Concordia University
St. Paul, MN
College of Education & Science
Department of Undergraduate Teacher Education
TIPS FOR CLINICAL TEACHERS
From Dr. Lynn Gehrke, Coordinator of Field & Clinical Experiences
Gehrke@csp.edu
CLINICAL TEACHING SEMINARS
Attendance at the clinical teaching seminars is mandatory. Attendance will be taken.
Professional behavior and participation at these meetings is expected. It is our time to reflect and
debrief on your experiences. Once we start working on your edTPA, you will need to have your
computers with you. Please share the dates with your university supervisor and your cooperating
teacher as soon as your experience begins.
Absence of your cooperating teacher
In the event that your cooperating teacher is absent you MUST have a licensed substitute in the
room. You cannot legally be in charge of the class. Let the substitute know that you are happy
to take the lead, since you will know the students better than the sub. The sub should not leave
the room for long periods of time.
When you are teaching your, cooperating teacher may leave the room for short periods of time,
but always know where she/he can be reached in case of an emergency.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
During your student teaching experience, it is strongly recommended that you do not take
additional classes or seminars, and limit your extra curricular responsibilities and your work
schedule.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
Before your first day in the classroom, make sure that you have professional liability
insurance through Education Minnesota. Please login to the website provided below and
join.
https://ims.nea.org/HowToJoin/stateStudent.do?mbrType=STUDENT&sea=mn
The cost is $25.00 for the year. Please forward confirmation of your membership to Dr.
Lynn Gehrke (Gehrke@csp.edu). Verification of this insurance MUST be on file in the
College of Education in order to remain in your student teaching site.
PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE & PRACTICES
Plan to dress professionally for this entire experience. All students and staff will respond better
to you if you dress professionally. Remember also that you are a job candidate and need to
dress for success.
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Concordia University
St. Paul, MN
College of Education & Science
Department of Undergraduate Teacher Education
Be on time for your first meeting (and every day thereafter) and dress professionally. Be sure to
exchange phone numbers with your cooperating teacher. Specifically ask where they would like
to be contacted.
Ask if you need to complete a background check. Schools and Districts differ on this policy.
Be sure that you get a copy of the school calendar from your cooperating teacher. You will
follow this calendar, NOT the Concordia calendar.
Discuss with your cooperating teacher the hours that he/she will arrive and depart. You are
expected to follow the same schedule as your cooperating teacher.
LESSON PLANS
Concordia University requires Teacher Candidates to have complete written lesson plans prior to
the teaching of any lessons. The university requires that lesson plans include specific information.
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Use the Concordia University Lesson Plan Template
Written self-evaluation (written after the lesson is taught)
In order to teach, lesson plans for all lessons you plan to teach must be submitted to
your cooperating teacher 24 hours in advance of teaching.
Place each lesson plan in your shared space in Live Text.
It’s also good practice to place a hard copy in your 3 ring binder. Organize your lesson
plans by grade level and/or subject area.
In addition to your cooperating teacher, the University Supervisor will review all lesson
plans you teach.
When you have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Cooperating Teacher and University
Supervisor that he/she is planning adequately and completely, the format of a Teacher’s Plan
Book (an abbreviated lesson plan) could be used, if approved by the cooperating teacher and
university supervisor.
Lesson plans for Mondays MUST be submitted to your cooperating teacher by Friday.
When your cooperating teacher is teaching, your job to observe, take notes, assist your teacher
or individual students. This is not a time to write lesson plans.
PROFESSIONAL ATTENDANCE
You are required to be at your school every day of your student teaching experience, unless
specified by the Coordinator of Field & Clinical Experiences. (There will be montly student
teaching seminars during the day, so you will miss one morning, once a month. You will receive
this schedule separately.)
You are required to attend staff meetings, department meetings, workshops, PTA meetings,
parent conferences, school events, such as concerts, carnivals, or other functions, and additional
staff meetings that your cooperating teacher suggests to you. Your job is to immerse yourself
into all aspects of the life of a teacher while you are placed in the school.
Lutheran Classroom Teachers, if placed in a Lutheran school, should attempt to become involved
in the activities of parish life, as well.
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Concordia University
St. Paul, MN
College of Education & Science
Department of Undergraduate Teacher Education
Absences are permitted only for illness or emergency situations. Be sure to notify your
cooperating teacher personnally (cell phone) as soon as you know you are too ill to come to
class. Do NOT leave a message on the classroom voicemail. You will also need to contact
your university supervisor that you are missing a day of teaching. If you are responsible for any
teaching the day you are ill, and you have your plans with you at home, you must email them to
your cooperating teacher. (This is why well-written and detailed lesson plans are always
expected.)
Missing a day of school or workshop for any reason other than illness or emergency can be a
problem. You are not “entitled” to a day off. Appointments for doctors, dentists, or any thing
else MUST be made after the end of the student contact day. Unexcused absences will need to
be made up. Excessive absenteeism may result in having to repeat the entire student teaching
experience.
FINAL REMINDER: Have fun, enjoy your experience, and learn everything you can soak up!
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