Thread: Question about Student Teaching

Welcome!!! We are glad to have you!

Wish I could answer your question, but I honestly don't know. Hopefully someone else will.

I student taught in the fall, and I think it can make taking over the class easier because you are there the first day of school and the students see you as on par witht the regular teacher. As far as getting a job, I was able to get one the following fall. One drawback to student teaching in the fall is the lack of jobs available mid-year, other than subbing.

Overall, I think there are so many other factors that come into play as to whether you'll have a successful student teaching experience. The time of year you student teach is minor, I think.

I did my student teaching in the spring. At the college I went to, I heard the advisors say that they preferred the fall- because the Student Teachers got to see the beginning of school. I don't think it made very much difference, because student teaching is not quite the same as when you have it own your own.

Thanks everyone. I am pregnant and due one week after student teaching would end in the spring so I am trying to decide whether I should just hold off my student teaching until the fall or to do it this spring when I am pregnant. Thanks again.

I agree with the two previous posters, that it is good to see the beginning of the school year and how your cooperating teacher puts her procedures and rules into place. I wish I could have seen that. My ST was in the spring and I still didn't get a job (just graduated in May and now I am substitute teaching). Also, my university had us be at the university the first 3 weeks of student teaching semester, so I would have missed the first day anyway. Just make your decision based on your needs, ST is hard enough without being pregnant!

i did mine in the fall and was able to sub for the month of january then stumble into a long term placement...would have had the job for the fall but we moved. anyway, i think subbing after st was VERY beneficial in preparing me to really do the teaching solo. i had a great st experience too...second day he handed everything over to me and said "you will learn from your mistakes and this semester you will learn a lot, good luck." best thing for me.

my child was 7 months old when i started st. it was rough b/c i had to depend SO much on my husband. having the choice of st while pregnant or with the baby, i'm not sure which i would choose. do what works best for you...but i would also find out what happens if you can't make it to the end of st.

Aah. I made my decision based on jobs - surely there would be more jobs at the end of the year as we have our summer break...

And then I started training and realised that the mid-year intake had the better deal - they got all summer off to work on their assignments...

But then there may not be jobs mid-year.... But they can sub....

But my course goes over one whole year, not two half years...

But then I got a job two months ago so that blew my theories away.

Hee hee.

Reagardless of what you choose, make sure you choose a university taht is right for you, one that teaches how you like to be taught. That was a major decision for me to go back to AUT rather than go to Auckland Uni. AUT teaches teachers in a school classroom type setting and we are like a school classroom. We can ring our lecturer and ask questions whenever we want. We are very close to each other because there are 30 of us. At Auckland Uni they have millinos of people crammed into lecture theatres. Their assignments don't make sense or are arbitrary (at least to my perspective) They have to go to lectures to learn their subject as well as how to teach. At least at AUT we just concentrate on how to teach, they assume we already know our subject.

Look really hard at what uni/college/school/whatever you go to learn to become a teacher. Learning in the right environment will make the transition much easier.

I agree with everything posted.

Subbing the second half really gives you the opportunity to meet more people, visit different schools and get your name known with principals. I feel you have more options and experience and know what grade you really like best...even though you take what you get..but later you might be able to switch.
You also see more rooms and get more ideas of what you would like to do.

I student taught the second the 2nd semester and had to follow what the teacher already set up and only knew one principal...my options were limited...

Mika

Thanks again for everyone's imput! I have decided to hold off until the fall to student teach. Now, what in the world should I do this spring while I wait besides take all the required tests--I'm open to suggestions!