Roles of Individuals Involved in Internship

The internship is a partnership among the Candidate, the Mentor Teacher, The Principal, and the University Supervisor. To ensure a successful experience, this quartet must develop an atmosphere of communication and trust. The following section describes each person’s role and offers suggestions on establishing and maintaining the relationship. 

• The Mentor Teacher

  To qualify as a mentor teacher, the teacher must:

  • Possess a standard certificate for the subject area/grade level in which they are teaching.
  • Possess at least three years of classroom teaching experience in the area in which s/he is certified.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the curriculum.
  • Demonstrate teacher effectiveness as evidenced by student achievement.
  • Possess knowledge of the basic principles of supervision.
  • Demonstrate qualities of an effective team member.
  • Be a strong collaborator who is comfortable providing both specific praise and constructive feedback to a Candidate.
  • The Mentor Teacher works with the Candidate as a team teacher, gradually giving the Candidate more responsibility for planning and implementing lessons in his or her classroom. Upon receiving the placement, the Candidate is encouraged to visit with the Mentor Teacher, Principal, and other faculty members in the Partner School. At this time, the Mentor Teacher may give the Candidate copies of instructional material/school handbook so they can become familiar with the school program before beginning the internship.  All OSU Candidates are evaluated in accordance with the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards as well as with standards specific to program areas.

  The Mentor Teacher plays a vital role in the education of the Candidate and is expected to: 

  • Look upon the Candidate as part of the teaching team with gradually increasing responsibility for planning and implementation of lessons.
  • Conference regularly with the Candidate, making sure he/she is free to ask questions and make suggestions, offering feedback on lessons taught, preferably in writing.
  • Encourage the Candidate to reflect each day on class activities asking: “How can I increase student learning?”
  • Schedule a conference with the Candidate during the first days of the internship to clarify the role he/she is expected to assume in the specific context. 
  • Observe the Candidate teaching, complete an assessment of the lesson, and discuss the evaluation on a regular basis.
  • Assist the Candidate in developing a professional attitude in all of her/his contacts with the school community.
  • Acknowledge the Candidate as a professional with a need to know regarding special needs students, informing him/her of all special needs students with whom she/he will be working and making IEPs available.
  • Clarify the Candidate’s responsibilities with respect to making lesson plans, securing and organizing appropriate materials, and other necessary activities.
  • Work with the Candidate to decide together well in advance of the time when a lesson or unit is expected to be taught.
  • Invite the Candidate to attend staff development programs planned for teachers and administrators.
  • Ensure the Candidate is introduced to teaching at a rate appropriate for that Candidate. One possible approach is this three-phase process:

  • • the mentor teacher directly models lesson teaching,
    • the candidate teaches comparable lessons using the mentor teacher’s lesson plans, and
    • the candidate plans and teaches lessons after making the plans available to the mentor teacher for review and suggestions. (See the seven collaborative teaching strategies below for ways mentor teachers and candidates may work collaboratively as well.)

  • Keep a calendar of the internship, showing the Candidate’s days present and days absent.
  • Plan to be available after each observation by the University Supervisor for conferencing with the Candidate and the University Supervisor.  The Candidate and Mentor Teacher should also conference together to complete the mid-term evaluation and  the final evaluation.
  • Take the necessary steps to remove the Candidate if work is not satisfactory. Contact the University Supervisor and Kathy Thomas, Coordinator of Clinical Practice, 405-744-1088 or kathy.thomas@okstate.edu, immediately should problems arise.
  • Complete and submit electronically the mid-term and final evaluations of the Candidate. The evaluation link and deadlines will be provided via email.
• The Candidate

  The candidate is part of the teaching team and carries a great deal of responsibility for the ultimate success of the internship. Not just a guest in the school, the Candidate is a pre- professional who will eventually plan and carry out lessons designed to benefit the students. A successful Candidate will:

   

  • Support school policies and personnel, following all school rules and regulations including observing the school calendar and teacher contract hours.
  • Understand that the internship is a full-time job so that daily attendance and preparation reflects the seriousness of this responsibility.
  • Whether enrolled in an on-campus class or in an OSU internship, practicum,  course, or activity involving domestic or foreign travel, he/she is responsible for his/her own medical treatment and is liable for his/her own actions. He/she is responsible for health expenses (including insurance) and liability insurance.
  • Investigate what “professionalism” means in the context of the school in which she/he is placed. She/he will dress, speak, write, and act professionally each day during internship.
  • Be familiar with and act according to laws dealing with confidentiality, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment.
  • Take part in out-of-class school activities such as PTA meetings, school board meetings, faculty and staff development meetings, extra-curricular activities, and routine teaching and non-teaching tasks.
  • Test new ideas within the context already established by the Mentor Teacher, making them available to the mentor teacher several days in advance of the lesson.   
  • Develop written lesson plans in advance, sharing them with the Mentor Teacher and discussing them before the lesson begins.
  • Request conferences with the mentor teacher and/or the University Supervisor as needed.
  • Inform the University Supervisor in advance when the Mentor Teacher will be absent on the day of a scheduled observation.
  • Inform the mentor teacher, the program faculty,  and the University Supervisor of any absences, in advance if at all possible.
  • Be continually involved in self-evaluation through such activities as journaling, examining the goals and outcomes of each instructional activity, reviewing videotapes of classroom activities (after securing necessary parental permission forms), soliciting feedback, and seeking immediate answers to problems.
  • Comply with all the rules, policies, and standards of the school that pertain to regular teachers (from substance abuse to dress code, from parking to length of duty day, from classroom management to filing reports, etc.).
• The University Supervisor

  The University Supervisor is a liaison between the Clinical Practice Supervisors between the OSU Office of Educator Support and the Partner School, Mentor Teacher, and Candidate hired by the faculty program coordinator. He or she meets regularly with the Candidate via email and/or phone and observes the Candidate teach at least three times, giving written feedback and recommendations after each observation. Annual training, supervision logs, and evaluations of the Candidate are required for a supervisor to be reimbursed for mileage.

   

  The University Supervisor is expected to:

  • Hold regularly scheduled meetings with the Candidate.
  • Visit the site of the internship a minimum of three times during the internship period.
  • Engage in a three-way conference two or more times with the Candidate and the Mentor Teacher.
  • Conferences should be conducted among the Candidate, the Mentor Teacher, and University Supervisor to complete the mid-term evaluation and to complete the final evaluation.
  • Provide written documentation of observations, providing a copy for the Candidate and maintaining a copy for the Candidate’s file.
  • Conference with the Candidate to discuss planning, learning strategies, classroom management, etc.
  • Participate in discussions with the Candidate and the Mentor Teacher to decide in which other classrooms and/or building the Candidate will observe.
  • Assign the final grade for internship, giving substantial weight to the evaluation of the Mentor Teacher.
• The Principal

  The school Principal plays an important role in facilitating and coordinating Candidates. When available, the principal may conference with the Candidate, the Mentor Teacher and the University Supervisor. A principal who works effectively with Candidates will:

  • Provide a positive environment for Candidates within the school.
  • Orient faculty (including Mentor Teachers and other faculty members) to their roles in the internship.
  • Orient each Candidate concerning the school’s philosophy, policies, and regulations.
  • Assist each Candidate in becoming acquainted with the faculty and staff.
  • Stay informed of the progress of each Candidate.
  • Observe Candidates, providing them with feedback, if feasible.
  • Read and become familiar with the Internship Handbook, including the OSU policy on using Candidates as substitutes.
  • Consider supporting added plan time for Mentor Teacher/Candidate teams as needed.
• Mentor/Candidate Relationships

  The relationship between candidates and mentors must be of a professional nature, as the mentor is evaluating the teacher candidate. Candidates are protected by FERPA, and mentors should only consult with their own principal, the OES staff, program faculty, or the candidate’s University Supervisor if challenges arise. 

   

  A teacher candidate is a “need to know” party under FERPA rules for his/her students, given that s/he needs the same information the mentor teacher does in order to best serve student learning.  

   

  The above rules apply to the relationship between the university supervisor and the teacher candidate as well. 

• Structure of the Internship

  Internship assignments are highly individualistic. Involvement in classroom activities will depend upon the individual's readiness to perform the tasks assigned. The Mentor Teacher and University Supervisor will assess the Candidate’s abilities and determine his/her responsibilities and tasks. In no case will the Candidate immediately assume total responsibility for the class.

   

  Some possible strategies by which a Candidate can be involved in the planning process can be found in the Collaborative Teaching Strategies and Examples document.