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Well, this is awkward, but I am desperate for advice. My daughter, T., was 2 weeks away from graduating at with her teaching degree. A little background into T's story - she does have mild ADD, and an anxiety issue which has been well-controlled and not an issue prior to this semester. She did not ask for accommodations when she transferred from a 2-year program to the university, because she felt she did not need them. She has been a student in good standing but did receive an Incomplete last semester because she and the professor (who just happens to be her advisor) both felt a paper she submitted could have been written better. She requested the opportunity to rewrite the paper and was subsequently given a B for the course. Her field experience in December was excellent and she received glowing reviews with a record number of exceeds expectations from her cooperating teacher in the Fall Semester. (It was a different school too, and she had a great relationship with the other staff there as well) She scored extremely well in her Praxis exams and some other Standardized Reading test that I can't remember the name of.
She had a different cooperating teacher this Spring and it has been a nightmare. This teacher was very controlling and criticizing, even going as far as to interrupt while T. is trying to teach or will stand there, arms crossed and shaking her head. She has stated she does not believe in positive feedback because "it is not her job to baby students." Let's just say it was not a good match. It was obvious that the student teacher who came home in December passionate about education and her school and the kids was not the same student teacher we were now seeing. She was anxious and deflated. As parents, we patted T on the back and told her that she was going to have to learn to get along with "difficult" people and to do the best she could. We also encouraged her to speak to her teacher and her advisor. Any attempt on T's part to talk with to her faculty advisor was essentially shut down. Predictably the end result was a huge flare in T's anxiety. (Constant criticism and lack of encouragement -> fear of turning plans in which were not perfect -> of course they are never perfect -> repeat cycle). Despite this, T's midterm evaluation, while not perfect, was satisfactory, with some areas needing improvement. In fact, T's faculty adviser gave her a letter of recommendation for an interview she had in March and on 4/5 gave her a written evaluation after an observation which had 9 meets targets, 16 acceptables and 4 needs improvements.
Last week, she met with her cooperating teacher and her faculty adviser, a meeting that was held midday, while she was teaching. They informed her they were not going to sign off on her teacher certification, or allow her to graduate, because she was anxious and the cooperative teacher doubts her ability to manage a class 8 hours a day, five days a week. She has never been given the opportunity to do so, so I am not sure how this assessment was done. Oh, and she has a pattern of turning in work late. T tried to explain about why her plans were late - the teacher requested multiple revisions, etc, but her adviser brought up the Incomplete grade last semester (which was not a field experience grade) She was given no Plan of Improvement, and never received any warning that this was a possibility. When she asked if she could repeat the experience again in September, they told her "it would not be a good idea, because they didn't think she would be "well" by then." She was completely devastated, but returned to the classroom to teach, which is more than I could have done.
Anyhow, she spoke to her psychiatrist who manages her ADD, and he felt that the school was completely out of line - they should have given her a Plan of Improvement as delineated in their Student Handbook, they should never waited until 2 weeks before graduation before presenting this to her as there is no opportunity for remediation, etc. He recommended that she go to student counseling (he is 4 hours away from her school), and to ask about repeating the semester with appropriate accommodations, and counseling throughout the summer to deal with her anxiety. (This experience has been so bad T has developed a stutter. This was a kid who won the State 4-H Public Speaking Contest!) When she asked her advisor about this, his response was "Oh, so you are going that route? Well, principals don't give accommodations ... And I am surprised that you and your psychiatrist are willing to take the gamble on you being successful in September." Yup, he really said that ....T. recounted this to her psychiatrist, who then requested that T ask for another meeting with the Dean in charge of Field Placement, and her adviser, and that we attend, acting as T's advocates. He feels that T is plainly being treated unfairly, but she is so shell-shocked she cannot even mount a defense. The problem is that all of this is time-sensitive, so it kind of needs to be dealt with ... I called the Dean and she agreed to a meeting, but stated T had to arrange it with her adviser. His response was "Fine, but its not going to change anything." Ughhhh!!!
So we meet tomorrow .... my questions are:
1) if the Field Experience Handbook says there should be a written Plan for Improvement if the advisor
or cooperative teacher feels a student is at risk for failing, does that mean they have to?
2.) Is it really okay for them to make this decision two weeks before graduation? Even if there was a plan, she couldn't address it anyway ...
3.) Why would an advisor essentially tell a student that even if they got help for a medical issue, in his opinion the student couldn't be well enough the following semester to be successful?
4) if they were supposed to do a Plan per their own policy, and they did not, what should be done?
T. just wants the opportunity to try again in September, in another school, with another teacher. I would like her to be with the teacher she had in the Fall or someone she recommends, because if this gets ugly, and I feel it has potential to do so, I feel that trying again in the school where she is currently at will be detrimental.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 04-24-2013 at 06:42 AM..
Reason: Added paragraphs for readability
Yes, if their handbook states making a remediation plan, then that's what they should have done. Have your daughter (NOT YOU, because college students are grown ups and shouldn't need their mother handling things for them) document everything and take it to the dean.
Believe me we would rather not be involved ... And T begged us not to - for exactly the reason you stated. The concern is that the advisor is pushing her to take an F and change her major (and to make that decision in the next day or two), or take an Medical Leave (which her doc doesn't even think she needs). Interestingly enough they failed to inform her if she takes a medical leave she has to reapply to be admitted. So in addition to not giving her a Plan Of Improvement, and not giving her time for any remediation, they are putting a lot of pressure on her to make a decision that has serious consequences for her future, all at a time when she is literally shell-shocked. She needs an advocate and there are apparently little options for student teachers, especially given the time constraints here. But she did find that information in the Handbook, and is putting together a presentation, so hopefully this will work out. What do you think the University should offer her since they did not write a Plan?
First of all, I completely understand how a bad cooperating teacher can turn even the most well qualified person into a gigantic mess of worries.
The key thing is to try to salvage the situation.
You daughter should insist that they follow the student teacher handbook. It probably has dates, such as Improvement Plans must be set up at least one month (more likely, six weeks) before the end of the semester for any student teacher who is in danger of failing.
She should tell them that the University did not follow their own handbook therefore they must give her another opportunity to do a placement in fall.
As the other poster stated, Mom feel free to give advice/help/ moral support to your daughter but under no circumstances should you get involved.
Your daughter may be able to get her first semester cooperating teacher involved by asking her to contact the department to state her support. This may help and I doubt if it can hurt.
BTW If the University does allow her another chance to student teach they may put her in a terrible classroom expecting her to fail, because if she does succeed they will have been wrong about the situation (and it may make them look bad)
Now if they don't have dates she should be allowed enough time to remediate any problems that the cooperating teacher lists.
I'm not sure how you can check this out but it would be interesting to learn if the cooperating teacher is new to being a cooperating teacher. If so, perhaps the situation was caused more because of the CT lack of skills than your daughter's lack of skills. Has the cooperating teacher "failed" other ST before? Maybe, no one is "up to her high standards". If it is a small town perhaps you might be able to learn these things from other teachers that you know who work in the same system or maybe from other students in the education department.
I wouldn't use the above reason as the major objection but it could be used as supporting documentation. Or on the other hand if she has been a CT for years then she should have known that an Improvement Plan was required.
Do not let her sign anything that she doesn't want to sign. As an absolute last resort contact an attorney, they may be able to, at minimum give her more time to make a decision or insist that the University follows their own handbook.
Hang in there and post back what happens.
Last edited by germaine2626; 04-22-2013 at 08:18 PM..
They should allow her to repeat in the fall, that is standard procedure in case it is a matter of bad cooperative teacher/student teacher fit. Repeating student teachers that I have known about have had about a 50% success rate. The following is one of the things that to be addressed:
Quote:
They informed her they were not going to sign off on her teacher certification, or allow her to graduate, because she was anxious and the cooperative teacher doubts her ability to manage a class 8 hours a day, five days a week. She has never been given the opportunity to do so, so I am not sure how this assessment was done.
It needs to be addressed because she should have been doing this. During student teaching the student teacher is supposed to completely takes over the class for multiple weeks and they are supposed to do everything as if they were the actual teacher. They can not pass her on student teaching if she doesn't do it. Your daughter should have been given a timeline by the college and should have been asking questions when it didn't happen.
They should allow her to repeat in the fall, that is standard procedure in case it is a matter of bad cooperative teacher/student teacher fit. Repeating student teachers that I have known about have had about a 50% success rate.
The following is one of the things that to be addressed:
It needs to be addressed because she should have been doing this. During student teaching the student teacher is supposed to completely takes over the class for multiple weeks and they are supposed to do everything as if they were the actual teacher. They can not pass her on student teaching if she doesn't do it. Your daughter should have been given a timeline by the college and should have been asking questions when it didn't happen.
The last time I had a student teacher (elementary level) the schedule was clearly listed (something like this)
Week 1 observe
Week 2 lead one lesson/subject planned by the teacher each day
Week 3 plan and lead one lesson/subject each day, lead one lesson planned by the teacher each day
Week 4 plan and lead two lessons/subjects each day, lead one lessons planned by the teacher each day
...
Week 11 and 12, plan and lead ALL lessons, ALL subjects every day, correct all tests and homework , handle student & parent contact.
Show the handbook to the dean. He will not want trouble and will try to get it ironed out with the least aggravation. Perhaps he will call in the advisor and supervising teacher with the suggestion they fix it so the student will graduate.
The last time I had a student teacher (elementary level) the schedule was clearly listed (something like this)
Week 1 observe
Week 2 lead one lesson/subject planned by the teacher each day
Week 3 plan and lead one lesson/subject each day, lead one lesson planned by the teacher each day
Week 4 plan and lead two lessons/subjects each day, lead one lessons planned by the teacher each day
...
Week 11 and 12, plan and lead ALL lessons, ALL subjects every day, correct all tests and homework , handle student & parent contact.
I want to say my last student teacher had complete reins of the class for 4 weeks, it was middle school so I am not sure if that makes a difference.
The last time I had a student teacher (elementary level) the schedule was clearly listed (something like this)
Week 1 observe
Week 2 lead one lesson/subject planned by the teacher each day
Week 3 plan and lead one lesson/subject each day, lead one lesson planned by the teacher each day
Week 4 plan and lead two lessons/subjects each day, lead one lessons planned by the teacher each day
...
Week 11 and 12, plan and lead ALL lessons, ALL subjects every day, correct all tests and homework , handle student & parent contact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
I want to say my last student teacher had complete reins of the class for 4 weeks, it was middle school so I am not sure if that makes a difference.
By week 9 & 10 my elementary level student teacher was doing a lot but wasn't totally in charge until the last two weeks.
The OPs daughter should of had experience being in charge of the whole class for some period of time.
By week 9 & 10 my elementary level student teacher was doing a lot but wasn't totally in charge until the last two weeks.
The OPs daughter should of had experience being in charge of the whole class for some period of time.
I hope that her meeting worked out OK.
I do too. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that they are recommending she not get her degree or certification. I have an issue with education programs in that they get students almost to graduation then if it turns out teaching is their thing, they don't have a way to give them a degree with some alternative major.
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