[Download] "Model Versus Mentor: Defining the Necessary Qualities of the Effective Cooperating Teacher." by Teacher Education Quarterly " Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Model Versus Mentor: Defining the Necessary Qualities of the Effective Cooperating Teacher.
- Author : Teacher Education Quarterly
- Release Date : January 01, 2006
- Genre: Education,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 201 KB
Description
Student teaching is a key event in the lives of future educators; it can make or break their success in their own classrooms. The selection of qualified cooperating teachers with whom these students will work is accordingly imperative. Placing a student in a classroom run by a teacher whose methods fly in the face of what we know to be effective, or assigning a student to a teacher who spends his/her time in the lounge reading the newspaper and drinking coffee rather than guiding and supporting the student, would be not only unfair to the student but unethical in terms of our goals as teacher educators. Student teaching should provide students the opportunity to grow as educators--to learn from those who are more knowledgeable, to take risks, and to fail without becoming failures. Knowing the characteristics of an effective cooperating teacher can help ensure that pre-service teachers are placed in settings that will benefit and support them in their first real teaching endeavor. This study explores these characteristics by examining the following question: Knowing that cooperating teachers differ in their personalities and pedagogy, what underlying traits might they possess that make them effective in meeting the needs of their assigned student teacher? Cooperating teachers play a critical role in the preparation of the student teachers in their care (Lane, Lacefield-Parachini, & Isken, 2003; Beck & Kosnik, 2002; Hamilton & Riley, 1999; Mason 1997; Young 1996; Wiggins 1995). An effective cooperating teacher models, for instance, examples of good practice for the student teacher to evaluate and emulate (Koerner, Rust, & Baumgartner, 2002). Pre-service teachers, when asked to describe the most helpful behaviors and practices demonstrated by their cooperating teachers, noted the importance of witnessing good classroom organization and planning, positive rapport with students, knowledge of subject matter, establishment of a daily routine, good classroom management, and compassion toward students (Osunde, 1996). The selection of cooperating teachers would most effectively, then, be completed with an eye toward finding veteran teachers who demonstrate these practices.