Some of the best habits of teachers are formed while they are student teaching. Great student teachers can make their time in the classroom beneficial for themselves as well as the teacher they are partnered with. While teachers prepare to have a college student enter their classroom to being their student teaching journey, it is vital to help those pre professionals develop the following habits.
Help without being asked
In the early stages of a student teaching placement, the incoming teacher spends time observing in the classroom. While some individuals will take the time just to watch, others will jump right in and help with the students or complete tasks in the classroom. Not only does this help the student teacher to adjust to the classroom setting, but it also allows the students in the room the chance to interact with them before the student teacher takes over teaching lessons.
Step out of their comfort zones
Student teaching makes the most outgoing individuals step out of their comfort zone every single day they are in the classroom. Everyone has a limit on what they are and are not comfortable with doing, and fantastic student teachers know that this is the time to step outside of their comfort zone. This is the perfect time to try new approaches to different teaching styles with the support of the mentoring teacher.
Accepted Feedback
Everyone wants to know they are doing a good job and student teachers love to hear positive feedback from not only their students but the mentoring teacher they are paired. What is harder to swallow is critical feedback. A good student teacher will be able to accept when things didn’t go as planned and take the negative feedback and grow from it.
Flexibility
Things in the classroom can change instantly, and a great student teacher will be able to roll with the last minute changes. This gives them good practice for the teaching world and will help them adjust easier when the unpredictable happens in the classroom. Sometimes teachers are only given a few days notice, and they have to completely change the direction they were headed in with a specific lesson.
While student teaching can be challenging, a great student teacher will show up to the classroom every single day with a smile ready to tackle the day. This spring college students are taking the last steps before graduation and taking what they’ve learned and are applying it to a classroom setting. Good luck to our educators of tomorrow!