…you’ll need it when you first meet with your university supervisor and your cooperating teacher. This meeting should take place prior to your first day in the classroom, and it’s a great opportunity to discuss questions, concerns, expectations, and get to know each other a bit. The meeting is a positive event, but that doesn’t prevent it from being one of the more anxiety-inducing steps you will go through on your journey to teaching. You will be meeting with an experienced teacher who has very strong opinions about how his or her classroom is run (and rightly so). Your cooperating teacher will be judging you from your first encounter; make no mistake. Likewise, your university supervisor is a very experienced educator and mentor, and he or she will have expectations that you will need to meet in order to be successful. Together, these two mentors will assign your grade and determine whether or not you are recommended for certification, so be sure to show up well-prepared, well-rested, and dressed professionally.
Now that I’ve painted a serious picture, let me reassure you a bit. The personalities of university supervisors and cooperating teachers vary wildly. You will hear stories from some student teachers about being thrown in to teach right away (even on the first day in some cases, though the university discourages this) while cooperating teachers disappear from the classroom, and you will hear other stories about teachers who are reluctant to give up control of their classrooms at all. The good news? You have a team of support to help you, no matter which situation you find yourself in. Your university supervisor will help monitor your progress, your relationship with your cooperating teacher, and offer support and encouragement where needed. At the initial “3-way meeting,” your university supervisor is in your corner, clarifying the university’s expectations for your cooperating teacher. My supervisor helped immensely in explaining the process and addressing my cooperating teacher’s concerns. I am so glad that I was not alone during that meeting!
So how did my meeting go? To be honest, I was scared for a moment that my cooperating teacher was about to change her mind. She is a very dedicated teacher who was not entirely sure about letting a novice loose in her classroom. While I was a bit intimidated, and felt a bit unwelcome, I am truly glad to be assigned to such a serious professional who cares so deeply for her students. After all, who wants to learn from a teacher who doesn’t care? During the meeting, we discussed my role in the classroom. I explained that I am not there to step on her toes or do everything my way, but rather learn as I help her execute her curriculum. My university supervisor was indispensable during the meeting, as she reassured us both. I left the meeting feeling as comfortable and confident as possible for an incoming student teacher.
My goal here is honesty, so let me tell you what I did right and what I could have done better. Things I did well include: I dressed very professionally, had every bit of information I could find on the teacher’s webpage (syllabus, etc.) printed out and in a binder, arrived early and acquainted myself with the office staff, and stayed relatively calm – at least on the outside. Things I wish I could do over or still need to do: I interrupted my cooperating teacher once while she was speaking (this was because I was so excited, but it is still rude), I didn’t ask the office staff where I am supposed to park, I asked where to get my badge but forgot to go have it made after the meeting (I blame nerves), and I don’t feel that I really gave my cooperating teacher much insight into who I am since I didn’t speak much – though I’m sure that relationship will come in time. My first day is on September 6th, so I plan to rectify two of these mistakes by visiting the school this Friday to ask about the badge and parking. That way, I’ll be ready to go next week – at least physically!
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