Having a student teacher in your classroom can be a good idea; it can provide extra help with your workload, and much more. Taking on a student teacher is a big responsibility. They are more than just a “second pair of hands.”
If you decide to take on the role of mentor, it’s important to be ready to inspire and guide them. Those few months in your classroom will be unforgettable for a student teacher. The lessons they learn from you—both significant and minor—will stick with them for years and shape the kind of teacher they’ll become.
If you have ever wondered if having a student teacher is right for you, here’s a closer look. This choice has benefits for both you and your student teacher. You can also make a lasting impact on their teaching journey.
Why Should You Take on a Student Teacher?
Taking on a student teacher is your chance to pay it forward. Think back to when you were a student teacher, chances are someone guided you and now it’s your chance to do the same.
When a student teacher enters a classroom for the first time, they are full of enthusiasm and questions. They’re eager to soak up knowledge, observe, and gain hands-on experience. As their mentor, you can guide their enthusiasm. You can answer their questions and help them connect theory to real teaching.
A chance to shape their journey, just as someone once shaped yours, exists, allowing you to leave a lasting impact on their teaching career.
The Benefits for You
Taking on a student teacher doesn’t just benefit them, but it can also benefit you as well:
- You’ll get a fresh perspective. Student teachers are learning all the new and innovative strategies so this can be to your benefit.
- It helps you refine your own teaching skills. Explaining your choices requires you to think critically about what you do and why you do it. This helps you gain a deeper understanding of your teaching practices and identify areas for growth.
- Having an additional person in the classroom can lighten your workload.
Once your student teacher feels confident, they can handle tasks like planning lessons, grading, and working with small groups. This will give you more time to focus on other important things.
The Benefits for the Student Teacher
By opening your doors to a student teacher, you’re giving them a safe space to learn, experiment, and develop their unique teaching style. Textbooks and lectures can only take them so far.
Your classroom provides the hands-on experience they need to understand what teaching looks like on a day-to-day basis. As a mentor, your role is to offer constructive feedback.
This helps them grow. From lesson planning to classroom management, your expertise is invaluable in guiding them through the learning curve. The teaching journey can be overwhelming, especially at first. Your encouragement and advice can profoundly help build their confidence and resilience.
Tips for Mentoring a Student Teacher
Being a mentor is a significant responsibility, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to leave a lasting impression. Here are some ways you can make a meaningful impact.
Ease Student Teachers into the Teaching Process
One of the best things that you can do is to ease them into the teaching process. Many teachers believe that student teachers should jump right in. However, others think it would help to ease them into the process.
Every few days give them a little more control of the classroom until they are ready to take on the day by themselves. Begin with one subject at a time. Slowly increase the teaching time each day. You will know when they are ready for more.
Give Both Positive and Negative Feedback
Offer your student teacher both positive and negative feedback. The more feedback that you give them, the more they will learn about themselves and what kind of teacher they are and will become.
Additionally, make sure that you word your comments in an appropriate tone. Try using the sandwich technique: start with a positive comment, then, add a comment about what needs improvement. Finish with another positive comment.
Explain Everything
Think of your student teacher as your shadow for the few weeks that they are in your classroom. As you move throughout your day explain what you are doing. The more tips and advice that you can give them, the better. It’s wise to encourage them to keep a notebook and fill it up with all of your tips, this way they can refer to these once they have their own classroom.
Allow Student Teachers to Deal with Students on Their Own
It’s tempting to step in when you see a student misbehaving. But if you do that, how will the student teacher learn to handle it? Instead of swooping in when you see something go awry, coach the student teacher through the situation.
Be an Inspiration for the Student Teacher
An easy way to make your student teachers feel comfortable is to encourage them every step of the way. The student teaching process is not easy, and it’ll take a lot of patience to get through it.
However, with your encouragement, you can make it a lot easier on them. Remember, you are their role model, their mentor, and the person they will rely on for tips and advice. Be as inspirational as you can be.
Mentoring a student teacher can be a wonderful experience for both you as well as the prospective teacher. When you invest your time, you will see that the next generation of teachers will create productive citizens. You will know that you helped make this happen.
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