Pulled from student teaching (IEP, faculty, graduated, class)
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What I'd like to know, is this a common happening for student teachers, getting pulled like this?
Common? No. However, most years it seems there are one or two in every large program who have it happen. Ideally, they would be weeded out during methods' classes, but that doesn't always happen for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons I seen this happen is a serious personality flaw that shows up because of they now have daily exposure, they appear to not understand the teacher role, they can't relate to the students, you find out they are lazy or unreliable. I've never seen one pulled for content incompetency.
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Common? No. However, most years it seems there are one or two in every large program who have it happen. Ideally, they would be weeded out during methods' classes, but that doesn't always happen for a variety of reasons. The most common reasons I seen this happen is a serious personality flaw that shows up because of they now have daily exposure, they appear to not understand the teacher role, they can't relate to the students, you find out they are lazy or unreliable. I've never seen one pulled for content incompetency.
Very true, I've found that near the bottom of the list of issues that need to be addressed is content competency. As weird as that is.
In this case because he already knew the class SOLs were going to be an issue and 1) if the student teacher stunk it wouldn't lower their test scores, and 2) stating the class had a student teacher would be part of the write up of mitigating circumstances for the repeated unacceptable scores. That particular teacher is now on the district's ineligible list, that school is on my program's ineligible list. I have no way of knowing for sure, as rightfully it wouldn't be discussed with me, but I am fairly certain the principal got written up for it.
Fortunately, the student teacher was transferred to another supervising teacher in a different school because it was clear early on there was a problem. The student teacher in question was already on the weaker side and wasn't capable of overcoming that type of a handicap. He ended up doing fine in his second placement. No rock star but someone capable of being a classroom teacher. I've got to tell you, I get just as aggravated by those responsible for training student teachers allowing them to flounder without intervention as I do with principals who do it to new teachers.
This is turning out to be one more area where high stakes testing is causing more harm than good. Previous to the high stakes testing push it was not hard to find supervising teachers, my favorites were teacher who did it because they saw it as another form of teaching and wanted to help grow the next generation of teachers. I was one of those teachers myself, I loved most my student teachers and still keep in touch with many of them. However, there were dud teachers allowed to have student teachers before the testing thrust, so I was curious about some of the reasoning prior to that.
FYI: Some states give a small stipend for having a student teacher. Most universities (mine included) have some sort of free or discounted 1 or 2 class graduate level course exchange as part of the deal for taking their student teacher. Generally, the free class is more motivating than the stipend. That course credit is non-transferable to any other university unless they have a consortium set up and generally does have a time limit, most common one I've seen is 3 years. I have yet to see a university where it was transferable to another person.
That's very interesting. I can see that being used as an excuse for poor SOL performance. But I've always hated excuses. Explanations, okay. Excuses, no.
So yesterday my professor called me and told me to pack up my things, my practicum was over. Now I had had a rocky experience, but just last week I was told they were willing to extend me by a couple weeks to allow more time for progress. I know parents and students had started filing complaints which I think was the final nail in the coffin. There will be a meeting with the people who run my postbac program to determine what the next steps should be, if allowed to continue at all.
I did enjoy teaching but I am trying to re-evaluate whether it's even worth it to try to continue or go do something else. Teaching has been the most physically and emotionally taxing thing I've ever undertaken.
Any advice?
Tough to give much advice beyond what others have given without more information. I sub in a number of school districts and have spent time with numerous student teachers. I actually spent an entire week with one. The student teachers were in social studies, English, health/physical education, one in each in biology and elementary music. I would say about half of them were poor and were not ready for student teaching. The biggest criticism was it seemed some were not taking it very seriously. I sat through a video in a middle school social studies class that I thought was inappropriate and not educational. Some student teachers have just been too chummy with the class. Others have been disorganized and not comfortable in front of a class.
There are situations where student teaching can be extremely difficult. I was in a situation the this week where a very experienced English teacher and I were both covering an English class. I was subbing for the learning support teacher had to leave early for sports. We had difficulty getting the class to listen and do the assignment. Some of the students finished the period with blank papers despite constant prompting and assistance from both of us. I've been in the same class with the regular teacher and it is not much better. I'm wondering how a student teaching supervising professor would evaluate a student teacher in this situation? I've also watched these student teaching supervising professors come in for an observation and not actually observe any teaching on the part of the student teacher so I know the process can be suspect.
You have a year in past your original graduation so I think I would beg for a second chance if you think the issues can be corrected. From what I have seen the biggest issues are a lack of confidence, inexperience in front of a class, and lack of preparation. Some of the student teachers I have observed seem to think all they need to do is show up.
I was also pulled from student teaching. I was working towards trying another internship, but they still decided I didn't meet the milestones needed to start another practicum, so my options were getting my degree and exiting the program, switching to special education and taking a few more classes which is what they wanted me to do, or if I wanted to be a teacher in the same program, I'd have to go to another school to repeat the internship.
I chose the first option and now I'm a graduate student studying software engineering, and assuming I can succeed, I will have a much higher paying career where I won't have to need nearly as many people skills.
The point to all of this is, if you were pulled, in addition to having a meeting with your supervisor, you need to really reflect on why you were behind, and what was causing you to do what people complained about.
The reason I was behind and there were complaints is because I just didn't have the passion. I wasn't getting everything done because I was overwhelmed and trying to be able to communicate and teach in a way for others to understand was just too much trying to deal with my autism at the same time. By the last year of college, a lot about the teaching profession was different than I thought, and the only reasons I still wanted to teach were to have summers off and to get some loan forgiveness.
So, were you behind because you were having some family or personal problems at the time causing you to lose time and energy to work? If that's the reason, then you likely can simply try again next semester. Were you behind because you felt some of that passion and drive was gone and were questioning whether you want to be a teacher? If that's the reason, then you should give some consideration to trying another profession and do some research on what you want to do.
As far as getting your degree is concerned, most schools now have an option to get a degree without certification because people often change their minds, and they don't want people going through a clinical practice without wanting to teach, because it is a detriment to the students, the school, and the cooperating teacher. However, you also still need enough credits to graduate. Just the gen eds and teacher education courses alone without the 12 credit practicum is not enough to graduate. You need to have other classes as well. Luckily, I had an associates degree and had close to 50 more credits than I actually needed.
As far as having a hard time getting a job as a teacher because you had to do the clinical practice twice is concerned, that alone won't disqualify you. Whether you get hired is going to be based on the demand for teachers in your area and what your next cooperating teacher and supervisor says about you. It'll show on your transcript that you withdrew the first time, but if you completed it and good a good recommendation, it shows you had a bit of additional experience as you learned from the first mistakes and got started again.
Here's what you can do to start. Make a plan of action of how you intend to handle another practicum. Such as what information you're going to find out before it starts, and what plans you intend to meet during the practice.
What I'd like to know, is this a common happening for student teachers, getting pulled like this?
It happened in the cohort ahead of me.
It was hush-hush about him. I finally heard near the end of the year, they forced him out of the program because of his student teaching issues and helped him switch his major from education to something else. He was with us in the fall and he never returned after winter break.
His supervising teacher stated to me that he told him and our couch that he was not ready to be a teacher.
Thanks for all the replies. I went back to subbing at my high school for the time being (at least I'm getting paid to be there). I talked to some teachers, some of whom I had as a student. While a couple said it may have been a bad placement situation, most of them mentioned that now is not a good time to enter the teaching profession (because it's hardly about learning anymore, it's about passing). My meeting with the program admins is on April 19, I have a lot of thinking to do. But I think I may just decide to move on with my life.
Thanks for all the replies. I went back to subbing at my high school for the time being (at least I'm getting paid to be there). I talked to some teachers, some of whom I had as a student. While a couple said it may have been a bad placement situation, most of them mentioned that now is not a good time to enter the teaching profession (because it's hardly about learning anymore, it's about passing).
To you think there is too much focus on passing the state standardized tests such as the STAR test we have here in Texas? Or is it just focused on passing the child through to the next grade, regardless of how well he is learning. I am curious to know.
His supervising teacher stated to me that he told him and our couch that he was not ready to be a teacher.
Why would a sofa care about whether he'd make a good teacher?
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