UCSB Elementary Teacher Education Program
Two Week Take-over: Helpful Hints
1. In the first few weeks of the winter/spring placement, the cooperating teacher and the teacher candidate discuss the curriculum during the two-week take-over in May. Potential for curricular integration is also discussed.
2. The cooperating teacher and teacher candidate must sit down prior to the takeover and discuss the following:
The most effective way to allow the teacher candidate to carry on as though it was his/her own classroom without upsetting established routines.
Specific school procedures and policies which the teacher candidate needs to know, e.g. fire drill procedures, lock-down, etc.
Tentative lesson plans for both weeks. These and a Block Plan for the two weeks must be presented to the cooperating teacher a minimum of ten days in advance of the takeover.
The Supportive Classroom Environment Plan. The teacher candidate must describe in writing behavior expectations for students and reinforcing strategies. This is to be given to the supervisor/cooperating teacher with the lesson plans for both weeks.
Specific materials needed for the two weeks.
How the teacher candidate will interact with classroom aides, volunteers and other support personnel. If planning for support personnel needs to be done, the teacher candidate should be the one to do it.
3. The University supervisor will check the ones above that are in bold print. NO teacher candidate may begin the take-over without approval from the cooperating teacher and UCSB supervisor!
The site supervisor will return take-over plans and meet with each teacher candidate will meet to go over her/his comments, suggestions and recommendations. The teacher candidate will then give the plans to the cooperating teacher for review.
CAVEAT: The lesson plans and the environment plan must be turned in to the university supervisor 10 days before the start of the take-over. There must be at least one full week between the date when the above materials are approved and the take-over begins. The start date of the take-over is to be postponed if, at this point, materials are in-complete or of unacceptable quality.
4. The teacher candidate is to write a letter to parents informing them of the take-over and briefly describing their plans. A type written draft of this letter must be shown to the cooperating teacher and the UCSB supervisor before the letter is sent home. A letter to be translated must be given to the community liaison two weeks prior to takeover. DO NOT use a computer Spanish translation program to translate the letter home.
5. The cooperating teacher and teacher candidate also need to discuss the role of the cooperating teacher during this period. The following are a few suggestions:
In order for the teacher candidate to learn to handle all classroom situations, it is essential that the cooperating teacher be out of the classroom during instructional times. Therefore, the cooperating teacher should give the teacher candidate assistance only when absolutely necessary.
During the first 3 days of the takeover the cooperating teacher needs to be entirely absent from the classroom, allowing the teacher candidate to assume full control of the class and instruction. After the first 3 days a cooperating teacher may, if asked by the teacher candidate, return for language arts or mathematics rotations.
The cooperating teacher is to make two formal observations during the take-over. It is important that the teacher candidate receive feedback and written critique from these observations. This should be done during non-teaching times, when students are not present.
It is extremely helpful for the cooperating teacher to, on a daily basis either before or after school, check-in on lesson plans for the day to come, especially modifications to the original plans.
