Problem with Student Teacher

[jsfowler]

The first semester I had a student teacher and absolutly loved her...she will have no problem getting a job. This semester my best friend at school has a student teacher and she is not as lucky as I am. Her student teacher is obnoxious and thinks his way is the best way. Every school has room for improvment but let me just say that our middle school wins various awards every year...we are in the top 10 list of KY middle schools and/or districts every year - he obviously has something he can learn from us. He is from the western part of the state and came to eastern kentucky with a 'better than you" attitude. He is constantly correcting everyone during team planning and teacher's meetings. He does not follow my friend's routine and is getting the kids all out of sorts. During a lesson on genetically modified foods the other day, my friend stepped in to clarify some information during his lesson (he had misspoke and she did not want her kids to form any misconceptions). After the lesson, he said that he would appreciate it if she did not interupt his lessons. He is constantly telling her that she should do more activities (she does at least 2 a week!), not waste time reading aloud in class, etc.

Where do student teachers get off telling their resource teacher what to do?!? She is a wonderful teacher and has never had this problem. She is a lot nicer than me because I would have already failed him or told the university that we could not work together.

What would you do in the case? I need advice to share.

[dangercat]

He is constantly correcting everyone during team planning and teacher's meetings. He does not follow my friend's routine and is getting the kids all out of sorts. During a lesson on genetically modified foods the other day, my friend stepped in to clarify some information during his lesson (he had misspoke and she did not want her kids to form any misconceptions). After the lesson, he said that he would appreciate it if she did not interupt his lessons. He is constantly telling her that she should do more activities (she does at least 2 a week!), not waste time reading aloud in class, etc.

Where do student teachers get off telling their resource teacher what to do?!? She is a wonderful teacher and has never had this problem. She is a lot nicer than me because I would have already failed him or told the university that we could not work together.

What would you do in the case? I need advice to share.

Does this student teacher have someone that comes in and observes them? If they do I would suggest to your friend that they seek this person out and talk to them about the problems they are having with the student teacher.

I know that when I make a mistake I appriciate when my cooperating teacher steps in and helps me out. I don't like her interupting so much, but I understand I have a lot to learn from her. She appologizes when she over shadows me in class.

I would definatly contact who ever set up the student teaching and talk to them about the concerns with this student teacher.

I'm a student working toward my degree and have now taught in 3 different classrooms and can't ever imagaine speaking to my cooperating teacher like that. It is just plain rude.

[Chef Dave]

Your friend should begin documenting the student teacher's behavior.

She should caution express her concerns to the student teaching coordinator if for no other reason that to give this person a heads up about a problem. I would also suggest that the cooperating teacher arrange a meeting between herself, the coordinator, and the student teacher to iron out problems.

Most student teaching programs require the cooperating teacher to complete an evaluation. At the meeting, the cooperating teacher and coordinator should make it very clear to the student teacher that if he doesn't settle down and get with the program in very short order, he will receive an unsatisfactory evaluation.

I once had a student teacher who behaved this way. We met after school on a daily basis to discuss the events of the day and whenever I raised a concern or offered a constructive suggestion, he'd interrupt me with a, "Yeah I know, I know, I know ..." when he obvioiusly DID NOT KNOW.

After talking to his coordinator the coordinator talked to him. The student teacher became downright surly and told me that I had been "unprofessional" in going over his head. When I told the student teacher that I had tried to address concerns many times only to be greeted with a, "Yeah I know, I know, I know" reply, he actually spent the rest of the week pouting.

At the end of the school year I was surprised when he requested a letter of recommendation from me. I refused to give him one. When he asked me why, I looked him in the eye and said, "Do you really want me to write a letter telling a potential employer what I think about you as an educator? You don't listen. You don't follow advice. Your classroom management skills are weak. Your lessons lack substance and depth. Need I go on?"

Instead of pouting, this time he played Mr. Innocent, professing that he didn't understand why I didn't care for him as a student teacher. After I refused to write a letter of recommendation, he stormed out of the classroom and made a beeline for the office where he complained about me to the building administrator.

The complaint did him no good and he was basically told to leave campus and to not come back.

[jsfowler]

The student teacher knows that she will be writing his evaluations. I don't know why anyone would act this way. He also strikes me as the type that is teaching to ONLY be a coach. He is really getting on my nerves. If he does not get adequate scores on his evaluations from his resource teacher, he will fail. Apparently, he doesn't care.

[dangercat]

I know someone like that. He's only going through the teacher program to be a coach. He's arrogant and annoying. I try and not have classes with him because of this. I almost threw a book at him last semester because of the ignorant and racist things he was saying in my philosophy of ed class.

I hope that your firend is dealing okay with this. I know having someone like that around would really stress me out.

[Ima Teacher]

but let me just say that our middle school wins various awards every year...we are a blue ribbon school, a school to watch, and we are in the top 10 list of KY middle schools every year

Would you mind if I contacted you with some questions about some of the things that you are doing in your school? I'm especially interested in what you're doing with SED students . . . and what kind of SED population you have. We're making progress, but not meeting NCLB goals.

[science_monkey]

I am finishing up the end of my teaching practicum, so as a student teacher myself, I am absolutely appalled at this individual's behavior. If he is already starting off his potential (and I use that term very loosely given the situation) teaching career with a "holier than thou" attitude, then I dread to think of the experiences his students and colleagues will have in dealing with him down the road. He is there to work with and learn from a mentor teacher, not to criticize her teaching practices.

Teachers, whether novice or veteran, always can improve and build upon their teaching style and technique. I have been working with two wonderful teachers, veterans of 35 and 36 years, who are both retiring at the end of this semester. Even with a looming retirement and years of trying to hone their skills in teaching, they still are constantly searching for new and better ways to approach teaching. If this individual has already determined that his way is the pinnacle of teaching perfection, then he is going to have a very short-lived teaching career. Part of effective teaching is the constant learning of the craft and improving one's own practices.

I totally agree with you in your statement that you would have already failed this individual or informed the university that you would not work with him. Student teachers can do that regarding mentor teachers; why shouldn't mentor teachers be able to reciprocate? In any case, the teacher involved in this situation should speak with the student teacher's advisor or whomever does his observations and voice her concerns. A university education degree program does not guarantee an individual a certification and degree; Some individuals may simply not be appropriate candidates.

[WizardsWife]

My team has two student teachers this year. I have a lady who is wonderful -- I am hoping she and I will both get jobs at the new high school so I can continue to teach with her. The geography student teacher is just the opposite. She does not seem to enjoy the kids, struggles with their behaviors and has a "I am done with these kids" attitude.

When we get back from spring break, I am going to suggest the geography teacher, counselor and maybe an administrator start talking to her about how to finish preparing herself for a career in teaching. I think we owe it to all the students she may ever have. I think as good teachers sharing our experience, this is one thing we must address.

[anyalee]

I hear you...my student teacher is acting like this as well. My friend next door told her that the class was being nice and quiet and she said, "that's because I'M teaching now." This is just a drop in the bucket and I've got to tell you that I'm ready for it to be over. Student teaching is 15 weeks here....5 more to go....I'm starting a countdown personally.

[jsfowler]

Sorry, Ima Teacher, I just read your message. I would be more than happy to discuss anything with you. Our special education department does a great job with our students. A lot of different schools come to our school and observes them in action.

[DarrenB]

I think many beginning teachers have little concept of the political realm in teaching. Not only do we need to be educating our students and following the standard course of study, but we must interact with other adults in effective and meaningful ways.

This ST should be made to realize how much more difficult his teaching career will be with no friends in the building. Problems that could be settled by working with another teacher are just compounded when you've alienated the staff.

Darren Barkett

[Hermione]

I have a student teacher this semester. She's only with me for five weeks (she completed her elementary placement prior to this placement with me in middle school.) I was so excited to get her, and we're having a great time. Her instructor comes by once a week and always asks me how things are going.

To those of you who are having trouble with your student teacher, I would definitely tell their instructors, and I wouldn't sugarcoat it. They need to know what's happening.

[MrHistory]

As a new teacher into the system, I knew as a student teacher that my place was at the bottom of the totem pole. As a Master-Teacher your friend might want to inform him of this. She can't be afraid of confrontation. This student is obviously is in the classroom with that teacher because the teacher is good at her job and others want new teachers to learn from her. She needs to remind him of this and let him know that it will show on evaluations. He may not know he is doing something wrong if no-one has had the guts to inform him. When we were all evaluated as student-teachers I believe part of the criteria were being able to work in a synergistic fashion with teammates and co-workers. He is obviously no doing this. But he has to be informed and given the chance for correction. However, if he has already been informed of this not just verbally but in written, IE midterm evaluations, writing a letter to the field advisor etc... then it should reflect in his final evaluation and told that he might have to get his attitude in check and do student-teaching over.

[Boxcar]

I know that it can be nerve-racking to be a student teacher. You're entering another teacher's turf, and you don't want to step on his/her toes. Sometimes this makes people act like complete idiots. They want to impress the teaching teacher. So, they come off wrong.

That doesn't seem to be the case here, but it is worth considering.

I think that professionalism is a very important skill for student teachers to have. Being polite with good communication and problem-solving skills is essential. Of course, you also need to know your place. You are there to learn. You might not agree with the philosophy, but you need to take what you can get. For example, I might hate the way the teacher only instructs from PowerPoints. If I look around, I might realize she has a lot to teach me about managing a class' behavior. No classroom is going to be ideal, and a student teacher needs to put aside the textbook learning and be open.

[Chef Dave]

This student is obviously is in the classroom with that teacher because the teacher is good at her job and others want new teachers to learn from her.

Hmmmmm ... not necessarily. I admit that this would be the ideal situation ... but this isn't necessarily true.

In some districts, teachers receive extra pay for taking student teachers. In one district I was asked to "volunteer" and wound up receiving two student teachers because we had received an unexpectedly large influx from the local university and the district coordinator hadn't paid attention to her numbers.

Of course ... her mistake did not directly affect her because she did not have to supervise any of these student teachers ...

[badkidteacher]

As a student teaching supervisor myself, I have seen a couple of STs act like this in the class but not many. Any time we have a concern about STs we try to catch them before they are in the field to avoid this. Once out there, we rely on the classroom mentor for clear, upfront feedback since you are the ones that see the STs all the time; we just get a snapshot and anyone can pull that off. Contact them and be blunt. Do not give a recommendation for anyone that you have concerns about. These people will be teaching for a long time if you don't openly discuss your concerns and fail them at this stage. There will be too many students who this ST will teach in the future if you don't speak up now.

[Ima Teacher]

Sorry, Ima Teacher, I just read your message. I would be more than happy to discuss anything with you. Our special education department does a great job with our students. A lot of different schools come to our school and observes them in action.

I'll contact you via email. I just found the link to do that. Thanks!

[MissTeach]

I agree with badkidteacher. If a student teacher doesn't deserve a good evaluation, don't give it to them! It is better to stop them now than after they are in a classroom with students!