Teachers in Starkville and Tupelo are concluding the first phase of a Mississippi State University pilot program offering an alternative to traditional methods of guiding student teachers.
The Clinical Instructor Program in the College of Education uses a team of specially trained classroom instructors to monitor the progress of senior education majors who are getting classroom experience in the elementary grades. Only two other universities--Georgia Southern and the University of Alabama--are known to use a similar approach.
At present, Mississippi State employs the triad model used by most colleges and universities. Under this model, the student teacher, the cooperating public school teacher and the university-based supervisor all assess the student's performance during a semester internship.
Sixteen public school teachers from Starkville and 18 from Tupelo participated in CIP, which began last summer. Before taking part, each went through an extensive training session.
"The training session allowed the teachers to develop an understanding of the elementary education program at Mississippi State in order to more closely link field-based to campus-based experiences," said Linda Jones, director of the college's clinical/field-based instruction. "The session also helped them enhance skills and knowledge of coaching, as well as the processes of supervision."
During the semester, clinical instructors from each district planned and took turns conducting six three-hour seminars for the student teachers. They also helped the student teachers solve instructional problems and broaden their areas of learning through discussion of classroom and school issues.
A second level of support involved a university faculty member who served as a liaison among the clinical instructors, student teachers, college supervisor, and the individual school principals.
So far, Jones said, responses have been encouraging. She cited several survey replies:
"The student teachers appear to be more comfortable because they know the teachers' expectations," said Pam Morton of Overstreet Elementary in Starkville.
"Through this program, a relationship is formed between the schools and Mississippi State, which, in turn, has created a rich environment for our students," said Patti Permenter of Tupelo's Church Street Elementary. "The children are the recipients of this enhanced instructional support team."
"The clinical instructor program has given the classroom teacher a feeling of empowerment, but, most importantly, a stronger bridge has been built between the university and the supervising teacher," said Melina Vaughan, College of Education clinical instructor assistant coordinator.
Jones said the CIP is being continually evaluated and refined. If progress continues on schedule, she expressed hope that this approach will become a permanent part of the university's program for supervision of student teachers.