Clinical Experiences Handbook
Table of contents
Assessment and evaluation of student teaching
An overview
Assessment of student teaching in the College of Education and
Human Development at the University of Minnesota involves
self-assessment by the student teacher and external assessment by
the cooperating teacher and university supervisor:
- Opportunities for student teachers to examine and direct
their professional development through reflective conferencing
with their cooperating teachers and University supervisors.
- Formative assessments and summative evaluations aligned with
the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice, conducted by both
the cooperating teacher and the University supervisor.
- Development of professional teaching portfolios by student
teachers as a form of self-assessment to the Minnesota Standards
of Effective Practice for Teachers and to encourage lifelong
learning and continuing professional development.
Student teacher reflection
Cooperating teachers and University supervisors are in the unique
position to model and encourage reflective teaching practice.
Regular opportunities for pre- and post-conferencing should be
planned to engage and assist student teachers in reflection on their
practice. Below are some additional suggestions for helping student
teachers reflect on their teaching performance:
- On a regular basis, share your own assumptions,
intentions, and reactions as a teacher.
- Build trust by listening carefully, remaining
non-judgmental, and maintaining a supportive position.
- Help the student teacher examine metaphors and
analogies used in thinking and talking about teaching and
learning.
- Formulate questions that help the student teacher
clarify or probe the issues or problems that she/he may
experience.
- Assist the student teacher in using a portfolio as
a springboard for reflection and the development of personal and
professional goals.
- Encourage the student teacher to record teaching
experiences, including insights, affirmations, issues, problems,
etc.
- Encourage the student teacher to do a simple action
research project and examine the results.
Formative assessment
The cooperating teacher observes the student teacher on a regular
basis and provides feedback on the teaching performance. Throughout
the student teaching experience, the cooperating teacher assists the
student teacher in reflecting on teaching performance and developing
goals and strategies for improving practice. University supervisors
schedule regular site visits to the school for the same purpose.
Formative assessment is used to complement the process of
reflective conferencing, and to assist University supervisors,
cooperating teachers, and student teachers in specifying areas of
teaching strengths and those of needed development. College forms
provide a comprehensive assessment of six categories of teaching
ability aligned with the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice
for Teachers. The standard college forms are available at below.
(Each of the program areas will provide their cooperating teachers
with the appropriate assessment forms.) Some programs have their
materials available online. (See
program specific material.)
The formative assessment forms will not appear in students’
credential files, but will provide useful information to University
supervisors and cooperating teachers in preparing their final
written evaluations.
Around the mid-point in the student teaching experience, the
University supervisor, in consultation with the cooperating teacher,
will complete an assessment of the student teacher’s present
performance using the final evaluation of student teaching. This
assessment is available to the student teacher and is entered into
the college’s Teacher Education Data System (TEDS).
Final evaluations
Cooperating teachers typically submit a final evaluation in the
form of a letter of recommendation. This letter of recommendation is
submitted to the College of Education and Human Development, Student Services, where it is placed in the student
teacher’s credential file. (See
Guidelines for letters of recommendation.)
University supervisors are required to submit student teaching
grade reports to their respective departments and to complete final
evaluation forms for their student teachers’ credential files. The
final evaluation form is aligned to the formative assessment forms
and the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers. (See
Indicators of good teaching.) The final evaluation is entered in TEDS.
Portfolio development
The development of a professional teaching portfolio is a process
by which a student teacher may begin to identify and articulate
his/her professional development in terms of the Minnesota Standards
of Effective Practice for Teachers. All program areas in the College
of Education and Human Development require the development of
teaching portfolios. Throughout the student teaching experience,
cooperating teachers and university supervisors encourage student
teachers to collect and compile the finest examples of their
teaching abilities. Student teachers are encouraged to use these
examples to create an electronic portfolio. The college has
developed a University of Minnesota teaching standards template for
eFolio: www.efoliomn.com. For
more information see Professional
teaching portfolio.
Revised August 2005 |
