Special Education 451D: Student Teaching Developmental Disabilities

Full day participation in a classroom serving individuals with developmental cognitive delays.

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Minnesota State University Moorhead Student Teaching Handbook

Overall Objective:

The student will demonstrate competencies in teaching ability appropriate for learners identified as having developmental cognitive disabilities. Under the direction of a certified teacher, the student will be given teaching responsibilities. Responsibilities for the student teacher can be defined by referring to the section"Stages of Student Teaching" described on p. 12 of the Student Teaching Handbook.

Attendance (also refer to Student Teaching Handbook p. 9)

Attendance is based on the required days the supervising teacher is expected to be at the school. Absences are evaluated on the conditions prescribed to the teacher in the setting. Student teachers however, do not have any personal days and the supervising teacher as well as the university supervisor should approve absence due to illness.

Assignments/Responsibilities

Journal (additional information concerning the journal can be found on p. 10-11 of the Student Teaching Handbook).

• You will write a daily or bi-weekly journal, which should be available to your University supervisor, when he/she comes to observe you. The journal serves two purposes: 1) self-evaluation, and 2) documentation of your observations. NO confidential information should be divulged in the journal. Do not use the names of students, the teacher, or other school personnel.
• Self-evaluation is communicated by sharing thoughts/feeling of your performance in a teacher role at your field site placement. You can share what you know, what you don't know, what you need to know.
• You will also document what you have learned about: students, instruction and curriculum. Also, in your journal, reflect upon those experiences you have indicated in the following checklist.

Important!! Confidentiality is essential!

Pages 10-11 in the Student Teaching Handbook outline specific requirements for student teaching. Use these requirements as well as the stages identified on page 12 to define your responsibilities. Also, use the following checklist to guide your experiences. Keep this list in the front of your journal and as you participate/experience each, check them off and reflect upon the experience in your journal. Make the journal available to your university supervisor at each visit. You may also consider making a portfolio of your experiences.

_____ Review student files (in consultation with supervising teacher)

_____ Attend IEP meetings.

_____ Develop lesson plans for your instructional activities.

_____Collect and graph behavioral data. Data sheets of the behavioral data you collect should be made available to your University supervisor.

_____Consult and collaborate with teachers.

_____Communicate with parental contacts.

––––– Consult and collaborate with related service staff.

_____Consult and collaborate with paraprofessionals.During the lessons you teach, define the responsibilities of the paraprofessional in the lesson.

_____Use a variety of instructional techniques (e.g., task analysis, levels of prompting shaping, fading, direct instruction).

_____Review curriculum found in the classroom.

_____Review instructional materials found in the classroom.

_____Search the web for appropriate instructional materials/activities.

_____Review and implement assistive technology found in the setting.

_____Videotape yourself teaching.

You should also have prepared lesson plans developed for each visit from your University supervisor. Your lesson plan should follow the format provided on Dr. Severson's website. The plan should address IEP objective(s). Your university supervisor should observe you work with individual students as well as groups of students.

Guidelines to be successful.

• Be on time.
• Have good attendance.
• Show initiative.
• Be a professional in dress and manner (be concerned about wearing low cut tops and/or bare midriffs).
• Network with people.
• Be creative.
• Be observant.
• Ask for feedback.
• BE EXCITED!!!!

Other guidelines can be found on p. 13 of the Student Teaching Handbook.

Evaluation:

Grading: S (satisfactory) or F (fail).

The supervising teacher completes a midterm and final evaluation of your performance in the practicum experience. The university supervisor completes a final evaluation. The evaluation form contains criteria for evaluating student competencies of the Art and Science of Teaching Model. This becomes a part of your credential file.