COOPERATING SCHOOLS

COOPERATING SCHOOLS

            Teacher training institutions prepare teachers for primary and secondary schools. So practice teaching should be organized in schools. These schools are called as cooperating schools. The cooperating schools provide all materialistic and moral support that they can offer to train the student teachers in schools.

The following criteria may be used in selecting cooperating schools for practice teaching.

§         School management and staff should be willing to assist in the programme of practice teaching.

§         Provision of adequate physical facilities should be there.

§         The staff-members should be experienced and willing to cooperate the student teachers.

Moreover the selected schools should not be far away from the residences of the most of the student teachers.

Role of Cooperating Schools

§         The cooperating schools retain the legal responsibility for the safety and welfare of its pupils.

§         The cooperating school assures that cooperating teachers and student teachers understand and follow established school policies and procedures regarding

o       punctuality

o       handling of absences

o       personal and professional conduct

o       dress codes

o       classroom control etc.

§         They provide challenging experiences for the student teachers to apply the theories and methodology acquired during the professional preparation under the guidance of effective cooperating teachers.

§         They provide an opportunity for student teachers to enrich their understanding of the professional responsibilities of the teacher.

§         They provide access to cumulative records of students, students’ handbooks, instructional materials and teachers’ overall plan for the year.

§         Cooperating teachers provide an opportunity to observe the totlal operation of the school such as conduct of school assembly, extra curricular activities, attending staff meetings etc.

Cooperating Teachers

            Cooperating teachers are selected on the basis of the following criteria:

1.      Cooerating teacher should be specialized in the area of supervision.

2.      He/She should have a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience.

Responsibilities

§         Model effective teaching behaviours while allowing the student teacher to develop his/her own teaching style.

§         Provide regular feedback and advice about their teaching on a regular basis.

§         Evaluate the performance of student teachers’ during the internship.

§         Orient the student teachers regarding the total school setting and school policies.

§         Work with the teacher educators in guiding the progress of student teachers throughout the field experiences.

PRACTICE TEACHING

PRACTICE TEACHING

Practice teaching constitutes a hub of multiple activities comprising the total programme of teacher education. It is interconnected with theoretical study, field work and practicum and a wide range of institutional experiences involving school students, student teachers and teacher educators. Practice teaching is considered as the pivotal component of the B.Ed. programme.

            Practice teaching is a course or a programme in which the student trainees are posted to schools to teach the students subject areas of their specialization for a specified period. During this period the student teachers assume the position of normal subject teachers at the same time engage in all the lawful assignments given by the cooperating school authorities.

Preparation of trainees for teaching

            Practice teaching is the most important part in the teacher education programme. The practice teaching should be divided into three phases:

1. Pre-Practice Teaching Preparation
2. Actual Practice – Teaching
3. Post practice Teaching

1.      Pre-Practice Teaching Preparation

This phase should be very practical and should include:

• Instruction in philosophy of education – meaning aims and objectives of education.
• Psychology of education – development of child learning and theories.
• Components of successful teaching and teaching theories.
• Instructional strategies, skills and tactics of teaching.
• School organization and class management strategies.
• Demonstration lessons and observation of the same.
• Preparation of micro, mini and complete lesson plans

2.      Actual Practice – Teaching

Actual practice teaching should be organized in three phases. At first phase 4 or 5 complete lessons should be taught in simulated situations. At the second phase, 15-20 micro lessons may be taught in simulated situations. In the final phase of practice teaching, 25-30 lessons should be conducted in realistic situation in a block which is referred to as block teaching. During this phase the trainee has to function as a junior teacher of the school, participating in its entire programme such as organizing co-curricular activities, understanding recording and evaluating the child growth and performances and communicating the same to the pupil and their parents.

3.      Post practice Teaching

At this stage practical work connected with theoretical courses such as construction and administration of tests, case studies of students, preparation of improvised teaching aids, action research etc, should be organized.

Objectives of Practice Teaching

• To enable the student teachers learn the art of teaching.
• To acquaint the student teachers with different approaches of teaching and communication techniques and help them to develop skills and competencies which may turn them to effective teachers.
• To develop an ability to organize the content according to respective level of teaching.
• To provide training in the process of evaluation its significance and techniques.
• To develop classroom management techniques for effective teaching and learning.
• To develop the ability to organize the content according to respective levels of teaching.