3 Ways to Improve Student Teacher Communication
Working with a student teacher is a super important job. But what happens when the mentor teacher has trouble communicating with the student teacher?
Nobody wins. It makes everything harder on the mentor teacher, the student teacher, and the students!
That’s why communication with your student teacher is very important. You have to communicate from the beginning, when things get rocky, when things are great, at the end, etc. Communication every day is key!
So, what makes it easier to communicate with your student teacher?
Mentoring a Student Teacher Topics
- Part 1: Preparing for your Student Teacher
- Part 2: Introducing your Student Teacher
- Part 3: Releasing Responsibilities to your Student Teacher
- Part 4: Communicating with your Student Teacher
- Part 5: Planning with your Student Teacher
- Part 6: Observing your Student Teacher
- Part 7: Giving Feedback to your Student Teacher
- Part 8: Grading Tips for your Student Teacher
- Part 9: Reflecting with your Student Teacher
- Part 10: Thanking your Student Teacher
Student Teacher Communication Tip #1
Communicate your expectations from the get-go and encourage a 2-way communication street. You want a working relationship for the length of your student teacher’s placement with you.
- Trade email addresses and phone numbers. Be open about how you want to be reached outside of school hours (if at all).
- What time does your student teacher need to arrive at school?
- What is the dress code?
- What do you want your student teacher to do each day?
- Encourage your student teacher to tell you what he/she wants to do each day.
- Explain everything you are doing in your classroom. Talk about the decisions you make each day.
- Be open to questions from your student teacher.
- Be approachable!
- If an issue arises, discuss it immediately. Don’t wait for it to resolve on its own. Most times, it’ll turn into a bigger problem. And you don’t want a bigger problem on your hands.
As long as you do these things from the very first day, you shouldn’t have difficulties communicating with your student teacher.
Student Teacher Communication Tip #2
Provide feedback after all lessons taught by your student teacher.
- Feedback can be verbal feedback or written feedback.
- Make it a goal to give written feedback in one subject area at least once a week.
- Verbal feedback should be given as soon as possible after the lesson is over to make it most effective.
- If you provide written feedback, it is helpful to also schedule a time to discuss the feedback. Think of post-observation conferences you do after being observed. This gives your student teacher a chance to provide rationale and thinking as well as gain insight to anything you would have done differently.
- Point out what your student teacher does well and not just what needs improvement. No one likes to be told everything they do wrong all the time.
Student Teacher Communication Tip #3
Make discussions about reflection and not always focusing on every little thing that went wrong.
- When meeting and reviewing lessons, encourage a discussion by asking open-ended questions.
- Don’t do all the talking. Give your student teacher a voice.
- Try to stay positive, even when changes need to be made.
- Ask what went well and what needs improvement for the future.
- Encourage reflection from your student teacher before providing your input.
Student Teacher Communication Bonus Tip
Write everything down! Even when you think you will remember something, you won’t! So write it down!
In my guide to Mentoring a Student Teacher, I have a handy notetaking sheet you can use to write down your thoughts. Print out multiple copies and keep them on a clipboard so you can find them whenever you need to write something down.
Give your student teacher some copies so he/she can write down their thoughts while they are observing you. So many uses for one piece of paper!
This is included in my Mentoring a Student Teacher Guide.
