Making the Most of Student Teaching

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Why it works

The student teaching (or practicum) experience is a pivotal, supported opportunity to develop teaching skills before having sole responsibility for a classroom. Research on teacher preparation shows that student teachers get the most from it by being proactive and engaged (not passive observers), actively seeking and acting on feedback, gradually taking on real responsibility and risk, learning deliberately from their cooperating teacher and the whole school, reflecting, and building their professional skills and identity. Those who treat it as a genuine apprenticeship, rather than a hoop, start their careers far stronger.

The research: Research on teacher preparation and clinical practice.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: make student teaching count

Pre-service teachers leave with a proactive, feedback-seeking plan for the placement.

Plan to be proactive and engaged, not a passive observer.
Actively seek and act on feedback.
Take on real responsibility and some risk as you are ready.
Learn deliberately from your cooperating teacher and reflect.

Treat it as a real apprenticeshipStudent teaching is your best supported chance to learn the craft. Be proactive, seek feedback, take real responsibility, and learn deliberately, to start strong.

Facilitator notes

Encourage proactivity, and give feedback.
Offer real responsibility.
Model and debrief.

Treating student teaching as a hoop wastes the best chance to learnStaying passive or just getting through student teaching wastes a pivotal, supported learning opportunity. Engage fully and treat it as a real apprenticeship.

Adapt it

All pre-service teachers: the same.
All settings: proactive, seek feedback, real responsibility, learn deliberately.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Student Teaching: a real apprenticeship

Your best supported chance: be proactive, seek feedback, take real responsibility, and learn deliberately.

How I will be proactive and engaged:
How I seek and act on feedback:
The real responsibility I will take on:
How I learn deliberately from my cooperating teacher:
A growth goal for the placement:

Make it stick

A real apprenticeship:

Engage fully.
Seek feedback.
Bring a student-teaching growth goal to your mentor or supervisor.

Common questions

How do I get the most out of student teaching?

Be proactive and engaged, seek and act on feedback, gradually take on real responsibility, learn deliberately from your cooperating teacher and the school, and reflect. Treat it as a genuine apprenticeship.

Should I just observe and follow my cooperating teacher?

Observing helps, but do not stay passive. Take on real teaching and responsibility as you are ready, seek feedback, and try things, with support. That is how you learn.

How do I handle feedback and mistakes?

Seek feedback actively and act on it, and treat mistakes as learning, this is the time to make them, with support. A growth mindset here builds your skills fast.