Teaching Assistantship at the University of Texas at Austin

General Cohort Director:  involved placement of student teachers and interns, resolving conflicts/problems among students, cooperating teachers, and/or principals when necessary;  preparing and conducting seminars for cooperating teachers at beginning of each semester;  recruiting cooperating teachers;  conducting evaluation and selection of cooperating teachers and principals;  advising student teachers and interns;  rewriting student teaching handbook;  assigning teaching assistant supervisors to schools;  assisting other student teacher supervisors as needed. 

Courses Taught at the University of Texas at Austin:

EDC 364, Internship for Student Teaching, Elementary - supervising interns

EDC 667E, Student Teaching in Elementary School -  supervising student teachers

EDC 370E, Social Studies Methods for Elementary School - taught with Dr. Judith Marrou

EDC 331, School Organization and Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers -  co-taught with Dr. Judith Marrou

EDC 364 and EDC 667E involved advising, observing, and evaluating interns and/or student teachers in their placement at public schools;  working with the cooperating teachers and principals;  evaluating cooperating teachers;  recruiting cooperating teachers;  working with parents of student teachers as needed;  designing and implementing regular seminars for the students. 

 

Seminar topics for student teachers and interns included (partial list;  seminar topics were planned to meet the needs of each group of student teachers or interns each semester):  

          Constructing lesson plans

          Designing interdisciplinary thematic units

Classroom strategies for enabling elementary students to  be self-directed

          Cooperative, interdependent learning

           Research skills for elementary students

           Student motivation

           Authentic assessment

           Classroom organization and management

           Parental involvement

           Issues involving working with cooperating teachers

           Current issues in educational reform

           Team teaching

           Creative writing strategies for elementary students

           Locating additional resources for unit ideas and lessons

           Reading/writing connections

           Critical thinking skills for elementary students