Clashing with My Cooperating Teacher

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Clashing with My Cooperating Teacher

by Jeanette

Sep 18, 2011

I'm about 5 weeks into my student teaching semester and relations with my cooperating teacher have been falling apart. To begin with, I don't think she wanted a student teacher in her classroom at all, but her admin is putting pressure on her to get started on her MA and she will get credit towards that if she has one.

Lately, she has been very rude and condescending towards me, doesn't like any of my ideas (but always wants to keep my lesson plans and activities for future use), never wants to collaborate with me. Once I start teaching a class, she is out the door and I don't see her again until the bell is about to ring. She can't offer me any constructive criticism or advice on how I can develop my teaching because she hasn't bothered to observe me.

I've talked to my Practice Teaching professors and they are both supportive of me, and they said they will find me another placement if I can't salvage this one. I'm just worried because it's getting late in the semeste...See More

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if they are glad to find you a new placement If they offered and are glad to find you a new placement, you might want to consider it. I took the route and stayed withh a unwise choice and while they passed me, they gave me a very poor final evaluation. End result, I can't get a job or past interviews. The final evaluation is very important and often the districts request it, especially now wi...See More

Oct 5, 2011

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Get out of there and away from her Oops...ok, I hope you're already out of there and away from her! Better to take an Incomplete grade, and make up the projects when you have the time, than to be stuck with a lamer bitch CT.

On 9/18/11, Jeanette wrote: > I'm about 5 weeks into my student teaching semester and > relations with my cooperating teacher have been falling &...See More

Oct 22, 2011

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Jeanette Thanks for the helpful responses. I ended up staying with my original placement, and now I'm kicking myself for not taking your advice! I finished my teaching program, but now I'm having an unpleasant job hunting experience. I have good letters of reference from my university supervisor and other SOE professors, but I always am asked about my co-te...See More

Jun 6, 2012

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CSTULTZ HMM, that is a difficult situation to say the least. It is unfortunate that even when we are done with a bad situation it can follow us around. Although I will be starting my student teaching in the fall and have not yet experienced what you are sharing, I would go with my gut feeling and be completely honest with faced with difficult questions. If...See MoreHMM, that is a difficult situation to say the least. It is unfortunate that even when we are done with a bad situation it can follow us around. Although I will be starting my student teaching in the fall and have not yet experienced what you are sharing, I would go with my gut feeling and be completely honest with faced with difficult questions. If you dodge too many questions regarding your co-teacher it may come across shady or dishonest. If it is continually brought up I would be honest and simply state that the situation was uncomfortable and did not get along, thus why you don't have any recommendation letters from her. You can also mention that since you did not get a reference from her you choose to get one from her superior, like the principal? Just a few ideas I hope this helps you out somehow.

On 6/06/12, Jeanette wrote: > Thanks for the helpful responses. I ended up staying with my > original placement, and now I'm kicking myself for not taking your > advice! I finished my teaching program, but now I'm having an > unpleasant job hunting experience. I have good letters of > reference from my university supervisor and other SOE professors, > but I always am asked about my co-teacher during interviews. > > Any advice on how to dodge these questions about my co-teacher? I > know that there's nothing she'd like more than to bad mouth me to > a prospective employer... > > On 10/22/11, Get out of there and away from her wrote: >> Oops...ok, I hope you're already out of there and away from >> her! Better to take an Incomplete grade, and make up the >> projects when you have the time, than to be stuck with a lamer >> bitch CT. >> >> >> On 9/18/11, Jeanette wrote: >>> I'm about 5 weeks into my student teaching semester and >>> relations with my cooperating teacher have been falling >>> apart. To begin with, I don't think she wanted a student >>> teacher in her classroom at all, but her admin is putting >>> pressure on her to get started on her MA and she will get >>> credit towards that if she has one. >>> >>> Lately, she has been very rude and condescending towards me, >>> doesn't like any of my ideas (but always wants to keep my >>> lesson plans and activities for future use), never wants to >>> collaborate with me. Once I start teaching a class, she is >>> out the door and I don't see her again until the bell is >>> about to ring. She can't offer me any constructive criticism >>> or advice on how I can develop my teaching because she >>> hasn't bothered to observe me. >>> >>> I've talked to my Practice Teaching professors and they are >>> both supportive of me, and they said they will find me >>> another placement if I can't salvage this one. I'm just >>> worried because it's getting late in the semester and I have >>> two major projects that I will have to start over. ADVICE, >>> PLEASE???

Jun 7, 2012

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Jeanette I did get a very good letter of reference from my university supervisor and a couple other professors from my university's School of Ed. I didn't get a letter from the Principal because she never came around while I was student teaching, but in my portfolio I have a good evaluation the HR lady gave me when she observed one of my classes.

T...See MoreI did get a very good letter of reference from my university supervisor and a couple other professors from my university's School of Ed. I didn't get a letter from the Principal because she never came around while I was student teaching, but in my portfolio I have a good evaluation the HR lady gave me when she observed one of my classes.

Thank you for the advice. I've been trying to field questions about my former CT as best I can, it's just frustrating when interviewers ask for her contact info when I try to make it clear that don't want her as a reference. I think this whole situation makes it seem like I don't work well with others or that don't like to collaborate when just the opposite is true.

On 6/07/12, CSTULTZ wrote: > HMM, that is a difficult situation to say the least. It is > unfortunate that even when we are done with a bad situation it can > follow us around. Although I will be starting my student teaching in > the fall and have not yet experienced what you are sharing, I would > go with my gut feeling and be completely honest with faced with > difficult questions. If you dodge too many questions regarding your > co-teacher it may come across shady or dishonest. If it is > continually brought up I would be honest and simply state that the > situation was uncomfortable and did not get along, thus why you > don't have any recommendation letters from her. You can also mention > that since you did not get a reference from her you choose to get > one from her superior, like the principal? Just a few ideas I hope > this helps you out somehow. > > On 6/06/12, Jeanette wrote: >> Thanks for the helpful responses. I ended up staying with my >> original placement, and now I'm kicking myself for not taking your >> advice! I finished my teaching program, but now I'm having an >> unpleasant job hunting experience. I have good letters of >> reference from my university supervisor and other SOE professors, >> but I always am asked about my co-teacher during interviews. >> >> Any advice on how to dodge these questions about my co-teacher? I >> know that there's nothing she'd like more than to bad mouth me to >> a prospective employer... >> >> On 10/22/11, Get out of there and away from her wrote: >>> Oops...ok, I hope you're already out of there and away from >>> her! Better to take an Incomplete grade, and make up the >>> projects when you have the time, than to be stuck with a lamer >>> bitch CT. >>> >>> >>> On 9/18/11, Jeanette wrote: >>>> I'm about 5 weeks into my student teaching semester and >>>> relations with my cooperating teacher have been falling >>>> apart. To begin with, I don't think she wanted a student >>>> teacher in her classroom at all, but her admin is putting >>>> pressure on her to get started on her MA and she will get >>>> credit towards that if she has one. >>>> >>>> Lately, she has been very rude and condescending towards me, >>>> doesn't like any of my ideas (but always wants to keep my >>>> lesson plans and activities for future use), never wants to >>>> collaborate with me. Once I start teaching a class, she is >>>> out the door and I don't see her again until the bell is >>>> about to ring. She can't offer me any constructive criticism >>>> or advice on how I can develop my teaching because she >>>> hasn't bothered to observe me. >>>> >>>> I've talked to my Practice Teaching professors and they are >>>> both supportive of me, and they said they will find me >>>> another placement if I can't salvage this one. I'm just >>>> worried because it's getting late in the semester and I have >>>> two major projects that I will have to start over. ADVICE, >>>> PLEASE???

Jun 7, 2012

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