Having a student- do you pick your battles?

[WhoHidTheStapleGun]

I have a postgrad student who is doing okay. I am in contact with her uni tutor but quite frankly, they're going to pass her unless she does something illegal.

It's stupid things like ignoring my instructions for the kids. She was supervising Golden Time yesterday and let them draw on my board, had paint in the carpeted area and tbh the classroom was just a mess.

I've repeatedly told her that there is an order for the lines to go in (eg. R go in first, then Y1, then Y2) and she keeps ignoring it. There's various daft things like that.

She's halfway through and I genuinely don't know if I should be reading the riot act. I've raised my concerns to SLT and they are keeping a very close eye but as I said, the uni are really lacking.

[underthebluemoon]

How is her actual teaching and relationship with the children?

[WhoHidTheStapleGun]

Actual teaching is improving. She can rely on Twinkl too much.

Relationships were a big concern tbh. She's warmed up in the last week though.

[noblegiraffe]

It sounds like you are struggling to relinquish control of your classroom - if there’s a mess then she can clear it up? What’s the problem with kids drawing on the board?

[Socrates73]

I disagree with the last comment making it all your issue. It isn't. Having a weak student is tough and I've been in this position myself, it's draining trying to strike a delicate balance between supportive, encouraging and helpful but also maintaining the careful order you have built in order to help your children lear to the best of their abilities.
I'd ask SMT to sit in on a conversation and have a really frank discussion with her. Start with the positives and focus on improving 2 or 3 things that you really need her to be doing. Bite your tongue over the smaller stuff and perhaps make sure you are in the room with her for activities that have the potential to make a lot of mess.

[WhoHidTheStapleGun]

it's draining trying to strike a delicate balance between supportive, encouraging and helpful but also maintaining the careful order you have built in order to help your children lear to the best of their abilities.

Very much. They are a good class and I've worked very hard with them over the past two years.

The mess should have been cleared away as they played. Children had tipped things out onto the floor, left paint lying behind them etc and they must tidy up as they go. They aren't allowed to draw on the board because they've recently been reskinned (which cost £££).

[noblegiraffe]

make sure you are in the room with her for activities

Surely you are in the room with her anyway?

Yes mess should be cleared away as they play but student teachers get overwhelmed with trying to run a classroom. Things that come naturally to us as experienced teachers slip their mind because they have to actively concentrate on everything that they are doing where we run on autopilot.
I’ve got a couple of student teachers in my class at the moment. I sometimes end up whizzing around at the end collecting in equipment and so on because they have forgotten to get students to do it. Then at the end I remind them to do it next time.

If the kids are drawing on the board and it’s a genuine issue, then intervene and tell them not to.

If a student is weak, then you help them out. Gradual withdrawal, rather than dropping in the deep end.

[Socrates73]

In an ideal world you'd be in the class with them yes, but certainly in our school we sometimes get pulled in different directions:
"Oh the student's teaching? Great, can we meet quickly (never is quick!) to discuss xxx" type requests.
Not right but it does happen.

[RavenWings]

Agreed, a student teacher is not going to be able to handle a classroom as well as an experienced teacher (usually - I got a cracking one recently!). I wouldn't think the tidying up is a mortal sin. She will learn from it and apply it to her teaching.

I agree that if she's weak, she should be supported with gradual withdrawal and specific praise/criticism. That can be from management or teacher. And tbh, I applaud the use of Twinkl. She's on placement, if it makes life a bit easier I'm all for it. Some students run themselves into the ground when it comes to resources.

[WhoHidTheStapleGun]

Hmmmm maybe I am being harsh. I've done the gentle reminder for her first half of placement so genuinely did feel she should have made some sort of effort.

I'm glad I posted, I'll continue to mull it over anyway. I don't want to be too harsh.