Cooperating Teacher Policies

Rules/Regulations/Responsibilities
Coursework
Confidentiality
Dress and Deportment
Coaching
Work
Substituting
Illegal substances
Due Process
Bill of Rights for Children
Site Placement Change Policy
Procedures and Criteria for Waivers/Dispute/Resolution/Appeals

Observation of School Policies: Although the intern is not a paid employee of the school district, s/he will be viewed as a member of the school faculty and is expected to observe the regulations and policies required of the teacher, from the beginning to the end of the internship experience. S/he is expected to attend school regularly, be on time, and not leave early (except in emergencies). The internship period consists of a year-long or semester-long program beginning with the first day of the school in late August and/or with the district calendar in January. The primary goal of the internship experience is to integrate teacher preparation course work with the realities of today's classroom.    

Absenteeism: The internship experience should be considered a full-time endeavor. As with any other professional level position, a minimum amount of on-the-job time will reap the minimum benefits. The commitment and quality of work of the intern is important for the intern's professional education and to an intern's opportunity for employment within the profession. The schedule of the cooperating teacher will be followed in reporting to and leaving school. Attendance at faculty meeting, parent-teacher conferences, and professional development activities is expected. The vacation schedule of the cooperating teacher's school district will be followed, not the University's vacation schedule.

Rules/Regulations/Responsibilities

The Teaching Day:  Interns are required to put in the same teaching day that is required of al teachers in the schools to which they are assigned, and they are required of school faculty. No university affiliations or other responsibilities should interfere with or detract from full and conscientious participation in the teaching day.                  

Planning: First, the beginning teacher has a much greater need to think through, in advance, all facets of teaching than does an experienced teacher. Careful preparation eliminates many potential problems or weaknesses in a lesson and gives the intern a reference point for evaluation the success of the lesson. Second, the plans and the evaluations give supervisors insight into the intern's progress, and provide a useful base from which to give help. Unit, block, and lesson plans should be prepared carefully sine they ill become a major resource for daily lessons.  Regardless of the format, lesson plans will include: student learning outcomes with criteria; teacher goals; summary or outline of teacher input; student learning activities with progressions and cues; organization of learners; and assessment procedures.                  

After School Programs: Experience in an after school extracurricular program, such as coaching an athletic team, is optional during the internship experience. Each intern is encouraged to gain as much experience in after school programs as is possible and reasonable. The interns' primary responsibility is to plan, teach, and assess the students in their assigned classes. After-school activities must not detract from that responsibility. If interns are not making satisfactory progress in teaching, they will be asked to refrain from any outside activities.              

Attending Special Events: Special events (e.g., workshops, trainings, state AHPERD conference, job fairs) sponsored by the school district or other professional organizations occur each semester. Attending these special events is based on the discretion of your cooperating teacher/school administration.

Coursework

The internship may be considered "full time.' Thus, it is generally required that all university coursework be completed prior to the internship. Due to the time commitment of the internship, it is strongly recommend, if not required by the university, that the intern have no coursework requirements during this time. In some unusual cases, interns may be allowed to do coursework if permission has been granted by the university and the cooperating teacher.  

 Confidentiality  

The intern must become familiar with and adhere to all policies regarding confidentiality. Violations of confidentiality may result the intern's removal from the internship. There will be multiple situations in which the intern will have access to confidential information. All confidential information must be treated as such. Additionally, interns:

• Are expected to respect the privacy and dignity of the children and families with whom they work. In casual or social conversations, sensitive information about teachers, students, families, should not be given or relayed.
• Should also do responsible for becoming familiar with school policies on photographing or videotaping students. Policies may require parent/guardian permission, as well as administrator approval.
• Should be sensitive to confidential information if the intern generates or enhances a portfolio during the internship. Students should not be identified by name and other personal information should not be included.

Dress and Deportment 
 

The intern must display professional behavior during all aspects of the internship. This includes, but is not limited to dress, interactions, behaviors, etc. The intern is expected to:

• Present a positive professional image; therefore, attire for teaching physical education is to be appropriate to the activity or class.
• React appropriately to stressful situations
• Accept and give constructive feedback appropriately.
• Be respectful and considerate of all others in the building (including students, administrators, teachers, parents/guardians, staff, colleagues, etc.).

Coaching  

Coaching may be a part of your role while completing the internship experience. After all, it is highly likely that you will take on the responsibilities associated with coaching a team in your first year of teaching. However, you may not accept the role of head athletic coach at any grade level, whether paid or voluntary, during the internship; this means that you can accept the role of an assistant athletic coach.

Work

Inasmuch as school-related or extracurricular activities may involve the intern until late in the school day, additional employment may jeopardize the health, welfare, and success of the intern. The intern's schedules need to permit them to attend school, meetings, and functions, and have enough time outside the school day to plan, prepare, and review class and course assignments. It is highly recommended, therefore, that you do not assume a job during the internship experience. The internship experience is your job!

  Substituting  

There may be occasions when an intern's cooperating teacher is absent and the intern may be asked to assume responsibility for the cooperating teacher's classroom. Interns may work as paid substitute teachers a limited amount of days for their cooperating teacher in school and classroom where assigned after the appropriate measure have been taken. Appropriate measures include but are not limited to the following:

• Meet school district requirements for substitute teaching (e.g. substitute teacher certification)
• Cooperating teacher's recommendation
• University supervisor's recommendation
• Substituting in the classroom assigned for the internship In the above case the building principal becomes responsible for the supervision of the intern.

      Illegal Substances  

The University Drug and Alcohol Policy which prohibits the possession or use of illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages will be enforced in classes and field placements. Students are expected to be free of the influence of such substances in classes and field placements. Tobacco is not be used on school property. Beepers and cellular phones should only be used with the permission of the mentor's teacher.  

                   Due Process                  

Interns are required to follow standards of behavior that guarantee the physical and emotional safety of students. If an intern violates the standard of reasonable and prudent behavior in interactions with students, they will be subject to disciplinary action and accorded the same due process protection as teachers.

The steps of due process are:  

• First Incident: Mentor teacher will talk with the intern about the incident. Specific ideas for dealing with the situation will be generated. The Mentor teacher will keep a written record of the date, incident, and items covered in the discussion. The Intern will also write a description of the incident.  
• Second Incident: Intern, Mentor teacher, and Intern supervisor meet. Discussion includes specific examples. After the meeting, written memo will be prepared and distributed to all three parties, which includes the intern's understanding of the incident and the meeting.  
• Third Incident: Intern, university supervisor, and school administrator meet. Specific examples and consequences are discussed. Written memo from school administrator and university supervisor is sent to all parties after the meeting.  
• Fourth Incident: Intern, university supervisor, school administrator, and university administrator meet to discuss Intern options. A written letter is prepared for follow-up.  

In cases deemed more severe by university and/or school personnel, this process will be modified where needed.   This procedure is a private process between the intern and program coordinator(s). Confidentiality is a legal and ethical right of the Intern.

Bill of Rights for Children  

We, the people of the United States, in order to achieve a more perfect society, fulfill our moral obligations, further our founding ideals and preserve the continued blessings of liberty, do hereby proclaim this Bill of Rights for Children.                 

I.      No child in a land of abundance shall be wanting for plentiful and nutritional food.              
II.     A society as advanced in medical knowledge and abilities as ours shall not deny medical attention to any child in need.            
III.    Whereas security is an essential requirement to a child's healthy development, the basic security of a place to live shall be guaranteed to every child.           
IV.    To ensure the potential of the individual and the nation, every child at school shall have the right to a quality education.            
V.     The government, whose primary role is to protect and defend at all levels, shall assure that children are safeguarded from abuse, violence, and discrimination.

Site Placement Change Policy  

Consideration of a request for a site placement change requires a thorough review of the student teacher's current placement and program.  

Procedures  

1. Formal request for a site placement change must be made to the appropriate program coordinator. A written description of the request, the person requesting the change and the rationale for the request will be placed in the student's file.  

2. The appropriate program representative (e.g., program coordinator, program chair) will convene a conference to discuss the request. The student, university supervisor, and others as needed (e.g. cooperating teacher, campus instructor, public school supervisors, Field Placement Coordinator) will attend the conference. A summary of the meeting will be placed in the student's file.  

3. If appropriate, a plan of assistance for improvement to deal with problems at the current placement site will be prepared by the office of the Field Placement in consultation with the university supervisor and other program and/or public school representatives. A copy of the plan of assistance for improvement will be placed in the student's file.  

4. If appropriate, a site change will be recommended and a program representative will work with the Field Placement Coordinator to identify a new placement.

Procedures and Criteria for Waivers/Dispute/Resolution/Appeals

Procedures for the waiver of classes on a course-by-course basis have been established. Any petition that is denied may be appealed to the Director of Teacher Education in the College of Education. Procedures for appeals are listed on the reverse side of the petition form.

Criteria for the waiver of courses shall be on the basis of either:

1.      A waiver by examination which demonstrates the student's ability to apply the knowledge the courses were intended to develop, or

2.      A review of the student's transcripts and descriptions of courses taken at other accredited collegiate institutions confirming that the student has equivalent course work.

Any dispute in which the University supervisor and the cooperating teacher fail to agree that the candidate demonstrated the competencies required for successful completion of the student teaching experience will be reviewed by the Director of Teacher Education in the College of Education. The Director will make a formal recommendation to the Dean of the College of Education who may accept, reject, or modify the recommendation of the Director.

Students denied recommendation for licensure on the basis of unsatisfactory performance in the program may follow the appeal procedures outlined in the Student Petition for Exception form. All appeals will be referred by the Dean of the College of Education directly to the Director of Teacher Education in the College of Education for review and recommendation(s). All recommendations are advisory to the Dean who may accept, reject, or modify the recommendations of the Director.