Majid Mohammed

1 STUDENT TEACHERS: A STARTING POINT

1. What is a Practicum:-
In line with how teaching is conceptualized in the 21st century, the practicum is a period of
time during initial teacher education that student teachers are attached to schools, in order to
experience what it means to teach. It provides an opportunity for student teachers to practice
and at the same time, to reflect about their practice. It provides a platform for inquiry, for
trying ideas within supportive, collaborative relationships, and for talking about teaching and
learning in new ways. It enables student teachers to acquire beginning teaching competencies.
It also helps prepare them for the realities of teaching by providing them with a clear
understanding of the meaning of their profession and the contexts for schooling.
During practicum, student teachers are mentored and guided by their School Teachers and the
university Supervisors through focused conversations (if applicable) and systematic
observations. Student teachers will have the opportunities to become involved with, and
actively participate in all aspects of the school’s activities.
Through these experiences, student teachers will learn to acquire the necessary values, skills
and knowledge for teaching effectively in this new landscape.
 2. VALUE OF THE PRACTICUM
The practicum programme is an opportunity for student teachers to engage in a dynamic and iterative
cycle of inquiry within a variety practicum settings. It is within these various communities that our student-
teachers are exposed to ideas of teaching and learning, engage in discussion about these ideas, and
are provided with opportunities to test their professional knowledge and practice in a variety of
settings. The practicum:
1. Allows the student -teachers to learn and grow as teachers through observing and participating in the
day-to- day realities of teaching in school settings;
2. Provides student -teachers with periods of observation and classroom interaction in different
classrooms ;
3. Allows the student -teachers to appreciate and gain insights regarding school culture and the
professional community in which they work;
4. Provides a context within which student -teachers are able to question, reflect, and entertain
uncertainty as they articulate and examine their own understandings of teaching, and learning;
5. Enables student -teachers to demonstrate an increased understanding of their developing self as a
teacher.
 3. STUDENT-TEACHERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Student -teachers’ responsibilities in pre-practicum
The aims of this period are to:
• deepen the quality of learning, in the form of critical thinking or developing a questioning attitude.
• enable the student-teacher to understand their own learning process.
• facilitate learning from experience.
• increase active involvement in learning and personal ownership of learning.
• increase the ability to reflect and improve the quality of learning.
• enhance problem-solving skills.
• enhance professional practice or the professional self in practice.
• explore the self-personal constructs of meaning and one's view of the world.
• enhance the personal value of the self towards self-empowerment.
• enhance creativity by making better use of intuitive understanding .
• provide an alternative 'voice' for those not good at expressing themselves.
• foster reflective and creative interaction in a group.
 STUDENT TEACHERS WHO WILL:
• show enthusiasm towards the programme.
• make real use of the material. • read the objectives of each chapter so that they will learn how to
formulate their own objectives when they enrolled in the teaching process.
• read the glossary of each chapter. • seethe required CD for each chapter.
• explore teaching strategies, learning activities and resources. • engage in different roles and perform all tasks.
• participate in teaching. • engage in self, peer and group evaluation of
his/her and other student-teachers’ performance.
• reflect on your own performance. • anticipate feedback and suggestions,
and take a positive attitude toward them.
• maintain openness toward other points of view. • incorporate suggestions discussed
and agreed upon into your teaching quickly and consistently.
• ask questions, when needed, to clarify criticism and suggestions. Since your ability to incorporate suggested
changes into your teaching is important, make sure you understand the suggestions.
 2. STUDENT TEACHERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE PRACTICUM
Student-teachers are being welcomed into a school by the principal and
staff as associated members of the teaching profession and are expected
to take on the responsibilities assigned by the school principal and the
Associate Teacher. You will be both a learner and a teacher. You will be
able to test your knowledge of your discipline and your skills of teaching
technique, but, most important of all, you will learn much about people,
especially about your students and yourself.
Student-teachers are expected to follow the school culture, expectations,
procedures, and daily routines and engage in the daily life of the school.
 The student- teacher is expected to take into account the following six
Guiding Principles:
• Knowledge
The student- teacher is expected to be well-grounded in student development, the content areas that are central to
teaching, and assessment strategies.
• Learning Environment
The student - teacher is expected to create and nurture positive physical, social, and academic learning environments.
• Personalized Learning
The student - teacher is expected to understand their pupils’ ability levels, interests, and learning styles. The student
teacher demonstrates instruction that reflects the diversity among all learners.
• Community
The student- teacher is expected to understand and to be involved in the academic learning community. The student
teacher builds and develops relationships within the school, corporation, and community.
• Reflection
The student-teacher is expected to reflect continuously on all aspects of the teaching experience to identify ways for
improvement as an individual, as a part of the school community, and as part of the teaching profession.
7
• Growth
The student- teacher is expected to develop a philosophy of teaching and learning, which demonstrates continuous
professional growth in values, commitments, and professional judgments.
 GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING STUDENT TEACHING
The following are some general guidelines to be taken into account during
student teaching:
1. Know and follow school rules and procedures.
2. Read the school’s handbooks, and follow all rules and procedures while in the
school. Also be sure to follow instructions for parking and for signing in and out.
3. Be reliable and on time. Before student-teachers begin a placement, they should
carefully review the college and school calendars, along with their personal
calendar, paying close attention to early dismissal and in-service days, holiday
closings, field trip and testing days, as well as college vacations. student-teachers
begin and end student teaching according to the College semester schedule, but
follow the school calendar, not the College calendar, for days off. student-teachers
are expected to be at their school every day, all day.
 GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING STUDENT TEACHING
4. Dress professionally. Wear professional-looking attire. First impressions are
lasting and influence how students and staff treat you.
5. Maintain strict confidentiality. Do not discuss individual students outside the
school setting. Most student data is private and should not be released to anyone
but the student, parents, and staff with a legitimate educational interest. Do not
make public lists of students who received the top scores or the names of students
who need to turn in work. Always check school policy to determine whether
pictures or video clips of students can be used for bulletin boards, included in the
candidate portfolio, or reproduced in any way.
6. Practice professional dispositions. Time in the school should focus on the student
teaching experience and practicing professional dispositions.
 GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING STUDENT TEACHING
7. Maintain a professional relationship with students. Here are some suggestions
to maintain a professional relationship with students:
a. Do not meet with students alone in a closed setting. Have another adult
present when meeting with a student privately and keep the door open. Be
aware of and sensitive to physical and emotional boundaries. Everyone’s
boundaries are different.
b. Do not meet with students in non-school settings, especially when other
adults are not present.
c. Never use physical force to punish a student.
8. Accept direction and feedback gracefully. It is important to remember that
student teaching provides a safe, sheltered environment for student-teachers to
develop a realistic picture of their own personal strengths and weaknesses. Studentteachers should accept all
comments and suggestions as sincere efforts to enhance
their professional growth and development.
9. Patience. Be willing to explain the point as many times as necessary.
 GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING STUDENT TEACHING
10. Organization.Have well-prepared lessons and have a sense of purpose and
direction for the course as a whole.
11. Awareness of need. Be aware of students’ difficulties and problems.
12. Flexibility and imagination. Use textbooks with discrimination and to bring
other materials to supplement or replace unsuitable or uninteresting textbooks.
13. Variety and balance. Try to provide a varied of grammar, vocabulary, listening,
and speaking practice.
3. STUDENT TEACHERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES : POST –PRACTICUM
Post-Practicum is the phase when student-teachers finish and return back to their colleges or
universities. During this phase the student-teachers’ responsibilities can be inferred as follow:
1. Identify areas of strength and areas of weakness.
2. Share on how their practicum experience helped to develop their teaching competencies.
 4. HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS: HOW TO STAY FRESH IN THE CLASSROOM
Habit 1: Be Proactive
• Act in the classroom , not re-act.
• Every teacher needs a pause button.
• Don’t create problems for yourself.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
• Teachers need a destination and a compass.
• A Teacher’s Mission Statement-Why did you become a teacher?
• The end should always be “what is best for the students under your care?”
• Planning ahead always makes things better.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
• Establish priorities in the classroom
 4. HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS: HOW TO STAY FRESH IN THE CLASSROOM

Habit 4: Seek First to Understand.

• Recognize your prejudices in the classroom and work to overcome them.
• Practice Empathic listening.
• Give honest feedback to students.
Habit 5: Synergize
• Work together with coworkers, parents, students, and administrators.
• Value and celebrate differences.
• Involve people in the problem and work out the solution together.
Habit 6: Sharpen the Saw
• Renew yourself: Physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually.
• Nurture your relationship with students.
• Always grow-be a better teacher tomorrow than you were today.
 WARM-UP ACTIVITIES
Ice Breaking Activities
These activities allow the students to get know each other in a nonconfrontational, low anxiety
atmosphere.
In groups, read and discuss following activities. Then try to practise them.
Interview
Divide the students into pairs. Ask them to take three minutes to interview each other. Each
interviewer has to find 3 interesting facts about their partner. Bring everyone back to together and
ask everyone to present the 3 facts about their partner to the rest of the group. Watch the time on
this one, keep it moving along.
My name is?
Go around the group and ask each student to state his/her name and attach an adjective that not
only describes a dominant characteristic, but also starts with the same letter of his name e.g.
generous Grahame, dynamic Dave. Write them down and refer to them by this for the rest of the
evening.
 • BRAINSTORMING

If you are working in a group

• First, note down your own answers alone.
• Share with the other members of the group.
• Check the answers together.
1. What opportunities does practicum programme give student-teachers?
2. In what cases can practicum activity help student-teachers?
3. What are the student teachers’ responsibilities to the school where they are
placed?
4. Who observes the student teachers' performance?
5. What can observations focus on?
6. Do you think that the student-teachers’ success during the practicum setting
depends on their success in pre-practicum setting? How?