Suggested Schedule for Assumption of Responsibilities
Sixteen-Week Student-Teaching Experience
****TRADITIONAL Student Teaching Experience*******
The following is a suggested schedule for a traditional sixteen-week field experience in student teaching. It is
presented as a guide. This is not an inclusive list of activities and, most likely, the actual schedule will need to be
continually revised to meet the style of the cooperating teacher and the specific demands of the classroom.
Please note the emphasis for teacher candidates to take on teaching responsibilities.
ARRIVAL AND WEEK ONE - ORIENTATION
 Complete and submit the Emergency Contact Information form (See TLEE 485 syllabus)
 Participate in the Three-Way Conference and complete form (one copy for everyone)
 Cooperating teacher should complete Weekly Evaluation form (See TLEE 485 syllabus)
 Sign in at the main office and arrange for the required identification
 Introduce yourself to the class
 Write, have approved, and send home a letter of introduction to parents
 Review students’ schedule for their instructional day
 Organize desk or personal area (not all schools will provide this; it is not required)
 Learn the students’ names
 Start a daily reflection log to be shared with your supervisor (determine method)
 Begin setting up student teaching binder and lesson planner
 Establish a lesson plan format with your cooperating teacher and NIU supervisor
 Written lesson plans are required
 Plan and teach a “Getting To Know You Lesson” (Using multimedia memoir is suggested)
 Learn school district policies and analyze their operation in the school community
 Observe students’ learning styles, habits, and strategies
 Observe and discuss classroom management strategies, lesson design and presentation style of
cooperating teacher
 Review cooperating teacher’s schedule for teaching and grading
 Learn the student evaluation/assessment/grading system
 Assist teacher with monitoring of playground, recess, and lunch periods
 Assume responsibilities for nonacademic tasks e.g. attendance, lunch count, etc.
 Assist individual students/groups with assignments
 Review textbooks, supplies, teacher manuals, planning books
 Become acquainted with location/contents of cumulative folders, permanent record cards, pupil progress
report forms
 Assist teacher with developing thematic bulletin board(s). This is not required, but is suggested
 Discuss the topic of the (Teacher Work Sample) to be developed and taught
 Identify the contextual factors of the classroom (Part I of the TWS)
 Complete and submit General Orientation assignment (See TLEE 485 syllabus)
WEEK TWO
 Continue to observe cooperating teacher while assisting with students and classroom work
 Plan and teach lessons to a small group in one content area
 Discuss with the cooperating teacher ways to assess student learning
 Assist teacher in preparing extension/remedial/instruction materials
 Observe, review, and discuss needs of students based on their individual learning styles and
achievement goals
 Confirm the TWS topic and dates for presentation (follow due dates presented)
 Plan to assume responsibility for one content area
 Complete and submit Technology form (See TLEE 485 syllabus)
WEEK THREE
 Continue activities already assigned
 Design, teach and take over one content area
 Continue reflection/personal log (this will be shared with your supervisor)
 Plan and discuss the assumption of one more content area for week four
 Review ISAT goals and school improvement planning for this grade level with cooperating teacher
 Continue to work on TWS – follow the schedule
Revised 7/2012
WEEK FOUR
 Continue to take over an additional content areas of teaching until full responsibilities are assumed (total
responsibilities must be assumed by week 7)
 Attend PTA or school board meetings, if possible
 Present plans for interdisciplinary Teacher Work Sample to cooperating teacher (make sure you are
following the schedule for the due dates)
WEEK FIVE
 Cooperate with teacher in the planning of lessons
 Reflect and self-analyze lessons taught (continue with the personal reflection log)
 Assume at minimum three content areas and plan transition to full-time responsibilities by week 7
 Begin presentation (Teaching) of the Teacher Work Sample
WEEK SIX
 Discuss and assist cooperating teacher with system of reporting pupil progress assessments,
evaluations, and parent conferences
 Continue teaching of the Teacher Work Sample
NOTE: By week seven the teacher candidate needs to assume the full responsibilities of the classroom.
This could be a collaborative co-teaching effort as decided by the cooperating teacher.
A conference with the teacher candidate, cooperating teacher and NIU supervisor is appropriate and
necessary if the teacher candidate is not demonstrating readiness to assume full teaching
responsibilities.
The university supervisor and cooperating teacher will collaboratively write a deficiency report that will
be submitted to the Elementary Faculty committee for a decision.
WEEK SEVEN
 Review and discuss effective evaluation/assessment of students
 Continue teaching of the Teacher Work Sample
 Continue with the daily reflection log
WEEK EIGHT
 Complete midterm evaluation (found on the Literacy Education webpage) and conduct conference (share
the mid term with the student)
 Finalize teaching of the Teacher Work Sample
WEEK NINE
 Continue teaching activities (should be full day approximately week seven through week fourteen with
partial responsibilities through week 16)
 Work on final sections of the Teacher Work Sample (Follow the schedule)
WEEK TEN
 Observe and take note of all community resources assisting school programs and learner development
 Complete Teacher Work Sample should be submitted to LiveText
WEEK ELEVEN
 Continue assigned teaching responsibility
 Reflect on curriculum taught, classroom management strategies, and personal teaching style
WEEK TWELVE
 Continue assigned teaching responsibility
 Continue reflection log
WEEK THIRTEEN
 Write, have approved, and send home closure note to parents
Revised 7/2012
WEEK FOURTEEN
 Begin transitioning content areas back to the cooperating teacher, but keeping at least half.
 Arrange observations approved by NIU supervisor, principal, and cooperating teacher for visits in varied
classrooms, in the same building, for week 16 (these should not be scheduled for everyday)
WEEK FIFTEEN
 Continue with teaching of at least half of the content areas
 Assist the classroom teacher with a more mature and experienced perspective.
WEEK SIXTEEN
 Final Evaluation process
o hard copy is to be completed TYPED and separately submitted by both the cooperating teacher
and the university supervisor
 Meet with cooperating teacher and university supervisor to review
 This form is sent to the Credential File to be used when searching for a job
o LIVE TEXT version – the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor will also submit the
information from the final evaluation to the LIVE TEXT link that will be sent by the Clinical Office
secretary.
 This information is used for university data collection that helps the program meet
NCATE standards
 Observe activities of other classrooms including gifted and challenged students – all observations must
take place in the same building student is assigned. Must be approved by principal, supervisor,
and cooperating teacher and should not be for the entire week. One or two visits are acceptable.
 Meet with the principal
For a complete list of the competencies expected from a candidate in student teaching, see the TLEE 485
Student Teaching Evaluation found in (Forms and Documents)
Revised 7/2012