Music Education Mentor Teachers & University Supervisors

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Handbook

Mentor Teacher

Mentor Teachers provide close support and guidance to student teachers, drawing on their teaching experience, knowledge of schools, curricula, community, and their own reflections on what it takes to learn to teach.

University Supervisor

University Supervisors represent the University’s teacher certification programs and thus guide the student teacher, in conjunction with the mentor teacher. The supervisors observe, advise, and confer with both the student teacher and the mentor teacher.

Student Teaching Guidelines and Forms:

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Dr. Michael Hopkins, Chair of the Department of Music Education, at [email protected].

Guidelines for Mentor Teachers

1. Student Teaching is a Full-Time Assignment.

  • Punctuality and preparedness are essential for the Student Teacher (ST).
  • The ST should be present and participating in all regular school-day duties of the Mentor Teacher (MT). The MT and ST should discuss and agree on essential after-school events where ST participation is encouraged.
  • ST are discouraged from working or engaging in extracurricular activities during their student teaching semester. It is considered a full-time assignment. If the MT notices recurring absences, please contact the University Supervisor immediately.
  • Only in rare circumstances can a ST be absent from his/her assignment. If a ST is going to be absent, he/she is required to contact the MT in advance of the absence.
  • The ST is not legally permitted to be alone with students and cannot serve as substitute teacher during student teaching until the ST has successfully completed ten (10) full weeks of student teaching and has submitted the “Substitute Teaching By A Student Teacher Form” to the SoE Teacher Education Office.

2. Planning and Delivery of Lessons.

  • Provide the Student Teacher with teaching materials/scores as soon as possible so he/she may begin preparing.
  • Schedule planning time with the ST and share lesson plan format.
  • Review lesson/rehearsal plan with ST prior to the lesson/rehearsal. Help them troubleshoot and anticipate problems.
  • Allow the ST to teach without interruption. As he/she teaches, write notes and discuss suggestions after the lesson, or at another appropriate time throughout the day.
  • Set up the teaching schedule to gradually allow the student teacher more and more teaching responsibility as he/she progresses through the placement. Some models of how this can be accomplished are listed here:

Class Model: The student teacher begins with observation/ journaling/asking questions; later takes over one class each week or so, leading to a few days of teaching the full schedule.

Curricular Model: The student teacher begins with observation/journaling/asking questions, then does one similar activity with each group (e.g. warm-ups, one concept/activity in elementary general music), then adds another, and still another, leading up to teaching a full day and then a full schedule.

Day Model: The student teacher begins with observation/ journaling/asking questions, then adds one day of teaching each week or so, leading to a few days of teaching the full schedule.

3. Feedback to Student Teacher

  • Provide feedback on an ongoing basis. Set aside time each day to discuss the ST’s progress and plans for the next day.
  • The Music Education faculty encourages the ST to video his/her teaching as much as possible as a medium for improving practice. (Please advise ST about policies regarding the use of video in your school).
  • Contact the University Supervisor as soon as possible if problems arise [see contact sheet for information].

4. Student Teacher Evaluation

  • The MT will complete a formative and summative assessment during each placement. (See form for details.) When completed, share and discuss the evaluation with the ST.
  • The summative assessment form is sent to the Music Education Office. If the MT has any concerns about the ST’s progress, please communicate concerns to the University Supervisor.

5. University Supervisor Observations.

  • University Supervisors will visit and evaluate the ST four times per semester, two of which will be within each seven-week block.
  • ST are required to have a copy of the lesson plan available for the Supervisor and a folder/notebook or plan book containing all lesson plans and evaluations up to the point of observation. This is communicated to ST when they begin student teaching.

Roles & Responsibilities: Music Education University Supervisors

Each student teacher will be observed four times during the semester. University Supervisors represent the University’s teacher certification programs and thus guide the student teacher, in conjunction with the mentor teacher. The Music Education Supervisor observes, advises, and confers with both the student teacher and the mentor teacher.

Roles and Responsibilities:

  1. Serving as a liaison between the University and placement site by facilitating a positive and productive relationship among involved parties includes:
    • Maintaining an open line of communication between the University and the mentor teacher
    • Working throughout the term, in conjunction with the mentor teacher, to ensure that the university program expectations are met
    • Communicating with the mentor teacher and student teacher about site visits, required forms and assessments, and special events
    • Problem-solving issues that may arise during the student teaching experience and communicating appropriately with the university about those issues
    • Working with the student teacher and the mentor teacher to determine the student teacher’s readiness for substitute teaching, should that situation arise
    • Completing and discussing the assessment tools and submitting grades for student teaching.

     

  2. Mentoring and observing the Student Teacher includes:
    • Develop a collegial relationship with the Student Teacher through openness and availability in an on-going and personal manner
    • Conduct site visits during the student teaching term according to the Department of Music Education Student Teaching Observation Schedule
    • Arrange to ‘debrief’ with the student teacher immediately following the observation period or at an agreed upon time within 24 hours. (Debriefing is defined as advising, evaluating, critiquing, communicating, and helping the student teacher think critically about lessons and/or students)
    • Provide a written narrative and commentary to the student teacher and the mentor teacher within an appropriate time frame. Submit a copy of the observation report to the Music Education Office for the student’s file.
    • Faculty Supervisor completes a School of Education survey for each Student Teacher at the end of the semester.

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