My cooperating teacher leaves me alone in the room…a lot

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My cooperating teacher leaves me alone in the room...a lot

by Sam

Mar 15, 2010

My cooperating teacher leaves me alone with the kids for full periods. She says it's the only way I'll learn how to manage my own classroom. This is fine for the first two periods I teach, but the third is a disaster. The kids talk back horribly, and refuse to participate. If I demand quiet, they laugh and say that I'm not the real teacher. I feel like this is out of my hands...I've tried everything. I've assigned detentions (which they rarely show up for), I've spoken with problem kids after class, everything.

My question is: Is my cooperating teacher right? As the student teacher, I could balance balls on my head and these kids wouldn't care. When I'm an actual teacher, I will have more resources (parents, administration) that I can enforce. But for now, I feel like my cooperating teacher should be in the classroom with me, but she refuses.

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un-named On 4/02/10, bjkach wrote: > On 3/15/10, Sam wrote: >> My cooperating teacher leaves me alone with the kids for >> full periods. She says it's the only way I'll learn how to >> manage my own classroom. This is fine for the first two >> periods I teach, but the third is a disaster. The kids talk >> back horribly, and ...See More

Apr 3, 2010

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DIVABubble On 4/02/10, bjkach wrote: > On 3/15/10, Sam wrote: >> My cooperating teacher leaves me alone with the kids for >> full periods. She says it's the only way I'll learn how to >> manage my own classroom. This is fine for the first two >> periods I teach, but the third is a disaster. The kids talk >> back horribly, and ...See MoreOn 4/02/10, bjkach wrote: > On 3/15/10, Sam wrote: >> My cooperating teacher leaves me alone with the kids for >> full periods. She says it's the only way I'll learn how to >> manage my own classroom. This is fine for the first two >> periods I teach, but the third is a disaster. The kids talk >> back horribly, and refuse to participate. If I demand quiet, >> they laugh and say that I'm not the real teacher. I feel >> like this is out of my hands...I've tried everything. I've >> assigned detentions (which they rarely show up for), I've >> spoken with problem kids after class, everything. >> >> My question is: Is my cooperating teacher right? As the >> student teacher, I could balance balls on my head and these >> kids wouldn't care. When I'm an actual teacher, I will have >> more resources (parents, administration) that I can enforce. >> But for now, I feel like my cooperating teacher should be in >> the classroom with me, but she refuses. > > > Isn't it against the law for a student teacher to be left > alone in a classroom? I am currently a graduate student in > New York trying to obtain my masters degree in secondary > English education, but my wife is alredy a music teacher and > she told me that doing so is illegal. Can anybody confirm > this? > > When I student teach, I wouldn't want to be left alone in the > classroom. I understand that the training wheels have to come > off eventually, but I also think it's important for the > cooperative teacher to obersve what I'm doing and give > constructive feedback positvely or negatively so I can > improve my techniques. How is that supposed to happen if I'm > left alone?

When I was a student teacher, I was never allowed to be left alone. I think it is against School regulations. I remember my Co-op teacher being absent and I had a sub that was younger then me and uncertified watch over me.

Student teachers need to be watched for several reasons I think, 1) it is not their classroon....the Co-op teacher needs to know what the student teacher says and does with their class. 2) If something happens in the class, like the student teacher making a big boo boo...the Co-Op teacher needs to know to help with the "clean up".

The training wheels do come off when your Co-op teacher lets you run the lesson. Giving your constructive critisim and positive reinforcement is the best way to become a successful teacher. Leaving a student teacher alone can have a recipe for disaster.

Apr 3, 2010

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East End Long Islander I do NOT think your cooperating teacher should leave you alone in the room, except for short periods to conduct other classroom related business (photocopying, meeting with parents or other staff) or, of course, if "nature" calls. She/he needs to be there to observe your work, make recommendations for improvement, and even, perhaps, to step in to h...See More

Apr 4, 2010

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Not to mention... Student Teachers are not covered by insurance. Therefore, if a student is injured in class and there is no licensed, insured teacher present, then the school AND the ST can be easily sued.

My CTs gave me their classrooms right away. But, I insisted they not leave the room or go very far away from my classroom for this reason. I wasn't goin...See More

Apr 10, 2010

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Judy2/CA As for the legality of being left in the room without the coop teacher, it depends on your state. Student teachers in CA already have their BA/BS and generally have a certificate that allows them to substitute teach. I don't know what the rules are in your state. But if you are having difficulty with the class and have asked your coop teacher to be...See More

Apr 13, 2010

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