Student teaching

Has anybody ever had a bad student teaching experience? If so, how did you get through it?

Re: Student teaching

Bad, how so?

Overall I had good student teaching experiences, but have known several people who did not.

Re: Student teaching

Take it as a learning experience and see what was wrong so you don;t do the same when you have your own classroom.

If something is seriously wrong- ie being asked to do too much or a major conflict with your cooperating teacher, talk to your professor or advisor about the situation.

Each school placement is usually for 7 or 8 weeks, hopefully it will go fast. I was at the high school level for the first half then the middle school. It was night and day when I switched to the middle school. I loved it and it was so much more positive.

Good luck!

Re: Student teaching

I student taught in 2 placements (about 7 weeks each placement)

My first one was alright, the teacher was nice, I just never felt like I was really a part of the class. I guess that's just a result of not being there long enough since the 7 weeks goes by so fast..... but I loved the kids and the teacher was nice. In the end, I felt I made a difference for some of the students I worked with often.

And now for my second placement.......

HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't want to scare you, because typically people don't have an experience quite like this one (or at least I don't think so!)
My cooperating teacher was really lousy. She didn't want to teach me ANYTHING. She would just tell me a topic and the rest was up to me. She didn't want to give me any support, help, nothing at all. I think she just wanted me there as an extra hand in the room and to lessen her work load. I was absolutely miserable. She gave me NO guidance AT ALL and if I did a lesson that didn't work out, she would insult the sh*t out of me I hated her.

But, of all my friends, nobody else had an experience like this. So, don't be worried! It will be great! You can really learn a lot from your experience. But, remember, even if you experience is not the greatest, you can learn just as much from the BAD teachers as u can from the GREAT ones Learning how not to be is a powerful lesson that only the truly terrible teachers can give.

Re: Student teaching

jannette--i had a great experience as a student teacher, but i have had some HORRIBLE students teachers of my own!

feel free to FM me if you need to!

Re: Student teaching

IMO student teaching $ucks. I didn't have a wonderful experience not horrible but not great. I have known more people who have had bad experiences. Just try and go in with a postive attitude. Let the principal see you and put your best face forward. Show them that you are a team player...you never know if by some chance you will get hired there some day.

Good Luck

Re: Student teaching

Posted by browneyedgirl

jannette--i had a great experience as a student teacher, but i have had some HORRIBLE students teachers of my own!

feel free to FM me if you need to!

Re: Student teaching

I had two placements...the first was wonderful, she was a master teacher and I modeled so much of my early teaching after her.
My second placement was a horror. She didn't teach me a thing and was actually quite a bad teacher. She had been working for a long time and simply didn't care anymore. This was a special education class in the city and she didn't individualize instruction for the children at all. It was soooooo sad watching these children wallow in her room. I threw myself into the class thinking, even though I was new and still learning, I was probably the best they had at that point. When I was really mad at the teacher I would go to the driving range and pretend her head was the ball. Eventually, once the placement was over and I had received my grade from the supervising teacher, I let her know my thoughts about the cooperating teacher. Believe it or not, it was her friend! So she totally stuck up for her and ignored my comments. Not happy with that, I took my complaints to the department at my school. No one else should have to experience with that woman what I did for 4 months.

Basically, you stick it out the best you can and think to yourself, just do the best you can for the kids and remember, everything, even the bad experiences, is a learning experience!

edited for spelling

Message edited 1/26/2009 6:27:27 PM.

Re: Student teaching

I don't know what to tell you - I had an awful experience - my coop teaching left me to teach all 5 classes including an AP class (whcih her son was in) and would only talk to me 5 minutes in the beginning of the day to ask me what topics I was doing.

It was awful...when I graduated (BA) I didn't go into teaching. I got a corporate job and it took about 9 months for me to want to pursue teaching. I'm so incredibly glad I did.

Re: Student teaching

I really appreciate everyones responses. This was for my sister who is currently doing her student teaching. I will be student teaching next year and I am sure I will contact some of you for guidance. Thanks!