Nixa Changes Student Teacher Model
At the board of education meeting, Nixa introduced a fundamental change in how it conducts its student teaching program, the first in the area to do so.
A presentation made by Dr. Stephen Kleinsmith, superintendent, and Missouri State University’s Coordinator of Educational Field Experiences Kim Dubree, addressed the pros and cons of co-teaching.
The norm in student teaching is that teachers give the reins over to the student teacher after a short amount of time in the classroom.
Nixa feels that this is not the most effective way to instruct students, nor is it the most effective way to train future teachers.
So after the presentation, the Nixa Board of Education voted to approve a "co-teaching" program for those college students who would like to complete their student teaching in Nixa.
Co-Teaching is defined as two teachers working together with groups of students and sharing the planning, organization, delivery and assessment of instruction and physical space.
The goal of this program is to make sure that the regular classroom teacher does not leave the classroom, but rather is still an integral part of the learning process as the student teacher gets the needed training and the district makes sure that the students receive the needed education.
Research has shown that students who are in a co-teaching classroom perform better.
Above all, co-teaching is an attitude of sharing the classroom and the students throughout the entire experience where both teachers are actively involved and engaged in all aspects of instruction.
While this is a change in the “normal” way of student teaching, Nixa feels that this is the best step to take for both our students and those who are entering the teaching field.
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