““I have come to a frightening conclusion. I have come to a frightening conclusion.

I am the decisive element in the classroom. I am the decisive element in the classroom.

It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my personal approach that creates the climate.

It is my daily mood that makes the weather. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.a child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. inspiration.

I can humiliate or humor, hurt, or heal. I can humiliate or humor, hurt, or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides In all situations, it is my response that decides whether crisis will be escalated or de-escalated whether crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.”and a child humanized or de-humanized.”

-- -- Hiam GinottHiam Ginott

A Thought for New Teachers to Ponder……..

Student TeachingStudent teaching is a gradual introduction Student teaching is a gradual introduction

into the role of a professional teacher…into the role of a professional teacher…Be observantBe observantShow initiativeShow initiativeAsk questionsAsk questionsShare ideas and new strategiesShare ideas and new strategies

The other side of the desk…The other side of the desk…AppearanceAppearanceMannerismsMannerismsLanguageLanguage

The next few months…A Major Impact on Your FutureA Major Impact on Your Future

You will be evaluated informallyYou will be evaluated informally by everyone…by everyone…

AbilitiesAbilities AppearanceAppearance AttitudeAttitude and more….grammar, penmanship, etc.and more….grammar, penmanship, etc.

Everything counts…Everything counts…

First impressions matter!First impressions matter!

The Ever Important…

Tips to a Great Handshake

1. Extend your hand and grip the other person's hand so that the web of your thumbs meet.

2. Shake just a couple of times.

The motion is from the elbow, not the shoulder.

3. End the handshake cleanly, before the introduction is over.

If you want to count, a good handshake is held for three or four seconds

Adapted and taken from: http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-704.html Adapted and taken from: http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-704.html

Remember you are a guest

in the classroom –

If at any time the teacher or administrator If at any time the teacher or administrator no longer wants you in the classroom…you no longer wants you in the classroom…you will be asked to leave!will be asked to leave!

All requirements in the remediation plan All requirements in the remediation plan developed by the department must be met developed by the department must be met before you are placed again.before you are placed again.

Calendar Issues

• Follow the school’s calendar once you begin student teaching – Follow the school’s calendar once you begin student teaching – not SCSU’s for holidays and spring break.not SCSU’s for holidays and spring break.

• Attend all staff in-service days and scheduled conferences.Attend all staff in-service days and scheduled conferences.

•Everyone please refer to your contracts/paperwork for dates that you are in the field.

• SPED students will receive specific dates and calendar SPED students will receive specific dates and calendar information from SPED faculty during the SPED meeting.information from SPED faculty during the SPED meeting.

Responsibilities of a Teacher Candidate:(complete list in handbook)

Follow the Code of Ethics for MN teachersFollow the Code of Ethics for MN teachers• Provide professional educational services in Provide professional educational services in

a non-discriminatory mannera non-discriminatory manner

• Protect the health and safety of studentsProtect the health and safety of students

• Maintain confidentialityMaintain confidentiality

• Use reasonable disciplinary actionUse reasonable disciplinary action

• Do not falsify or misrepresent records or Do not falsify or misrepresent records or facts about your qualificationsfacts about your qualifications

• Do not knowingly make false or malicious Do not knowingly make false or malicious statements about students or colleaguesstatements about students or colleagues

Expectations

MySpace/Facebook/TwitterBe careful!!December 4, 2008

Judge Sides With University Against Student-Teacher With 'Drunken Pirate' Photo

A federal judge has ruled against a former student who sued Millersville University of Pennsylvania for denying her a degree in education in connection with an online photo of her drinking, The Washington Post reported.

The former student, Stacy Snyder, sued Millersville in 2007. A year before, the nearby high school where Ms. Snyder was student-teaching had barred her from its campus days before the end of her semester-long assignment. Prior evaluations had criticized her competence and professionalism in the classroom, the legal decision says, but the school’s discovery of a photograph of Ms. Snyder on MySpace — with the caption “drunken pirate” and a note alluding to her strained relationship with her supervising teacher — precipitated the decision to end her assignment.

Taken From: http://chronicle.com/news/article/5614/judge-sides-with-university-against-student-teacher-with-drunken-pirate-photo?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

More MySpace/Facebook/TwitterApex, N.C. — An eighth-grade teacher at West Lake Middle

School in Apex has been suspended for five days with pay pending an investigation, Wake County school officials said Monday.

According to the attorney for a Charlotte, North Carolina teacher suspended for a comment made on her Facebook page, the postings were intended to be read only by friends to whom she granted access.

Teachers asked to 'unfriend' students on Facebook. Florida school district says teacher-student 'friending' is 'inappropriate‘

D'Amico is a Spanish teacher at Brownsville High School, south of Pittsburgh. She was given a 30-day suspension, later reduced to 19 days, after someone who attended a bachelorette party at her house posted the photo of her and the stripper.

EVEN MORE MySpace/Facebook/Twitter A Massachusetts school administrator  resigned at the end of last

week after posting on her Facebook page that the parents in her upscale town were  “arrogant” and “snobby.”

North Carolina’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools disciplined seven educators for their social networking postings, including an elementary school teacher who posted derogatory statements about her young students on Facebook.

While ex Barrow County teacher Ashley Payne still awaits her day in court over the Facebook page photos of her trip to Europe that landed her in hot water with her principal

A sociology professor at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania was suspended for a posting to her Facebook page, which she said she had on the highest privacy settings. Writing in jest, Professor Gloria Gadsden wrote: “Does anyone know where I can find a very discrete hitman? Yes, it’s been that kind of day?” A few months later, she posted, “had a good day today. DIDN’T want to kill even one student.”

Have you ever ‘googled’ yourself?

Try it!

Know what comes up.

A good general rule is that

your appearance should

serve as a role model for

young students to emulate.

attire that most public schools and districts prohibit

•Torn, tight, short, or revealing clothing•shorts or jeans (unless with permission or for special events)•T-shirts with non-school logos•hats (with the exception of those worn for religious or health reasons)•jewelry that causes noise or is distracting to the wearer or others• flip-flop sandals•open-toed shoes•sweat suits or other workout clothing (except for those who teach physical education)

Check your appearance…

Bend over…

Squat down…

Raise your arms…

Sit down…

If skin shows where it shouldn’t, CHANGE!

TOO HARD TO REMEMBER…

NO BOOBSNO BUTTSNO BELLIES

TRY THIS

Other Teacher Candidate Responsibilities Download or purchase the Download or purchase the

handbookhandbook Know the contents and expectationsKnow the contents and expectations

Eligibility!Eligibility! First Aid/CPR First Aid/CPR (HPE and CFS)(HPE and CFS) Liability InsuranceLiability Insurance Course requirements metCourse requirements met

You must be registered for You must be registered for student student

teaching!teaching!

What you need to provide for your supervisor:

• Contact InformationContact Information

• Weekly Schedule (if requested)Weekly Schedule (if requested)

• Reflective journal (electronic or handwritten). Every Reflective journal (electronic or handwritten). Every teacher candidate must maintain a daily journal…teacher candidate must maintain a daily journal…university supervisors may vary on how these are used university supervisors may vary on how these are used and evaluatedand evaluated

• Written and detailed lesson plansWritten and detailed lesson plans

• Every teacher candidate is expected to video tape Every teacher candidate is expected to video tape himself/herself teaching as an evaluative tool. Follow himself/herself teaching as an evaluative tool. Follow district procedures if parental permission is required or district procedures if parental permission is required or if the tape must be erased after a specified period of if the tape must be erased after a specified period of time.time.

• Evaluation forms (in the handbook) completed before Evaluation forms (in the handbook) completed before the final conferencethe final conference

Lesson Plans Lesson Plans (Additional information on handout)(Additional information on handout)

• All student teachers are required to prepare All student teachers are required to prepare lesson plans in a format that is acceptable to both lesson plans in a format that is acceptable to both the cooperating teacher and the university the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor.supervisor.

• Prepare a lesson plan for every lesson you are responsible for teaching. Ideally, you will share the plans with your cooperating teacher two days prior to the lesson.

JOB FAIRJOB FAIR

The Minnesota State Universities Job The Minnesota State Universities Job FairFair

will be will be in early Springin early Spring at the at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Minneapolis Convention Center.

Contact Career Services for more Contact Career Services for more informationinformation

Professional Development Conference

Monday, November 1Monday, November 1stst at at AtwoodAtwood

8:00 AM to 3:00 PM8:00 AM to 3:00 PMAll student teachers are required to attend. All student teachers are required to attend.

EXCEPTION:EXCEPTION:

Block 3 and CFS teacher candidates attend Block 3 and CFS teacher candidates attend

this conference during their this conference during their final final semester of student teaching.semester of student teaching.

Hats Off CelebrationWednesday,

December 15, 20103:30-6:00 p.m.

Downtown Mexican Village

Formal Evaluations

• Six formative evaluations will be completed by Six formative evaluations will be completed by your your university supervisoruniversity supervisor. . (Elem. & CFS three each semester)(Elem. & CFS three each semester)

• Six formative evaluations will be completed by Six formative evaluations will be completed by your your cooperating teachercooperating teacher. . (Elem. & CFS three each semester)(Elem. & CFS three each semester)

• A final summative evaluation will be completed at A final summative evaluation will be completed at the end of the student teaching experience by the the end of the student teaching experience by the university supervisor and your cooperating teacher.university supervisor and your cooperating teacher.

Evaluations are based on the ability to demonstrate progress Evaluations are based on the ability to demonstrate progress on the Standards for Effective Practice for Teachers on the Standards for Effective Practice for Teachers

1.1. Subject matterSubject matter

2.2. Student learningStudent learning

3.3. Diverse learnersDiverse learners

4.4. Instructional strategiesInstructional strategies

5.5. Learning environment Learning environment /classroom management/classroom management

6.6. CommunicationCommunication

7. Planning instruction7. Planning instruction 8. Assessment8. Assessment

9. Reflection/professional 9. Reflection/professional

developmentdevelopment

10. Partnerships10. Partnerships

11.11.Professional Professional DispositionsDispositions

St. Cloud State UniversityDispositional Statements

These characteristics are based upon the These characteristics are based upon the INTASC consortium principles and other INTASC consortium principles and other resources on effective teaching and reflect resources on effective teaching and reflect the dispositions expected of graduates of the dispositions expected of graduates of the College of Education at St. Cloud State the College of Education at St. Cloud State UniversityUniversity

Each of these characteristics/dispositions Each of these characteristics/dispositions may be used to evaluate a teacher may be used to evaluate a teacher candidate:candidate:

. • Have a Have a passionpassion for teaching that is evident for teaching that is evident • Demonstrate Demonstrate enthusiasmenthusiasm for learning and for learning and

teachingteaching• Believe Believe all students can learn;all students can learn; respect respect them them

as individualsas individuals• EnjoyEnjoy working with children and/or young working with children and/or young

adults;adults;• Exhibit a commitment to understanding how Exhibit a commitment to understanding how

children learn and developchildren learn and develop• Value the Value the contributions and needs of diverse contributions and needs of diverse

learnerslearners• Understand the need to create a Understand the need to create a positive positive

learning environmentlearning environment• Value Value active inquiry, reflection and problem-active inquiry, reflection and problem-

solving solving as student skillsas student skills

Dispositional StatementsDispositional Statements

• Value working Value working collaboratively with school collaboratively with school colleagues, parents, the community and colleagues, parents, the community and studentsstudents

• Believe that instruction should be Believe that instruction should be linkedlinked to to standards, curriculum and studentsstandards, curriculum and students

• Value Value ongoing assessment ongoing assessment strategiesstrategies

• Examine actions continuously as a reflective Examine actions continuously as a reflective practitioner and believe in life-long learningpractitioner and believe in life-long learning

• Have an Have an opennessopenness to constructive criticism to constructive criticism

• Have a Have a strong work ethic strong work ethic and a mature, and a mature, professional demeanor.professional demeanor.

(Some information was adapted from(Some information was adapted from materials created by John Hopkins University)materials created by John Hopkins University)

Skills Employers Seek from 2009 SCSU Job Outlook Survey (conducted by Andy Ditlevson, CSC)Honesty/IntegrityCommunication (verbal and written)Interpersonal (relates well to others)Teamwork (works well with others)Strong Work EthicMotivation/InitiativeFlexibility/AdaptabilityProfessionalism/EtiquetteCustomer ServiceDetailed OrientedOrganizational Skills

QUESTIONS?

PART TWOPART TWOCRITICAL ISSUES CRITICAL ISSUES

FOR FOR

ALL ALL

EDUCATORSEDUCATORS

Fran UmerskiFran Umerski

Director of Office of Clinical ExperiencesDirector of Office of Clinical Experiences

Six Important issues Six Important issues

that impact all teachersthat impact all teachers• Data Privacy • Boundary Issues• Personal Relationships• Child Abuse• Cultural Competence • School Safety

Taken From: (Education Minnesota, Classroom Essentials 2007-08)

Data Privacy Issues:Data Privacy Issues:Keep student information private

Much of the information you will deal with is private educational data on students and is protected by both state and federal privacy laws.

Sharing information when there is no valid educational reason for doing so may subject you to discipline by the district and to civil liability.

When discussing students with colleagues, ask yourself whether the discussion is really necessary to provide educational services to the student.

Do not discuss individual students outside the school setting.

Be sure volunteers in your classroom know they must keep information on students private.

•Do not release information

•If you can’t release something in written form, you can’t release it orally.

•Do not list the names of top scorers or students who need to turn in work.

•Do not post students’ work on your class Web site unless you have their parents’ permission.

•Ask if your district allows you to display photos of students or send home videos of students.

•If in doubt, when asked for information, withhold the requested information until you check with your principal.

•If anyone questions you about a student, respond simply that the information is private student data and that you cannot discuss it.

Boundary Issues““Don’t let allegations of inappropriate touch ruin your career”Don’t let allegations of inappropriate touch ruin your career”

It’s sad but true. Every year a dozen or more Minnesota teachers on average are accused of inappropriate touch. Even when the charges are proven false, the impact on you personally, your career and your colleagues can be devastating.

Be aware of, and sensitive to, physical and emotional boundaries.

Remember, you are not your students’ friend—you are their teacher.

Let professional counselors and psychologists assist them with emotional issues.

Here are some ways to reduce the risk of being accused:

Avoid physical horseplay with students. Don’t let students sit on your lap.Do not meet with students alone in a closed setting. If you are male, be especially careful. Regardless of gender, if you teach fifth grade or above, avoid

touching any students unless absolutely necessary.Avoid personal notes to students unless they deal solely with

educational matters. Be especially careful with e-mail, MySpace websites, and instant Internet and text messages.

Use extreme caution when meeting with students in non-school settings, especially when other adults are not present. You should always have parent and district approval.

Never use physical force to punish a student.

Personal Relationships…• AVOID…• Not Acceptable…• Teachers “in the news”• You WILL lose your license!

• They did!

Child AbuseChild Abuse““Teachers must report suspected abuse”Teachers must report suspected abuse”

If you know or have reason to believe that one of your students has been the victim of child abuse or neglect, Minnesota law requires that you report it

It is not sufficient to simply report it to the administration.

The law also provides you with immunity for reports made in good faith.

If you are unsure, you should err on the side of reporting and leave the investigation to the proper authorities.

has a pattern of unexplained injuries or an inordinate number of “explained” ones

inappropriately dressed for the seasonhabitually late or often absentarrives early and leaves late because he or she is

reluctant to go homeunusually fearful of adults or other childrengoes to the bathroom with difficulty or has trouble

sittingconstantly tired or shows evidence of malnutrition

One sign or symptom may not necessarily indicate child One sign or symptom may not necessarily indicate child abuse, but some clues might lead you to suspect it:abuse, but some clues might lead you to suspect it:

Cultural Competence

““The ability to The ability to work effectively across all work effectively across all cultures in a way that cultures in a way that acknowledges and respects acknowledges and respects the culture of the person or the culture of the person or organization being served.” organization being served.” (Hanley 1999)(Hanley 1999)

““If there is a lack of a close fit If there is a lack of a close fit between the primary cultures between the primary cultures of teachers and students, of teachers and students, students are at risk for school students are at risk for school difficulties.” (Cooper, 2002)difficulties.” (Cooper, 2002)

•Respect cultural differencesRespect cultural differences

•Believe all students are capable of learningBelieve all students are capable of learning

•Have a sense of efficacyHave a sense of efficacy

•Know the cultural resources that students bring to schoolKnow the cultural resources that students bring to school

•Be aware of the culture of their classroomBe aware of the culture of their classroom

•Implement an enriched curriculum for all studentsImplement an enriched curriculum for all students

•““Build bridges between instructional content, materials, and methods, Build bridges between instructional content, materials, and methods, and the cultural background of their students.” (Cooper, 2002)and the cultural background of their students.” (Cooper, 2002)

•Be aware of cultural differences when evaluating studentsBe aware of cultural differences when evaluating students

•Be aware of their OWN culture in the classroomBe aware of their OWN culture in the classroom

Teachers Should:

SCHOOL SAFETY“Help provide a safe learning environment”Statistically, public schools are

one of the safest places for children.

But it is still essential to be prepared for the possibility of violence or other life-threatening emergencies.

Where do you start?Familiarize yourself with your district’s crisis management policy. Make sure you receive training in crisis procedures, including

opportunities to practice the procedures with students present. Lock down procedures Police canines

Know your school buildingKnow the staff and other adults authorized to be in your school. Pay attention to warning signs that a student could become

violent. Help foster a safe and respectful environment in your

classroom and school. For additional assistance, you can access Education Minnesota’s

Crisis Response Team through your building representative or local president.

QUESTIONS?