist below, as well as more detailed information about various certification types and regulations.

Candidates seeking to work in New York State must obtain certification in their specific teaching area as required by the New York State Education Department. Upon successful completion of the program, the NYIT Teacher Education Department will recommend the candidate for certification.

In order for you to receive Initial/Professional Certification from New York State, you MUST meet the following requirements:

Graduation and certification are related but separate processes, each of which requires a specific application. View the timeline (below) for more detailed information.

Are you ready for Graduation?

  1. Discuss with your NYIT Advisor your eligibility of graduation
  2. If you are ready, then:
    • Apply for graduation via your NYIT Connect account by set NYIT deadlines
    • Submit your Institution Recommendation Release Form (IRRF).

More detailed information will be sent out to students during the course of their student teaching semester both on the procedures for NYIT graduation as well as the procedures for filing for certification with NYSED.

CERTIFICATION EXAMS AND EdTPA

The table below identifies the new exams:

New York State Certification Exams Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)
Educating All Students Test (EAS)
Revised Content Specialty Test (CST)

View sample test questions and frameworks from NYSTCE, or view a dedicated test prep website for all NYIT students.

You will need to log in with your NYIT user name and password to access the content on this site.

edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment)

Authored and developed by a team of Stanford University researchers, with substantive advice from teachers and teacher educators, edTPA is designed to be used as a portfolio-based assessment for pre-service teacher candidates. Aligned with the Common Core and InTASC Standards, the edTPA assesses high leverage teaching behaviors that focus on student learning. The edTPA is intended as a multiple measure system to assess teacher quality.

The edTPA, identifies and collects subject-specific evidence of effective teaching that is drawn from a learning segment—three–five lessons from a unit of instruction for one class of students. Teacher candidates submit authentic artifacts from their actual teaching during a clinical field experience. Candidates also submit commentaries that provide a rationale to support their instructional practices based on student learning strengths and needs.

Candidates' evidence is evaluated and scored on multiple measures within five dimensions of teaching (Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE), June 2012):

  1. Planning Instruction and Assessment establishes the instructional and social context for student learning and includes lesson plans, instructional materials, student assignments/assessments, as well as a planning commentary that justifies the plans based on the candidate's knowledge of diverse students' learning strengths and needs. Candidates demonstrate how their plans are aligned with content standards (e.g. Common Core), build upon students' prior learning and development to deepen subject matter knowledge, and how instruction is differentiated to address varied student needs.
  2. Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning includes one or two unedited video clips of 15–20 minutes from lessons taught in the learning segment, and an instruction commentary analyzing how the candidate engages students in learning tasks and activities. Candidates also demonstrate how they elicit and monitor student responses to develop deep subject matter understandings.
  3. Assessing Student Learning includes classroom based assessment (evaluation criteria), student work samples, evidence of teacher feedback, and a commentary analyzing patterns of student learning. Candidates summarize the performance of the whole class, analyze the specific strengths and needs of two focus students, explain how their feedback guides student learning, and how the assessment results inform teaching next steps for individuals and groups with varied learning needs.
  4. Analysis of Teaching Effectiveness includes a commentary explaining which aspects of the learning segment were effective (for whom and why), and what the candidate would change across the lessons to improve student learning.
  5. Academic Language Development is evaluated based on the candidate's ability to support students' use of language (subject specific vocabulary and processing and production of oral/written texts) to deepen subject matter understandings. Candidates explain how students demonstrate academic language using student work samples or video recordings of student engagement.

Separate edTPA handbooks will be distributed once they are available. Please refer to the edTPA Handbook in your intended certification area (Early Childhood, Childhood, MAT English, MAT Social Studies, etc) and follow the guidelines as they are outlined there.

ASSESSING STUDENT TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

Your field experience will encompass six areas: orientation, observation, induction to teaching, planning, teaching, and evaluation/conferring.

I. Orientation—The Teacher Candidate's First Days

At the beginning of the clinical experience you will become acquainted with the school, the students, your cooperating teacher and other school personnel. Your effectiveness will be enhanced by your involvement. Meet with the cooperating teacher before you start the clinical experience to become acquainted with the school and relieve some anxiety you have for the first day.

  1. Set up a meeting with your cooperating teacher and your university supervisor during which the university supervisor will orient both you and your cooperating teacher regarding NYIT expectations.
  2. Become familiar with the school regulations. As a "co-teacher" in the system, you will be enforcing student regulations and observing teacher regulations just as a teacher under contract would.
  3. Tour the school building to become familiar with its layout.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the entire scope of your cooperating teacher's responsibilities.
  5. Introduce yourself to the personnel in the school.
  6. Become familiar with materials, equipment and aids available for your use, and learn the procedure for requisitioning those materials.
  7. Know what to do in case of emergencies. Follow the district/school policy on who to call, how to report, and what not to do.
  8. Be familiar with fire drill procedures for each room in which you teach. If you are teaching in a special area such as physical education, family and consumer science, technology, or chemistry, note any special precautions.
  9. Acquaint yourself with classroom routines used by your cooperating teacher. Note procedures used for such activities as taking attendance, distributing supplies, collecting papers, sharpening pencils, leaving the room, going to the library and dismissing the class. Observe how announcements are relayed from the office.
  10. Obtain a schedule for required meetings—faculty, curriculum groups and school-wide gatherings; and attend these meetings.
  11. Sit down with the cooperating teacher and work out a long-range curriculum showing the content to be covered, the areas for which you will be responsible, materials needed, etc. Consider the content and timeframe for the implementation of your TWS lesson sequence.
  12. Become sensitive to the values and expectations of the community and school in which you work.
  13. Be aware that a successful relationship between the teacher candidate and the cooperating teacher requires effort from both individuals. Some considerations are listed below:
    • Remember that the cooperating teacher is legally responsible for the class and for the students.
    • Be certain, at all times, to deal with your cooperating teacher in a flexible and courteous manner.
    • Check with your cooperating teacher before trying a new method or approach with the students.
    • Take the initiative in your relationship with your cooperating teacher. When you have questions or concerns don't wait passively, expecting your cooperating teacher to diagnose your needs.
    • Have all lesson plans prepared 48 hours ahead and checked by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Maintain a notebook for your lesson plans for the university supervisor.
    • Consult your cooperating teacher when you have concerns in your clinical experience, and if concerns remain an issue, contact your university supervisor.
    • Accept constructive criticism in a spirit of growth since your cooperating teacher is helping you develop as a teacher.
  14. Model professional behavior. Some aspects to remember are listed below:
    • Become familiar with the teaching profession code of ethics.
    • Participate in professional organizations and keep current by reading professional literature.
    • Know the legal responsibility of teachers.
    • Keep all information about students confidential.
    • Be well groomed and dress as a professional teacher. You don't get a second chance to make your first impression.
    • Be cautious about physical contact with students and remember that what may be appropriate depends on age, culture and gender.
    • Manifest genuine pride in the teaching profession; consider yourself a member of the profession.
    • Do not hold conferences behind closed doors or in secluded places because in case of accusation of misconduct, it will be your word against the student's.
    • Remember, as a teacher you are a representative of a pluralistic society; never expound upon your religious or political views.
    • Model appropriate use of the English language.
    • Review the expectations and procedures for dealing with suspected child abuse or neglect.
  15. Fulfill the requirements of the student teaching semester.
    • Complete 15 weeks of teaching and professional in-service days.
    • Notify both the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor if you will miss school.
    • If you are absent due to illness for more than two days during the semester, those days must be made up.
    • Fulfill your commitment to your clinical experience and the school. Do not request time off to attend other functions, e.g., weddings, travel, etc.
  16. Know where your cooperating teacher's sub plans are and know how to use them.

II. Observation

Your initial orientation period will be followed by a time of observation in your placement classroom. This important phase of your clinical experience is designed for you to become acquainted with classroom procedures and materials. Your observations of other teachers and classrooms should be systematically and continually planned and are usually done near the end of your student teaching experience. After you have collected factual information on the observations, take time to analyze and evaluate the data you have collected and write about it in your journal. Be prepared to discuss this with your university supervisor.

During this time, observe a wide variety of situations:

  1. Observe other teachers
  2. Observe other subject areas and/or grade levels. Your building principal and cooperating teacher can assist you in planning observations
  3. Interview both professional staff (counselors and librarians) and classified staff (school secretary or clerk and custodians)
  4. Interview a building level administrator

III. Induction to Teaching

From the first day of your student teaching, work with your cooperating teacher in structuring activities that will prepare you for full-time teaching responsibilities.

IV. Planning

Effective lessons in a classroom don't just happen; they are carefully planned. No adequate substitute exists for thorough planning. Thorough planning will help you to:

1. Teacher Work Sample (TWS): Instructional Sequence

A unit/instructional sequence is a plan for sequential, related learning experiences and provides an overview for teaching. Please submit TWS lesson plans to the cooperating teacher before teaching the sequence for approval. After instruction, submit revised lesson plans to the cooperating teacher for a final assessment.

2. Daily Lesson Plan

At the beginning of your experience, for all TWS lessons, and for all observed lessons, we ask that you create a detailed lesson plan. Later in the clinical experience, a modified format can be worked out with the cooperating teacher that will be less time consuming, yet focus on the important areas that you need to emphasize in your planning and implementation.

When writing plans, think primarily about what will happen to the students in the course of an activity or class period and what learning behavior you expect. The ultimate effectiveness of your lesson plan will be evident in the students' response during and after the presentation.

V. Teaching

Now that you have nearly completed your pre-service training, you are expected to have mastered the subjects you will teach and should be able to use a variety of teaching methods. You are also expected to provide a good learning atmosphere with effective classroom management. In order to establish effective management procedures, consult with your cooperating teacher.

  1. Classroom management and good discipline are less likely to deteriorate if you follow the suggestions below:
    • Model your expectations for behavior.
    • Provide quality instruction so that students are successful and challenged at their learning level.
    • Remember, telling is not teaching, so avoid over-reliance on the lecture method because it is easy to lose students' attention if they seldom get to participate. Instead, develop quality questioning skills to involve students in discussion.
    • Be consistent and impartial in the enforcement of standards of behavior.
    • Never use sarcasm; rather foster a culture of respect and rapport.
    • Examine your reinforcement techniques carefully if the same behavior problems persist with the same student.
    • Make no demands you cannot enforce.
    • Remember that any discipline measures you use should conform to the policies of the school and the instructions of your cooperating teacher.
  2. A positive classroom climate provides a good learning atmosphere and can be encouraged in the following ways:
    • Show high regard for each student and model enthusiasm for each area of the curriculum that you teach.
    • Be sympathetic and supportive toward all students.
    • Consider yourself a co-teacher and actively assume responsibility for the class. Take initiative! Do something constructive without being told. Consult your cooperating teacher first, and if approved, take action. Avoid having to be told everything you are to do.
    • Recognize that each student is an individual and take into consideration individual abilities, interests and capacities for learning.
    • Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Work to improve communications. Use professional language at all times. Avoid trite and slang expressions.
    • Use your time efficiently. Plan your day; organize everything you are to do. Plan for success!
    • Be well groomed and professionally dressed at all times.
    • Be prompt or early. Avoid absences. Notify your cooperating teacher if you will be late or absent for any reason. Do not simply leave a message; if necessary call the office and talk with someone to assure that your cooperating teacher receives your message. Let your university supervisor know of any absences.

VI. Evaluation and Conferring

A. Self-Evaluation
  1. As an effective teacher, you should continually reflect back on your performance, assessing your teaching plans and your teaching behaviors. After each lesson you should assess yourself in writing (journal) and with notes written on your lesson plan (See TWS guide). Follow your assessment by a conference with your cooperating teacher and university supervisor. (Three-Way Conference).
  2. A valuable source of feedback is the students in your classroom. Obtain information about your teaching by using a student survey or "exit slips."
  3. Video recording your own teaching can be an excellent source of assessment. Use some of the systematic observation instruments to assess your performance; do not simply watch it on a judgmental level. You need to focus on specific behaviors so you can identify your real strengths and weaknesses. NYIT suggests that you make at least six videos of your teaching—one early in the experience (suggested), two from your TWS sequence (required), and three late in the experience (suggested). Comparing these makes excellent reflective material for Section Four of your TWS and submission to the edTPA requirement.
B. Conferring with the Cooperating Teacher for Evaluation

Your cooperating teacher is encouraged to assume a collegial/coaching mode in relation to evaluation and conferring. Expect your cooperating teacher to:

  1. Provide feedback on a daily (informal) basis, especially during the early part of the experience
  2. Arrange a formal conference at least once a week with feedback
  3. Evaluate you using the summative evaluation of the student teacher's performance
C. Conferring with the University Supervisor

Your university supervisor is encouraged to be both a counselor and a supervisor. Contact your university supervisor as soon as you receive the contact information, and schedule an initial meeting for the university supervisor to orient you and your cooperating teacher.

EVALUATION INSTRUMENT

The NYIT Teacher Education faculty have carefully considered and planned the assessment process for evaluating student teacher performance. The process includes, but is not limited to, the following activities.

  1. Informal classroom visits by the university supervisor, sometimes at the request of the cooperating teacher, but always with the purpose of verifying the nature and quality of the student teacher's experience and performance.
  2. Formal classroom observations by the university supervisor, that include a pre observation conference, post observation conference and a written lesson observation report.
  3. Completion of both four Formative and one Summative Evaluation Statements by the College Supervisor, and a separate Summative Evaluation Statement by the Cooperating Teacher.
  4. Completion of Teacher Work Sample (TWS): keystone assignment to be given to seminar instructor on assigned due date and uploaded onto TaskStream.
  5. Completion of ed/TPA Tasks as posted on Blackboard and GoReact.

The Teacher Work Sample (TWS) is a document which will demonstrate your ability to plan, to deliver and to assess a standards-based instructional sequence that facilitates the learning of P–12 students. In order to understand the expectations of this TWS, you are asked to read the entire document/guide before deciding how to approach each of the required tasks. Creating an instructional sequence is not a linear task; and, thus, you will be moving between each of the sections in order to keep reviewing and revising the material which needs to be taught and documented.

This assignment is an important part of your final teaching experience, but it is only an assignment. The time you spend in the classroom teaching is the most important part of this clinical experience. This TWS is an instrument to document how well you understand standards based, aligned instruction; differentiation; and assessment-informed instruction.

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NYIT Policies and Procedures for Assessment of Candidate Dispositions

Download the Candidate Disposition Form

NYIT Teacher Education Candidates must attain the necessary content area knowledge above and beyond that which they are expected to impart to their students. They must also have the knowledge and skills to apply effective pedagogical practices to students who are at different developmental stages, have different learning styles, and come from diverse backgrounds. In addition, they must have the attitudes, values, and dispositions to use the knowledge and skills effectively so that both the students and the candidate learn throughout the process. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) recommends that candidates demonstrate an understanding of the 10 InTASC standards in the following categories: the learners and learning, content, instructional practices, and professional responsibility. The School of Education has adopted the InTASC standards as key dispositions and behaviors essential for all candidates to demonstrate across their programs of study.

In New York State, the Code of Ethics is a public statement by educators that sets clear expectations and principles to guide practice and inspire professional excellence. Educators believe a commonly held set of principles can assist in the individual exercise of professional judgment. This Code speaks to the core values of the profession. "Educator" as used throughout means all educators serving New York schools in positions requiring a certificate, including classroom teachers, school leaders and pupil personnel service providers. The following are the principles: 1) Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and civic potential of each student, 2) Educators create, support, and maintain challenging learning environments for all, 3) Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice, 4) Educators collaborate with colleagues and other professionals in the interest of student learning, 5) Educators collaborate with parents and community, building trust and respecting confidentiality, and, 6) Educators advance the intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning community. Our program uses these principles as guiding documents as we develop our system.

Dispositions should lead to actions and patterns of professional conduct. Teachers and counselors should be role models who model positive behaviors for their students. Our dispositions reflect concepts outlined by InTASC, the New York State Code of Ethics for Educators, American School Counselor Association Ethical Standards, Danielson, and the conceptual framework of the unit; Diversity, Technology and Field Relations. The following dispositions briefly described below have been adapted from Danielson Framework for Teaching (2013).

Assessing Dispositions

Since dispositions include an element of both beliefs and actions, the assessments are designed to measure candidates' dispositions through a combination of self-assessment, instructor and chair's evaluation, as well as direct observations of their field-based work in school classrooms by the site/university supervisors/cooperating teachers. The NYIT dispositions policies include procedures for conferences and, in some cases, removing students from the program who display dispositions or conduct that are not consistent with the professional dispositions and conduct of educators.

Because the dispositions assessments are embedded within all programs and include multiple assessment opportunities at three key points, the assessments are varied by their format. The following procedures have been established for assessing the professional dispositions and conduct of School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Education candidates: Candidates will be assessed on dispositions at three different assessment points prior to completing their program.

Faculty Reporting of Dispositional Deficiencies

Any instructor, student teacher supervisor, site supervisor, university supervisor, or public school mentor teacher working with the candidate can complete a Dispositional Feedback Form (accessible through the School of Education web site) at any time for any of the dispositional concerns. The deficiency has to be documented in writing of the behavior and/or language used by the candidate as an evidence for the Dispositional Feedback Form. First, the candidate needs to be informed by the person who is filing the report, either meet or discuss by telephone with the candidate to make him or her aware of this action and the reason for it before submitting the Dispositional Feedback Form to the program chair. Candidates are to be given a copy of any form requiring their signature. The signature does not mean that the candidate agrees with the statement on the form; rather it is just an indicator that the candidate was informed. The form then must be submitted to both the program chair and the Director of Field Placement and Certification. Before forwarding to the chair and the Director of Field Placement and Certification, the reporting faculty member will summarize the conference with the candidate. Please note: if the deficiency is at a field/clinical site, then both the mentor teacher and university supervisor should meet with the candidate to discuss the candidate's deficiency(s) and follow the same procedure outlined above. The Non-NYIT personnel (student teacher supervisor, site supervisor, university supervisor, or public school mentor teacher) should have no right to knowledge of disposition outcomes, unless specifically exempted by FERPA.

Retention Procedures

  1. Candidates who have a Dispositional Feedback Form filed to the program chair will be required to meet with the program Admission and Retention Committee, made up of at least two faculty of the program, recommended by the program chair. The end result could be a recommendation from the committee to allow the candidate to continue any part of the academic program, develop a required remediation plan with a follow-up evaluation, and/or make a recommendation for dismissal from the program.
  2. If the candidate is in violation of the NYIT Academic Integrity Policy, program chairs, instructors or site supervisors should follow the procedure to report violations of academic integrity, and complete the academic dishonesty review process.
  3. At the meeting, the candidate will be provided an opportunity to explain her/his position and provide the committee any additional relevant information concerning the candidate's disposition deficiencies.
  4. The committee will make a determination about the candidate's continuation in the program. The committee may prescribe a remediation plan in conjunction with area faculty or recommend dismissal from the program. The committee's remediation plan or disqualification recommendation must be submitted within 7 business days to the program chair.
  5. The program chair will meet with the candidate and clarify the action of the committee and have the candidate sign the remediation plan as evidence that the candidate was informed. The candidate's signature does not indicate agreement with the committee's decision.
  6. The candidate may appeal the committee's decision by requesting a meeting with the Dean or Dean's designee within 14 business days. Prior to this meeting all documentation will be provided to the Dean's office so that a final determination may be made to either support the committee's decision or rule in favor of the candidate, whereby the candidate will not have to complete the remediation plan and/or may be readmitted to her/his program.
  7. All decisions made by the Dean that support the committee's decision will be final and no further appeals can be made.

Dismissal from School of Education Programs

The School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Education's desire to prepare highly qualified professional educators/counselors who exemplify the professional ethics and behaviors as discussed in the section on dispositions has led to the identification of some actions on the part of candidates that may result in disqualification from the program. They include:

  1. Failure to earn the required minimum grade when repeating a professional education related course or course in major.
  2. Professional/academic misconduct or dishonesty (i.e., cheating, plagiarism, inappropriate behavior in clinical settings, and submitting work products of someone else for a grade) as a result of the decision of the academic program, the school, or an NYIT Student Conduct Board.
  3. Falsification of an academic or assessment record.
  4. Field Experience/Clinical Experience while under the influence of alcohol or an illegal substance.
  5. Failure to complete recommended counseling or complete successfully the remediation plan prescribed by the program Admission and Retention Committee.
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Student Teaching Handbook: Appendices

Go to the Department of Teacher Education Google Drive for preparatory documents.

Website Resources

Valuable information can be found at the following websites:

Note: The Google search engine is an excellent resource for assistance with preparation of lesson plans, classroom activities, and searching for various publications and research.