Supervising Beginning Teachers: The Most Important Objective
William J. Vande Kopple, Professor of English, and Jonathan M. Vande Kopple
Christian Educators Journal
December 2005

The question came from our friend Bob as the three of us chatted outside church after the morning service:

“I don't think I ever told you guys that I start supervising a student teacher next week. I really didn't want one, but the college coordinator wore me down, and finally I said yes. I was reluctant because one of my colleagues had a miserable time with a student teacher about a year ago. That student teacher just didn't show any drive — it seemed as if all he wanted to do was sit in the lounge and flip through teaching units. So now I've got a question, and the two of you should be able to come up with a good answer. You, Bill, have worked with, what, hundreds of student teachers? And Jon, you did your own student teaching not too long ago and are good friends with lots of beginning teachers. So
what do you think is the single most important objective I should keep in mind as I supervise? Think about it, talk it over for a day or two, and then e-mail me an answer. Fair enough?”

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Reprinted by permission of Christian Educator's Journal.