MENTOR TEACHERS

The most successful field experiences are often accompanied by periodic conferences between the field student and the classroom teacher. We suggest that you set time aside at least two to three times, to meet with your OU student when your K-12 learners are not in the room.

Initial conferences include a basic introduction and orientation. You might ask:

1. How many fields have you had prior to this? When will you student teach?
2. What courses are you taking? What concepts are emphasized in these courses?
3. Do you have any assignments or deadlines that might impact your time in my classroom?
4. Do you have any goals for this field placement?

Mid-Term conferences should be an opportunity for formative feedback. The Professional Behaviors Assessment is a useful tool that provides shared language between you and your mentee. This will allow both of you to discuss progress thus far, and expectations moving forward. You might ask:

1. What opportunities are you looking for in the latter half of the term?
2. What strengths or limitations do you see in your initial experiences teaching?
3. Looking at the Professional Behaviors Assessment, where would you like to focus your efforts in the coming weeks?
4. Do you have any assignments or deadlines coming up that we should plan for?

End of Term conferences allow you and the student to discuss his/her growth and accomplishments throughout the term, as well as goals for the next field/student teaching.

1. Looking at the Professional Behaviors Assessment, which descriptors best capture your time in my classroom?
2. What opportunities would you like to focus on in your next field placement? 
3. What support will you need to meet your future goals?

At the end of the term, The Professional Behaviors Assessment will serve as a feedback tool for your student and our program. The tool will be hosted in a program called Student Learning & Licensure (SLL) (sll.watermarkinsights.com), and we will contact you to provide your login information. You will also approve the student’s field hours in SLL. For step-by step instructions to complete your assessment and approve student field hours please contact [email protected]. You may also visit our SLL Support Site for further information.

• Suggested Elementary School-Based Experiences may help students while working toward their goals.
• Suggested Secondary School-Based Experiences may help students while working toward their goals.
• For guiding our student teachers, SCECHs are available.