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The role of a student teacher is multi-faceted. One must take the student teaching assignment and treat it as any real job, because it is just as important. It is also the time where a student gets to see theory in action and what their future daily routines will look like. The Student teacher must be organized and responsible to be successful. Before the placement begins, one should familiarize with the school (how to get there, times, duties). It is very important to treat this usually unpaid assignment as a real job(don't be late!) because the references you receive will play a role in future hiring, especially for new teachers. It is important not to be late, to be prepared, to be resourceful, attentive to directions, and to wear a smile and be courteous to all. This includes the school secretary who sometimes can be priceless as far as making your daily life in a school run smoothly.(copies, substitutes,etc.) Let me add how important it is not to skip the lunch scene in a school. You do not want to fall into the clique mentality (some schools really revert you back to high school) but it is important to be seen , to get introduced, and to be nice to all. It is easier to fall into a same age peer group but you should also be kind and open to other teachers especially some veteran teachers. They can really help you out in time of distress but also you can learn lots from just observing seasoned teachers. (this is regardless of whether you admire their style or not). One should also keep a teacher journal to reflect on each day, write any problems or epiphanies on how to solve them, express your emotions. The mentor you have been assigned should keep weekly meetings and give you feedback. If you are not getting the feedback you need , be more specific. Remember the mentor is there to guide you , not to spoon feed you information. Teaching is something you learn from the heart , on the job.There may be some difficult unexpected things you learn during this time and if anything is stressing you out,your mentor should be able to help. Some new teachers are surprised at the pace or the many hats a teacher now wears, expecting a classroom scene of the 50's.Remember to organize ahead, it really shows if unprepared. Your background, interests, subjects are all tools that will come in handy. One needs to relate to the students in the class but take clues from the teacher. At some point you will either be teaching the class in one or more areas. Remember to observe the students, learn their skill level interests. Gear your lessons without overpowering the regular teacher's efforts. There are some teachers who don't give you full reign of their classes and others who let you completely take over. One needs to be ready to just do whatever comes up, go with the flow, stay calm, and remember that the children are the focus. Smile, Smile, smile and enjoy this special learning experience. You'll be seasoned before you know it.

Learn more about this author, Gia Kispar.
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