Chapter 25 is about the first days of student teaching, before you teach a full lesson. It is for student teachers who want to know how to get involved in the classroom right away without stepping on the cooperating teacher’s toes. If you have not set your goals for the practicum yet, start with Chapter 17, and the student teaching guide has the rest of the practicum in one place.
This is Chapter 25 of 51 from Road to Teaching (2025 edition). Read the whole book free, in order, at Read the Book.
By Dr. Eric Hougan
“To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well as I can.”Og Mandino
As you begin student teaching, you may not feel ready to teach, but the best advice is to jump in headfirst and become an active member in the classroom from day one. This does not mean that you should teach a lesson on your first day; rather within your first few days, take steps towards a more active role in the classroom.
There are easy ways to take on an active role, short of teaching a lesson. For example, consider taking attendance for the classroom. Your cooperating teacher will undoubtedly be delighted if you take on this task because it can often feel like an unpleasant chore. You can turn this dull task into an opportunity to learn the students’ names by making it into a game. While taking attendance, give yourself a point for each student’s name you remember. Keep a tally as you work towards your goal of knowing 100% of the students’ names.
Another way to create an active presence in the classroom is by moving around the classroom and initiating positive interactions with the students. The students are watching you and when you are active—walking around the room, observing, assessing, and giving feedback—you show them that you are confident in yourself and your abilities. In essence, you being active signals to the students you are ready for this role, and you will be good at it. Conversely, if you are inactive, disappearing into the background, the students may see you as insecure and not up to the job, which will make it all that harder for you when you start teaching them.
Modern classrooms offer numerous opportunities for student teachers to become actively involved from the beginning. Consider these additional ways to contribute:
- Technology support: Help students navigate digital learning platforms, troubleshoot devices, or assist with online assignments
- Small group facilitation: Work with individual students or small groups during independent work time
- Materials management: Organize supplies, prepare resources for upcoming lessons, or create visual aids
- Data collection: Help track student progress, organize student work samples, or maintain classroom records
- Hallway supervision: Accompany students to specials, lunch, or recess to build relationships outside the classroom
Taking some responsibility for grading is another way to assert yourself in a positive way. Of course, you should ask for both permission and instructions from the cooperating teacher before you begin grading the students’ work. To ensure fairness in assessment, the teacher probably uses a rubric, an answer sheet, or a baseline when grading, so you should use the same tools. Also, with grading comes the responsibility to give your students effective feedback. Strive to provide feedback that is clear, timely, and related to the students’ growth, effort, and lesson objectives.
When providing feedback on student work, focus on specific, actionable comments that help students understand their progress and next steps. Instead of generic praise like “good job,” try comments such as “Your use of descriptive adjectives in this paragraph really helps me visualize the scene” or “I can see you understand the concept. Try solving the next problem using the same strategy.”
Finally, inquire with the cooperating teacher if there are opportunities to co-teach a part of a lesson. This co-teaching could include reviewing instructions, modeling some skill you want students to learn, doing a demonstration, or leading the assessment. This approach is an easy way to ease into teaching without feeling too much pressure initially. Co-teaching strategies can range from simple to complex:
- One teach, one observe: Your cooperating teacher leads while you observe and take notes
- One teach, one assist: One person leads while the other circulates and helps individual students
- Station teaching: You each take responsibility for different learning stations
- Parallel teaching: You both teach the same content to different groups simultaneously
- Team teaching: You both actively participate in delivering the same lesson
Start with simpler co-teaching approaches and gradually work toward more complex collaboration as you build confidence and rapport with your cooperating teacher.
Remember that becoming an active participant doesn’t mean taking over or trying to prove yourself immediately. It means showing genuine interest in the students’ learning, demonstrating reliability in small tasks, and gradually building trust with both your cooperating teacher and the students. This foundation will serve you well as you transition into leading your own lessons and eventually taking full responsibility for the classroom.
Pay attention to the classroom culture and routines before jumping in. Understanding how things typically work will help you contribute more effectively and avoid inadvertently disrupting established systems. Ask your cooperating teacher about their preferences for student teacher involvement and respect any boundaries they establish while looking for appropriate opportunities to gradually increase your participation.
Jump into active participation immediately rather than observing passively, as your engagement from day one signals confidence to students and demonstrates your readiness to take on teaching responsibilities. Start with manageable tasks and gradually increase your involvement while showing initiative and reliability.
Want the whole road in your bag?
All 51 chapters plus 100+ interview questions, from your first education course to your first contract. Paperback $12.99, Kindle $7.99 on Amazon.
