Achieving success in student teaching: strategies and tips

Student teaching is an essential step for aspiring educators to gain hands-on experience in the classroom before becoming a certified teacher. It is an opportunity for future teachers to apply the theories and techniques learned in their education program and to develop their teaching skills under the guidance of a mentor teacher.

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of student teaching and provide valuable tips and strategies for preparing, surviving, and succeeding during the student teaching experience.

Preparing for student teaching

Before starting student teaching, it is important to understand the requirements and expectations of your program and placement. Your university will have specific expectations and there will be board expectations as well. Make sure you’re familiar with the process early!

Speaking of starting early… Get your documents in early. We had to hand in a recent criminal record check, which had to be submitted to the board and verified by the university. Needless to say, it was a process. Stay on top of your documents to avoid any delays.

If you’re unsure of exactly what your university and practicum school need for you, touch base with your program coordinator. They’re there to support you through the student teaching process.

The placement process

This will look different for everyone. At my university, it was decided for you where you would be placed and you have little say. Essentially, teachers in your district will sign up to be a teaching associate. They will oversee you for your student teaching placement while providing feedback and assessing your teaching.

While you can’t always choose your placement, here are some things to know:

• You may be able to request certain experiences.
  • Maybe you are interest in alternative or outdoor education or maybe you want both rural and inner-city teaching experience, for example. Speak with your practicum advisor to see if they can consider these requests.
• Be open to all grades. If you’ve never been in a classroom, you likely don’t know which grade you want to teach or connect best with (even if you think you do!).
  • I was 100% Kindie… Until I had my Gr. 5/6 placement. I fell in love with upper elementary grades! I still love the younger grades, but the point is if I had went in with a closed mind I wouldn’t have been open to all of the wonderful experiences we had.
• If your safety or wellbeing is compromised, reach out to the university immediately. Do not stay in an environment in which you are unsafe.

Also, your relationship with your associate teacher is super important! It is their recommendation and assessment that will be expected to be handed in with teaching job applications. Make sure you take care in creating a good working relationship with them.

Meet the teacher template (and meet the student!)

Once you get your placement

Once you get your placement details, check our the school’s mission online, send a message to your mentor teacher to introduce yourself. Then, start getting excited about the grade level you get!

Come up with a simple activity for your first day to break the ice with the kiddos. This is also a good opportunity to create an experience that will let you get to know each other. Once I knew my grade, I would start adjusting my Meet the Teacher Activity to that grade’s abilities. Check it out if you want a good icebreaker that also helps you learn student names!

During your first chat with your associate teacher, they will likely ask you what you are interested in teaching or where you have experience. My advice here: Challenge yourself to teach not just what you’re comfortable with, but the things you don’t have much experience in! This is a great time to try new subjects and take risk while you can get helpful feedback and enhance your practice. It’s a safe place to take risks and learn.

Teaching portfolio

Not every province or state will require a teaching portfolio, but it may be a good idea to make one regardless. Then when you go to make a resume you can refer to it, or you can use it to showcase off your skills and feedback from supervisors and students when applying to a teaching job. A teaching portfolio can help to showcase your skills and experiences to potential employers, so it is important to start preparing one well before the student teaching experience.

What is a teaching portfolio?

Basically, a teaching portfolio is a collection of documents and materials that showcase a teacher’s skills, experiences, and achievements. For elementary teachers, a teaching portfolio can include lesson plans, student work samples, classroom management strategies, assessments, and other materials that demonstrate their teaching abilities. A teaching portfolio can be a valuable tool for elementary teachers when applying for jobs or seeking professional development opportunities.

Remember, this could be a hard-copy document or you could create a digital version. Keep adding to it throughout your career, too!

Things to keep in mind during student teaching

I know, I know, there’s a ton to keep in mind while student teaching. But, as here are some things to remember as you go throughout your experience.

1. Get to know your principal, associate teacher, the teaching team, and the administrative staff

Getting to know your teacher, the teaching team, and the admin staff is an important aspect of your student teaching experience. Building positive relationships with these individuals can help to make your student teaching experience more enjoyable and productive and will help you establish connections in a career you’re newly entering into. Networking is super important in your beginning years!

As a student teacher, you should take the time to introduce yourself to your mentor teacher and the other teachers in the school as well as the principal. You should also make an effort to learn about their teaching styles, philosophies, and experiences. Building a positive relationship with the admin staff is important as well, as they are the ones who can help you with any questions or concerns that you may have about the school or your student teaching experience.

3. Lesson planning and delivery

Effective lesson planning and delivery are essential for a successful student teaching experience. How early you have to submit your lesson plans to your associate teacher will depend on what you have agreed on together and what your school expects. But, remember, they are individuals with lives too! Sending lesson plans in that are not organized or are sent in late at night is highly unprofessional and they may not have time to get to them the night before.

Lesson planning is a critical aspect of the student teaching experience (and teaching, in general). During a student teaching practicum, you will be responsible for planning and delivering lessons to a diverse group of students. It is important to start by understanding the curriculum and the learning objectives of each lesson, and to align your lesson plans to those objectives. It’s also important to consider the needs and abilities of your students and to create a differentiated lesson plan that is engaging and meaningful for them.

Lesson design

One effective strategy for lesson planning is to use a backward design approach. This means starting with the end goal in mind and working backwards to design the lesson. This approach can help you to ensure that your lesson aligns with the learning objectives and that it is student-centered. Additionally, it is important to use a variety of teaching strategies, such as hands-on activities, group work, and discussion, to keep students engaged and to reach all learners.

It’s also important to consider the use of technology in the classroom when planning your lessons. Incorporating technology can enhance the learning experience of students, providing them with a variety of resources, and making the lesson more interactive and engaging. Tech is also a great way to offer accessible learning experiences, such as voice-to-text or dictation apps. And, if you have English language learners, they can access technology to help with translating.

Be mindful of time

Be mindful of time in your planning and be flexible when it changes. No matter how many things to try to think of in your lesson design, interruptions, distractions, and meaningful learning opportunities will come up that you can’t anticipate. When I am creating lessons, I time everything out but also teach with the understanding that it may take multiple lessons to get through what is planned. Just don’t be too rigid with your planning – flexibility is key in an elementary classroom!

Your mentor teacher will also be a great resource for lesson planning, as they can provide feedback and suggestions for improving your lesson plans. I like to ask for feedback at the end of the day, but this all depends on your relationship with your mentor.

4. Differentiate your teaching

Differentiating instruction is an important aspect of teaching. Differentiating instruction means tailoring the teaching and learning process to meet the diverse needs of students. This can include providing multiple ways for students to access information, using different teaching strategies, and providing different levels of support and challenge. The goal is not only to teach your students in a way that reaches students, but in a way that is meaningful and accessible.

One effective strategy for differentiating instruction is to use a tiered lesson approach. This involves creating different levels of instruction for different groups of students. For example, you can provide a basic level of instruction for students who need extra support, and a more challenging level of instruction for students who are ready for more advanced material. When you are creating activities, always have options for “fast finishers” so they do not get bored.

Another strategy is to use flexible grouping, which allows you to group students based on their needs, interests, and abilities. This allows you to provide students with different levels of support and challenge. Just be sure you are giving students chances to succeed and inspired to take on challenge – You don’t want them to be bored by something that’s too easy or impair their self-image by assigning something that is way too hard.

Additionally, providing students with choice in their learning activities and assessments can also be a way to differentiate instruction. Make sure to embed choice in type of activity, how to demonstrate learning, and how they receive assessment and feedback (when possible).

It’s important to remember that differentiating instruction is an ongoing process, and it requires ongoing observation, assessment, and reflection to adjust the instruction accordingly.

5. Classroom management

Managing classroom behaviour can be challenging, but by setting clear expectations and using positive reinforcement, student teachers can create a positive learning environment. In our schooling, we were told to mimic the classroom management strategies of our associate teachers by adopting their routines and strategies where possible but were also told to introduce our own ideas where appropriate. So, use the habits and routines your mentor has already established while figuring out what works for you too.

Classroom management involves creating a safe, orderly (even when it is organized chaos), and positive learning environment for students. Effective classroom management can help to reduce disruptions, increase student engagement and motivation, and improve overall learning outcomes.

Be clear in expectations

One key aspect of classroom management is setting clear expectations and rules. This means clearly communicating what is expected of students in terms of behaviour, participation, and academic performance. When possible, I like to co-construct expectations and rubrics with the kiddos so that they are invested in the process.

Only use rewards and consequences your mentor teacher supports

Many classrooms will already have an established “rewards” system (like class dojo) or the teacher may feel strongly against rewards in general. You’ll need to speak with them about this! After all, you don’t want to come in and totally change up the way students expect to be rewarded. The idea is to have structure and accountability that is sustainable.

Build positive relationships with students

Another important aspect of classroom management is building positive relationships with students. This means getting to know your students as individuals, showing interest in their lives, and treating them with respect and kindness. It also means being approachable and available for students who need extra help or support. Building positive relationships with students can help to reduce disruptions and increase student engagement and motivation.

Think ahead rather than responding after

It’s also important to be proactive in managing classroom behaviour. This means anticipating and addressing potential problems before they occur. This can be done by having a plan in place for handling disruptions, such as a signal or phrase to regain student attention. Additionally, providing students with opportunities for movement and choice can also help to reduce disruptions and increase student engagement.

6. Assessment

Assessing student learning is an important part of being a teacher, and student teachers should use a variety of formative and summative assessment strategies to evaluate student progress. During student teaching, you will be responsible for assessing student learning and using the information to adjust instruction and improve student outcomes.

One important aspect of assessment is formative assessment. This type of assessment is used during instruction to monitor student progress and to adjust instruction as needed. Formative assessment can take many forms, such as quizzes, observations, exit tickets, and student self-assessments. It is important to use a variety of formative assessment strategies to reach all students and to get a clear picture of student progress.

Another important aspect of assessment is summative assessment. This type of assessment is used at the end of a unit or lesson to evaluate student learning. Summative assessments can take many forms, such as tests, essays, projects, and presentations. It’s important to align summative assessments with the learning objectives of the lesson or unit and to provide clear and specific feedback to students on their performance.

It’s also important to consider the use of technology in the classroom when assessing student learning. Incorporating technology can enhance the assessment process, providing students with a variety of resources and tools, and making the assessment more interactive and engaging. They can submit voice notes, create podcasts, or create videos. Demonstrating learning goes far beyond worksheets!

7. Self-reflection

Reflection is an important part of the student teaching experience as it allows you to evaluate your own performance and identify areas for improvement – Which is the whole point of a practicum! It’s called practice teaching for a reason. To help with reflection, I would suggest setting specific goals before starting (and at your half-way point), to keep a journal, and to actively communicate with your mentor teacher.

Self-reflection is also an important tool for decompressing from the stress of student teaching. It can provide an opportunity to process the experiences, emotions, and challenges of the student teaching experience, and to gain perspective on the overall experience. This is a stressful part of the learning experience, so make sure to give yourself the time and space to decompress and work through all of the emotions that will likely come up.

Set goals

One important aspect of self-reflection is setting specific goals. This means identifying specific areas of your teaching practice that you want to improve and setting goals for how to achieve that improvement. For example, you might set a goal to improve your classroom management skills or to use more technology in your instruction.

Write in a journal

Another important aspect of self-reflection is keeping a journal. This can be a helpful tool for documenting your thoughts, feelings, and experiences during the student teaching experience. It can also be a valuable resource for reflecting on your progress and identifying areas for improvement.

Ask for feedback

It’s also important to discuss your experiences with your mentor teacher and other student teachers. This can provide a valuable perspective on your teaching practice, as well as an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others.

8. After the student teaching practicum: Care for yourself and reset

You’re either graduating (congrats!!) or heading back to classes soon if you’ve just finished your program.

Student teaching can be a challenging and stressful experience, and it is important to take care of your own wellbeing and mental health. Being a student teacher can be demanding and can take a toll on your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself and to seek help if you need it. If you need to chat about things you felt or experienced during practicum, reach out to your university or your trusted mental health professional for support.

Practice whichever self-care routine is most familiar and effective for you. Take walks, meditate, go to yoga… Whatever it is, do it! You can’t pour from an empty cup, and this profession is emotionally and physically taxing, so do what you can to avoid burnout. During practicum, my self care looked like making space for art and singing, spending time outside and unplugging on the weekends, and going to dance lessons. I scheduled it in like I would lesson planning or work, and I suggest you do too.

It’s also important to be mindful of the stressors of student teaching and to learn how to manage them. This can include time management, prioritizing tasks and delegating them, setting realistic goals, and learning to say no when you need to. Remember, it’s okay to need time for yourself and okay to seek help when you need it.

If you’re still looking for tips for student teaching, here’s an excellent video by Pocketful of Primary (who has tons of amazing resources for educators, BTW!).

Almost finished school? Time for the job hunt!

Preparing for job interviews can be challenging, but by highlighting your skills, experiences, and achievements during the student teaching experience, student teachers can stand out to potential employers. If you’re finishing up your final practicum, it’s time to start job searching! For tips on preparing for teacher interviews, read my post here.

Or, professional development

Continuing professional development is an important part of being a teacher, and student teachers should seek out opportunities to learn and grow as educators. If you’re finishing up in the spring, it may be worth signing up for a summer additional qualifications course to upgrade your knowledge. Every class also positively benefits your salary, so be sure to advance when and where you can. This differs regionally though, so check with your university and your teaching certification board to know what to do.

Getting through the challenging days in practicum

While I’d love to say student teaching is all sunshine and roses, you’ll probably have tough days. And, you’ll likely have some tough kids. By tough I mean the challenging kiddos. The ones who test your limits (and likely their regular teacher’s, too) or the ones who push back on your lessons. But, what do you do?

Here’s my advice on turning what can be a super negative experience into a positive one: Remember that you are there to teach all of the children, and that you can connect with all of them. Find a way to connect with even the toughest of students – There’s something special in every child that you can connect with.

When I was having a really hard time with a little in one of my classes I found this quote and it changed my perspective and experience (who I can’t find the author of now, so if you know who said it please let me know):

Make the most difficult child your favorite.

Unknown author

This quote quite literally changed my experience. I went from thinking about how frustrating their behaviours and aggressive outbursts were to focussing on how I could prevent those reactions and support the child through it. It’s all about finding the function of a behaviour, and less about responding to it after the fact.

Here’s what I did to connect with the student:

• On my first day, I had done a Meet the teacher (and student!) activity. Part of what I used this information for was lesson planning to make lessons interesting to them!
  • This helped me connect with the kiddos – Whether it was prompting questions to give them a chance to speak about things of interest to them, or integrating their likes and interests into lessons. This helped “humanize” the academics I needed them to learn.
    • On my last day I did a “Student teacher feedback” form because I was evaluating them all the time and wanted to give them a chance to give me feedback, too. The kiddo I’m referencing here as my “tough” student commented to me that “Mrs. C, you are just the right amount of teacher and person.” I was in tears knowing I achieved my goal of connecting with them as an educator and as a person.
• Practiced co-regulation with them. One of this student’s barriers to learning was math anxiety. So, as they were displaying signs of math anxiety, I asked if I could sit there and take some deep breaths. They joined and it helped them emotionally regulate enough to continue.
  • I also routinely offered tools and re-directed them to tools that worked. Asking questions like “do you need to take a break right now?” or “is your [fidget tool] available right now?” can help build self-regulating habits for learners. Insert whichever tool they use in those brackets, btw!
• Gave extra space for positive engagement with the student. Okay, so you should give space for positive engagement with every single student. But, I made sure to keep this top of mind since we had so many negative interactions due to behaviour and self-regulation. I didn’t want negativity to predominate our interactions for their sake or mine.
  • For example, prompt conversations about things they are interested in, give opportunities for them to showcase things they excel at, etc.!

For another 10 tips to help with student teaching practicum, check out my post here.

Thank you for reading. ♡

Conclusion

In conclusion, student teaching is a crucial part of teacher training that allows aspiring teachers to apply the theories and techniques they have learned in the classroom. The experience can be challenging, but it is also an opportunity to grow and develop as an educator. By preparing for student teaching, building positive relationships, planning effective lessons, differentiating instruction, reflecting on your experiences, and seeking out opportunities for professional development, you can make the most of your student teaching experience.

As a student teacher, it’s important to remember that you are not expected to be perfect, but instead to learn, grow, and make mistakes along the way. The student teaching experience is an opportunity to learn from your mentor teacher and your students, and to develop your own teaching style and philosophy. It’s also important to remember that student teaching is not the end of your professional development but the beginning of it. The skills, experiences and the relationships you build during the student teaching will be valuable throughout your teaching career.

We encourage readers to share their own student teaching experiences and ask any questions in the comments section. Additionally, you can find additional resources for student teachers on the website of your teacher education program or by searching online for teacher blogs, forums, and professional development opportunities. With the right mindset and preparation, student teaching can be a valuable and rewarding experience that sets you up for a successful teaching career.

Frequently asked questions about student teaching

Resources

Here are some related posts that you may find interesting:

• Meet the teacher (and students!) first day of school activity
• Last day of school teacher evaluation activity
• Tips for maintaining balance between work, school, and life