Why Student Teaching Needs a Revamp: Exploring the Challenges and Solutions for Effective Teacher Training

<p>I don't think you'll find too many current student teachers who disagree that student teaching needs a revamp.<a href="https://teach.com/careers/become-a-teacher/teaching-credential/state-requirements/"><u> </u></a><a href="https://teach.com/careers/become-a-teacher/teaching-credential/state-requirements/"><u>Most teacher candidates</u></a> spend at least 14 weeks student teaching consisting of 8 hours a day, teaching, lesson planning, and grading; Most teacher candidates attend staff meetings and parent conferences, too.</p> <p>Wait that sounds like what a regular teacher does. Well, that’s the point, to give candidates an idea of what they are getting into. It allows them to hone their lesson-delivery skills and learn classroom management techniques.</p> <p>At the same time, student teachers are also paying tuition to a university to access the practice teaching required for a credential. This means that beyond the daily teaching requirement, they also have weekly university supervisor meetings and fieldwork hours to track, plus four time-consuming progress checks to fill out every three weeks. Most also attend a university seminar class in the evenings. &nbsp;And here in California, the ominous <a href="https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/CalTPA_TestPage.html"><u>California Teaching Performance Assessment</u></a>, better known as CalTPA, also weighs heavily on their shoulders. Without passing this exam, there is no credential awarded. I know this first hand, as I’m a university supervisor who ensures the teacher candidates turn in all this frivolous paperwork.</p> <p>I’m sure most states have some sort of similar <a href="https://transparencyinteaching.com/let-me-see-your-credentials/"><u>credentialing requirements</u></a>. This is way beyond what a regular classroom teacher must endure. All of this is without pay. This puts a huge financial burden on candidates, especially those with established families who may pursue teaching as a second career. They have no time to hold down a job