University News
WIU Creates New Student Teaching Program
April 11, 2002
MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University has announced a new student teaching program to be implemented in the west-central Illinois region in Fall 2002.
According to WIU College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) Dean Bonnie Smith Skripps, this new student teaching model meets the needs of todays schools as well as the expectations of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). These expectations re-emphasize the roles of the school, the classroom teacher as the subject matter expert and the importance of diverse school settings in the preparation of future teachers.
In the new model, WIU will support classroom teachers, district officials and University supervisors who mentor student teachers by providing appropriate training in the Universitys revised supervision and assessment models.
The advantage of this new student teaching model is an improved relationship with the student teacher and the ability as a mentor teacher to give better and more constructive feedback, Demaris Blansfield, Macomb elementary physical education teacher, said.
A pilot for the last two years in three area schools districts, the new model will now focus on three geographic regions including the west-central, northwestern, and northeastern Illinois areas, Smith-Skripps explained. A select number of districts within each region will be identified as WIU teaching sites, with several other districts in each region receiving student teachers on a rotating basis. Partner districts have agreed to host a significant number of student teachers and to participate with WIU in conducting training activities for their mentor teachers and district liaisons.
Having participated in the pilot of this new student teaching model last year, I can see that WIU prepared me well to be a mentor teacher," Pam Spicer, Macomb Senior High School Spanish teacher added. "I also received a good deal of support from the school district. This new model provides more immediate and concrete feedback to the student teacher and allows him or her to gain confidence in their own ideas and methods.
Districts participating as student teaching sites on a rotating basis will have these same opportunities for teacher and liaison training.
WIU has provided quality teachers for Illinois for more than 100 years, Smith-Skripps said. I attribute this success to Westerns ability to adapt to the needs of our state and our region, as well as the willingness of school educators to work with us through periods of change.
"This new supervision and assessment model will enable us to concentrate our resources to maximize the student teaching experience for our candidates," she added. " I believe the revisions we are making will benefit Illinois schools and students by improving the quality of future teachers.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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