Roles and
Responsibilities for
University Supervisors
2013-2014
Purpose of PowerPoint
Thank you for helping our teacher candidates in
their last and very important field experience as
a student teacher. Without you, our students
could not complete their training.
This PowerPoint will introduce you to or help
clarify the roles and responsibilities of a
University Supervisor. The slides will also serve
as a resource for your work.
Information for
University Supervisors
• Handbook
– Responsibilities are outlined in each student teaching
handbook.
– Handbooks can be found on
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/policieshandbooks.dot
• Webpage
– http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/resources/ (Choose University
Supervisors)
• Education Coordinator
– Contact the Education Coordinator or Student Professional
Experiences Coordinator with specific questions you have
Meeting Your Student Teacher
Once you have been assigned to a student
teacher, please
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Make contact with him/her
Introduce yourself
Exchange contact information
Review your role with the student teacher
Emphasize that open and frequent communication
is necessary for this experience to be successful
and as rich as possible
Meeting Your Student Teacher
• Student teacher/cooperating
teacher/university supervisor meetings
– Some sites and campus hold these meetings to
introduce one another and to review student
teaching requirements with a BVU staff member
– This meeting is not to be considered the initial
visit for the student teaching placement.
Visiting Your Student Teacher
• The state of Iowa requires the following,
“Involvement of the college or university
supervisor in the formative evaluation of
practitioner candidates through a minimum of
biweekly observations and consultations.”
• Therefore the number of visits you will
complete will depend on the length of the
student teaching placement.
Visiting Your Student Teacher
Placement Length
Visits
4 weeks
Initial visit/consultation + 1 or 2 Formal Observations
8 weeks
Initial visit/consultation + 3 Formal Observations
14 weeks
Initial visit/consultation + 6 Formal Observations
16 weeks
Initial visit/consultation + 7 Formal Observations
• Visits should be conducted the first week and then every
other week thereafter until the total number of initial visit
and formal observations are completed
• Additional visits may be required to support a student teacher.
Making additional visits should be discussed with the Student
Professional Experiences Coordinator or Education
Coordinator/Advisor prior to doing so.
Arranging Visits
• Arrange a time for classroom visits so that you
can observe the student teacher from the
beginning of a lesson through the end.
• Arrange visits so there is time to discuss progress,
give suggestions, receive input, etc in
conversations with the:
– student teacher in a 2-way conference in private
– cooperating teacher in a 2-way conference in private
– cooperating teacher and student teacher in a 3-way
conference
Prior to the Classroom Visit
• Before entering any classroom, please go to
the office to identify yourself and let the
school know you are there for a student
teacher visitation.
• Please meet and thank the principal for
allowing the BVU student teacher to have this
experience in the building
Initial Visit
• Conduct this visit during the first week of school
• Meet with the student teacher and cooperating
teacher to:
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review the student teaching handbook
explain policies and procedures
describe what will happen when you come to visit
answer any questions
thank the cooperating teacher for hosting the
student teacher
Initial Visit and Student Teacher
• During the Initial Visit, please review with
your student teacher your expectations
regarding:
– Submission of Weekly Reflections
– Submission Lesson Plans prior to your formal
observations
– The importance of communicating during the
experience
– Other information as necessary and desirable
•
Initial Visit and Cooperating
Teacher
During the Initial Visit,
please review with the
cooperating teacher:
– The importance of communicating during the experience
– Forms that must be completed
• Student Teaching Experience Checklist (the student will submit
this on LiveText)
• 2-Week Evaluation submitted on paper to you
• Mid-Term Evaluation completed on LiveText
• Final Evaluation completed on LiveText
• Final Grade sheet submitted on paper to you
***Note: descriptors for evaluations are found in the
student teacher handbook
Initial Visit and Cooperating
Teacher
• Remind the cooperating teacher that LiveText
login information has been or will soon be
emailed to the teacher’s school email account.
• If the teacher has questions about LiveText,
an instruction packet and contact information
with the BVU LiveText manager is found at:
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/livetext/c
ooperating-teachers.dot
•F
Initial Visit Form
• Complete the Initial Visit/Consultation Form
found in the student teacher handbook or online
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/resources/un
iversity-supervisors.dot
• Write on the form what you discussed with the
cooperating teacher/student teacher
• Have the student teacher and cooperating
teacher sign and date the form
• You will also need to sign and date it
Formal Observations
• These visits will need to be scheduled between the
student teacher and you. During this visit you will
need to complete a Lesson Observation Form and a
University Supervisor’s Observation Form.
• The number of formal observations will depend on
the length of the student teaching placement. (Please
refer to chart on slide #7)
• Copies of these forms can be found in the student
teaching handbook
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/resources/univer
sity-supervisors.dot
Formal Observation and
the Cooperating Teacher
• Upon arrival for each of the visits, please take a
moment to meet with the cooperating teacher to ask
if he/she has any questions/concerns, areas of
improvement the students needs to focus on, etc.
Please feel free to take notes and report back to the
University.
• Any time a concern arises, please contact the Student
Professional Experiences Coordinator or Education
Coordinator/Advisor immediately.
Formal Observation and
the Student Teacher
• At the conclusion of each observation, sit down with the
student teacher one-on-one to go over the results of the
lesson.
• Carefully review how the lesson plan compared to the actual
lesson, questions/concerns you had with the lesson, and
always encourage reflective questioning.
• Remember, your job is to be a positive motivator and yet be
able to provide constructive feedback to the student teacher.
• Always give suggestions on how to improve and be sure to
highlight items the student teacher did well.
• Include the cooperating teacher in a 3-way conference during
or after your conference with the student teacher.
Extra Visits and Communication
• If you believe that a student teacher needs more
support from you than visits every other week,
please contact the Student Professional Experiences
Coordinator or Education Coordinator/Advisor to
schedule more visits.
• If, at any time, there are questions or concerns that
have been raised either by you or the cooperating
teacher, contact the Student Professional
Experiences Coordinator or Education
Coordinator/Advisor immediately.
Growth Plan
• A Growth Plan is a tool to help students be successful if
the cooperating teacher or the university supervisor
believes there is a need for a specific plan for
improvement.
• The growth plan can be completed after the
identification of a need for improvement with input from
the Cooperating Teacher, Student Teacher, and the
Student Professional Experiences Coordinator or
Education Coordinator/Advisor.
• Contact Student Professional Experiences Coordinator or
Education Coordinator/Advisor if you believe a student
teacher needs a Growth Plan.
Weekly Reflections
The student teachers complete a written
reflection each week throughout the student
teaching experience. These reports consist of a
reflection based on various guiding standards
such as the BVU Teacher Education Program
Pillars, InTASC standards, and the Iowa Teaching
Standards. Each reflection has a set of guiding
questions based on that week’s theme.
Weekly Reflections
• The student teachers are to upload Weekly
Reflections into LiveText no later than
Saturday evening at midnight.
• The first weekly reflection is due the Saturday
after the first week of student teaching.
• There are no rubrics for Weekly Reflections.
You may respond to the student teacher’s
Weekly Reflections in the manner you choose.
LiveText Help
• If you have questions about LiveText, an
instruction packet can be found at:
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/livetext/S
upervisors.dot
• The LiveText tech support is also a source of
help: support@livetext.com
Additional LiveText Help
 For LiveText assistance, please contact Leah
Schimmer (located in Storm Lake)
 By phone 712.749.2156
 By email at schimmerl@bvu.edu
 Her office hours are M-F 9am-3pm.
 Cooperating Teachers and Student Teachers
are also welcome to contact Leah with LiveText
questions and issues.
Exceptions to LiveText
• Students who seek only an Endorsement and
not an initial teaching license or certification
do not use LiveText.
• Arrange with the student teacher how you will
receive Weekly Reflections.
• The cooperating teacher will not be using
LiveText for mid-term and final evaluations.
The teacher will give the paper forms to you.
Cooperating Teachers and LiveText
 Please monitor LiveText uploads by cooperating teachers and
student teachers. If there is an absence of uploads, either assist
the cooperating teacher/student teacher or contact the Student
Professional Experiences Coordinator or Education
Coordinator/Advisor.
 Questions regarding LiveText may be answered by referring to
material on the Teacher Education Materials webpage, through
LiveText Support or by contacting Leah Schimmer. Resources
and contact information can be found at
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/livetext/
Final Evaluation
• Final Formal Observation: This visit will be scheduled
between the student teacher, the cooperating
teacher, and you. During this visit you will need to
complete the Lesson Observation Form and the
University Supervisor’s Observation Form.
• At this meeting, you and the cooperating teacher can
complete the final evaluation and final evaluation
grade sheet. The Final Evaluation is completed
within LiveText. The Final Grade Sheet is a hard copy
form that is turned into the BVU office.
Grading the Student Teacher
• You are responsible for assigning student
teacher grades.
• While the cooperating teacher is asked to
recommend a grade, the final decision rests
with the Buena Vista University supervisor.
• BVU will support the grade you give the
student teacher. You must be able to support
your grade decision.
Grading
• To determine a grade for the student teacher, solicit
input from the cooperating teacher and base the
evaluation on the student teacher’s demonstrated
abilities at the end of the student teaching
assignment.
• You may also consider the
– quality of lesson plans
– content of Weekly Reflections when considering a final grade
– input from administrators and others who have knowledge of
the student teacher
Checklists
• Checklists are provided in the student teacher
handbook and online at:
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/resources
/university-supervisors.dot
• The Checklists are meant to be a tool for you
to track your responsibilities and visits with
your student teacher.
Forms submitted to Student
Professional Experiences Coordinator
or Education Coordinator/Advisor
• For accreditation purposes, hard copies of these
forms completed by you are required:
– University Supervisor Reports
• Initial Visit
• Formal Observations to include:
– Lesson Observation Reports
– Lesson plans from the formal observations
– Final Grade Sheet
• With comments and grade recommended by cooperating teacher
– Final Evaluation (hard copy if not in LiveText)
Forms submitted to Student
Professional Experiences Coordinator
or Education Coordinator/Advisor
• Additionally, for accreditation purposes, you must
submit these forms completed by the Cooperating
Teacher:
– 2 Week Progress Report (hard copy)
– Mid-Term and Final Evaluation hard copies only if the
student is excused from using LiveText
• Please collect these evaluations from the cooperating teacher if
paper copies are being used
60 Hour Rule
Iowa Code regulating teacher education programs requires
University Supervisors to acquire 60 hours of P-12 classroom
experience.
79.12(6) Faculty members preparing practitioner candidates
maintain an ongoing, meaningful involvement in activities in
preschools, elementary, middle, or secondary schools. A
minimum of 60 hours of activities of such activities shall include
team teaching during the period between approval visits. A
maximum of 30 hours of the 60 hour requirement may be
completed by supervising preservice candidates in P-12
classroom settings.(from Iowa Code, 2007)
60 Hour Rule
• The number of hours required is pro-rated for
supervisors who begin working for BVU after
the approval period has started.
• For information and the Verification form,
please contact the Student Professional
Experiences Coordinator or Education
Coordinator/Advisor; or go to
http://www.bvu.edu/bv/teachered/resources
/university-supervisors.dot
Thank You
Thank you for your work with BVU’s
student teachers. Your experience
and expertise are valued and
appreciated as very important and
beneficial to our teacher candidates.