Role of the University Supervisor
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University Supervisors are experienced teachers and administrators whose role as a liaison with the school district, with the cooperating teachers, and with the student teachers, is key. University supervisors assume the roles of consultant, counselor, resource person, evaluator, and administrator. The university supervisor is the principal representative of The University of Scranton Education Department with regard to student teaching. The supervisor’s primary goal is to help the student teacher achieve to the best of his or her ability. The supervisor visits the local school at least five times during the semester, or more frequently as needed. They serve as a valuable resource for student teachers, pointing out what student teachers need to do to improve, ensuring that student teachers are doing the planning and “homework” necessary to prepare properly, and overseeing the academic aspects of the student teacher’s preparation and delivery.
Supervisors are also a resource for analyzing and understanding the culture of the partner schools and helping the student teacher learn to relate successfully there. They will want to see evidence that student teachers are doing everything they can to prepare and deliver effective teaching methodology. If student teachers are experiencing doubt or conflicts about any aspect of the experience, they should be encouraged to consult with the university supervisor as soon as these feelings arise. As the eyes and ears of The University of Scranton, the supervisor will do whatever is possible to help student teachers succeed.
University supervisors will observe student teachers a minimum of four times during the semester. Additional observations may be necessary. University supervisors will combine their observations with feedback from the cooperating teacher to fully assess the student teacher.
Throughout the semester, student teachers are encouraged to discuss their progress with their cooperating teachers and with the university supervisors. It is to the advantage of all involved that whenever possible, there be a three-way discussion of the observed lesson, including the student teacher, the cooperating teacher, and the university supervisor. This helps to minimize any misunderstandings and promotes strategies for future development.
University Supervisors Responsibilities
- Attend the orientation session and meetings throughout the semester.
- Organize and facilitate weekly seminars with student teachers to allow both the supervisor and student teachers the opportunity to focus on general concerns of group members and to provide materials and/or instruction as needed. These seminars are mandatory for both the supervisor and the student teachers.
- Promote a positive relationship with the cooperating teacher by acting as a consultant in developing a quality student teaching experience.
- Assist with problem-solving.
- Maintain communication with the cooperating teacher and student teacher to discuss concerns and successes about the student teaching experience.
- Communicate with the cooperating teacher on a regular basis to discuss and to help plan a sequential schedule for assuming teaching duties.
- Provide insights and assist the student teacher in meeting program objectives.
- Serve as a resource to discuss concerns about the student’s teaching experience, as well as offering guidance in the areas of planning, instruction, management, and professional behavior.
- Make at least five visits to the school site during the semester. The initial visit takes place early in the student’s classroom assignment. It is a courtesy visit and does not require formal observation or evaluation. Thereafter, the student teacher is observed and evaluated on a regular basis. Supervisors record and report on a minimum of four observations of lessons taught. These observations are to be evenly spaced, approximately every fifteen days, in order to determine the development of the student teacher over the entire student teaching experience.
- Act in accordance with criteria established
throughout this handbook to remediate and/or remove a student from the student
teaching program when difficulties such as the following arise:
- Unprofessional behavior
- Lack of preparation for teacher duties
- Frequent tardiness or absenteeism
- Incompetence
- Determine the final grade of his/her student teachers, with the aid of the cooperating teacher’s evaluations, the student teacher’s log, class observations, and the student teacher’s final report. Supervisors communicate with the cooperating teacher regularly throughout the semester to make this determination.
- Maintain all paperwork related to the student teacher’s file, submitting it at the end of the semester to the Director of Field Placement
- Submit a mileage log at the end of the semester.