Selecting cooperating teachers
Cooperating teachers are mentors, guides and coaches for the student teachers they supervise. The choice of a cooperating teacher affects the value of future teacher's student teaching experience, and shapes how well prepared that student will be to step into the classroom the following fall.
The following are important elements in the process of choosing a cooperating teacher. Click on the links below to learn more about the policies and procedures strong student teaching programs use to select cooperating teachers.
- Informing school districts about selection criteria
- Identifying potential cooperating teachers, including providing ways that their principals can nominate them
- Application process for cooperating teachers
- Review of potential cooperating teachers' qualifications
- Opportunities for cooperating teachers to screen student teachers before placements are finalized
- Identifying constraints on the selection of cooperating teachers that are related to school district policies, and finding strategies to mitigate them