WHAT IS EXPECTED OF STUDENT INTERNS AND SUPERVISING TEACHERS

I.        Purpose of the Student Intern Program

          Description of the student intern course in the ILC Catalog: "Supervised observation and practice in grade schools of the CLC."

A.       Observation:

The student can learn much from the observation of the approaches, methods, and techniques of an experienced teacher in an actual classroom situation. Care should be taken, however, lest the student's role remain passive too long. After two or three days, the benefits of mere observation begin to decline, and the student intern will generally be eager to get busy at doing some teaching himself. The point is this: supervising teachers should get the student interns to work soon.

Form: Click here for a copy of a form to be used by the student intern during observation. Please make sufficient copies and save this copy for your files.

B.       Practice:

The supervising teacher (ST) will, of course, want to exercise good judgment as he involves the student intern (SI) in the actual teaching. The load handled by the student intern will be light at first and then increased gradually according to the student intern's ability. As the quarter progresses, the point will ordinarily be reached when the SI will be handling most, if not all, of the teaching load in the classroom. As the SI gains experience, the ST does well to give the SI more opportunity for being alone in the classroom. (Reaction of a ST: It would be good if at times the ST would walk in unannounced or find an inconspicuous location from which to observe, so as to sense the mood of the class. Is the class under control? Is effective discipline being maintained? Who is running the classroom?) At the same time, you should also be aware that some SI's have been very nervous over being left completely alone in the school building.

In a school with more than one classroom, the principal should attempt to place the student in at most two of the classrooms for four to five weeks each. It is desirable that the student receive experience in a variety of subject areas in as many of the grades as possible. As a general rule, the principal should try to involve the SI in as many experiences as time and ability will permit.

Form: Click here for sample schedules for a SI in various school settings.

Form: Click here for a checklist of possible activities in which a SI could be involved. The SI is to fill out a copy of this and return it to ILC after completion of the internship. The ST can peruse this list for ideas.

ST's ask at times whether the SI should be required to prepare lesson plans and submit them for review. The SI should be preparing lesson plans in advance of all teaching. It would probably be rather difficult for the SI to work as much as a week ahead, but a SI should, as a minimum, have the plans for the next day prepared by the day's end "rap session" prior to the day of teaching the plan.

Form: Click here for a sample lesson plan used in some courses at ILC.

"Rap sessions" at the end of each school day, when ST and SI can get together informally to discuss how things went, are very valuable, and ought to be carried out diligently. The SI should be encouraged to communicate questions and problems which he may have. The ST should speak frankly about positive and negative elements in the SI's work in the classroom as well as any suggestions for the next day's lesson plans. If the criticism is presented in an understanding and helpful way, the student will surely not resent it but rather profit from it.

By the time that the quarter is over, the student should have a good idea of what it means to be a Christian day school teacher. His experience and observation should have broadened his horizons and sharpened his abilities. Hopefully, he will be eager to finish his college work and await the Lord's call.

II.       Educational Methods

An alert student will learn "methods" in any class which he takes at ILC. He will note what kinds of teaching seem to succeed best, and he will gain many ideas as to effective techniques.

All education students take the Introduction to Education course in their freshman or sophomore year. This course is eminently practical and serves to give them ideas as to the general methods and the work of a teacher.

During the sophomore year, all education students take part in a 20 hour visitation program during which the students enter the classrooms of area public schools to observe and/or assist the public school professional at work. Each student completes the observation form mentioned earlier for each of the 10 one hour visitations required per semester. It is felt that much insight can be gained regarding classroom organization, student-teacher relationships, and lesson presentation from watching professionals in action. Both positive and negative experiences from these observation sessions provoke discussion in later education classes .

In the junior year, the education students take the Religion Methods course. Here they receive guidance on the effective teaching of Bible History, hymns, catechism, etc. Each student is asked to prepare in advance teaching plans for several Bible stories and then present these stories to the rest of the class. In-depth study of the art of questioning is included.

During the summer preceding their senior year, the students take part in a six week student internship. The internship runs through the first four weeks of the host school’s first quarter. This experience is intended to help the student become familiar with what’s involved in the first few days and weeks of school.

During the first semester of the senior year, the following methods courses are required: Reading Methods, Art Methods, and Math Methods. In addition, the following education courses are taught: Psychology of Education, Audio-Visual Methods, Tests & Measurements, Administration, and Children's Literature. (Since these latter five courses cycle, some education students will receive them as juniors instead.)

ILC is of the opinion that the courses mentioned in the above paragraphs should provide a sufficient background for the work of a student intern, since many of the procedures which they introduce can be applied without difficulty to other course areas.

During the fourth quarter of the senior year, following student internship, the education students take the remaining methods courses: Language Arts, Social Studies Methods, Science Methods, Music Methods, and Physical Education Methods. (The Science Methods may at times be offered during the first semester of the senior year, prior to the student internship.)

An argument can surely be made for teaching all of the methods courses prior to the student internship. This is at present unworkable, however, because of scheduling requirements in the college department and other factors. Furthermore, there may be a positive benefit to saving some of the methods courses until after the student internship. There is a regular reassessment of the education program and the cycling of course.

III.      Reporting Back to ILC

The normal procedure in the past has been for the principals of the schools to submit to the college dean a letter giving an evaluation of the student internship and other observations which may be helpful to the college department and to the synodical committee on graduates (the "assignment" committee). Over the years several forms have been provided to assist both the ST and ILC in evaluating the performance of the SI. Links to the two current forms are included below. It has been suggested that these forms be used midway through the student internship quarter and again at the end. At both times the ST does well to discuss the items on the form with the SI. We would encourage the practice of both the ST and the SI preparing a copy at each of the times mentioned and comparing their results. (Such a procedure can impress upon the SI the need for frequent self-evaluation throughout one's teaching career.)

At the close of the quarter, the principal of the school is asked to prepare and submit a single evaluation form to the college dean. If he wishes to substitute or add his own letter, this too is acceptable. This evaluation form and/or letter are treated as confidential, their contents being discussed only among faculty members and before the "assignment" committee of the CLC.

Form: Click here for the Student Intern Evaluation Form to use in evaluating the SI. Please use as suggested above.

           Click here for the previous version of the Student Intern Evaluation Form to use in evaluating the SI. Please use as suggested above.

IV.      Miscellaneous Matters

After the student is informed about where he will be doing his student internship, he is supposed to contact the principal of the school regarding living arrangements, as well as any other arrangements which have to be made. We expect that such things as lodging be arranged by the principal rather than the student.

If questions arise about what the student should pay for room and board, the fees charged by ILC for its dorm students can serve as a guideline. In any case, we urge the principals to direct and conclude the process of arriving at a room and board figure long before the SI arrives on the scene. It should perhaps be added that the SI continues to pay tuition to ILC for credits earned during the student internship. Also, in most cases, the SI is taking a leave-of-absence from a job during the internship.

Dates and Figures for the 2005-2006 School Year at ILC

                                Room and Board per quarter. . . . . . . . . . . . .  $890.00

                                Tuition for 3rd quarter (for information only). . $690.00

                                Miscellaneous fees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $240.00

                                End of 3rd quarter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3/10/2005

                                Start of 4th quarter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3/13/2005

Where greater traveling distances are involved, the beginning and ending dates may be moved up to correspond with the grade school calendar. This allows for the SI to begin with the internship after the grade school's Christmas break. The SI is to be at ILC for the start of the 4th quarter. Please make every effort to put the student intern to work for a full nine week quarter. Such private arrangements must be made clear to the SI by the principal in his preliminary contacts by letter or phone.

The ST should realize that he is to function as a mentor during the quarter, to freely guide the SI in the practical application of the theoretical knowledge which they bring to the student internship. Use your valuable experience to help prepare these students for their first years of teaching. We probably don’t acknowledge your help enough, but it is truly appreciated and an integral part of the training of our future teachers. Thank you very much for your cooperation and efforts in furthering the Lord’s Kingdom.

In Christ’s service,

Ross Roehl

Immanuel Lutheran College