Text 1.F How to Start on a Positive Note

Introductions

Introduce your candidate to the students as a co-teacher or beginning teacher. Often things go more smoothly when the students understand they have the support of two teachers, not just one.

The First Meeting

The first meeting of the experience will lay the groundwork for a successful experience for everyone. We recommend choosing a meeting time that’s outside of class hours so you have enough time and space to get oriented.

Provide a tour

During your first meeting, set aside time to provide a tour of the classroom and school. Show your teacher candidate where to do work, eat lunch, use the restroom, and locate resources.

Share policies and “unwritten rules”

In addition to giving your teacher candidate the set of documents you prepared, share the “unwritten” rules of the school. For example, do teachers usually buy or pack their lunches? Is it taboo to grade papers during a staff meeting?

Discuss expectations

For example:

What time to report and how long to stay
Where to park
Materials to bring
Typical attire for teachers
How to speak and interact with students, parents, other teachers and staff
Best form of communication
What’s okay to share or not share on social media
How far in advance you'd like to see lesson plans for lessons candidates will teach

Be transparent about your non-negotiables

Think about things that might drive you a little nuts if they happen – those are your non-negotiables. All of us have non-negotiables, both in our lives and in our classrooms.
Some examples of possible non-negotiables are:

Following all school and district policies
Teaching the assigned curriculum
Emailing, texting, or calling prior to an absence
Leaving fully prepared lesson plans if they’ll be absent

Pre-experience interviews and meetings can be helpful in discussing non-negotiables.

The First Days of the Experience

Provide low-risk opportunities for interaction

During the first week of school, provide low risk opportunities for the teacher candidate to be in front of the class and interact with students.

Examples include:

Taking attendance
Distributing materials
Circulating and assisting students who need help
Observing you as a you teach a lesson
Introducing an activity

Use your professional judgment to gauge when the teacher candidate is ready to take on more responsibility. Some will be comfortable proactively asking you to do things or in taking on tasks that need to be done, while others will need some encouragement and nudging (as they either don’t feel confident or don’t want to “step on your toes”).

Listen to a teacher talk about how she connects with her student teachers.

**Our thanks go to colleagues at Western Oregon University, who compiled a great list of suggestions to build on!

Complete Part I of the Google form, "Getting Started with your Teacher Candidate," reflection here