Student teaching - teaching practice has – a great importance and a special position in any teacher preparation program for all levels of education. This fact was proved by researches conducted by Sminth, Hunter, Adimon and Danze. Their Studies proved this fact and inspired to clear up the roles of Supervising Teachers for all the people who have to do with this period of Practical Preparation of Teachers.
On the other hand, the results of the researches done by Mcauley, Yee, Johnson, Wiggins, Brim and others showed effective influence of the supervising teachers on their students which consequently leads to measurable change occurred in their behaviors and attitudes towards the educational issues which go with what their supervisors believe in.
The decision makers in the college of education should benefit from the distinguished colleges of education in advanced countries such as in the United States in solving this problem. They determined the roles of supervising teachers and everybody knows these roles such as student teachers, college supervisors, school principles and others. The writer of this article suggests the following roles for the supervising teacher:
- Planning with his students to participate in Schools activities.
- Observing and advising the teaching and continuous evaluation of what the students do through their student teaching.
- Helping the student teachers to evaluate themselves.
- Give the student teachers the opportunity to utilize the audio-visual equipments, which are available at school.
- Arranging a timetable to observe their friends’ lessons.
- To be a communicative instrument among the student teachers, the school administration, and the staff members at the school.
- To clarify the regulations and the rules, this is the Ministry of Education, issues.
- To contributing in the development of the student teaching program.
The supervisors undertaking and commitment to the suggested roles will lead to attain an important and basic objective in teacher education program which is building an independent character of perspective teacher. In addition, the relationships between the student teachers with supervisors will be unambiguous and show them when they should consult them.
Additionally, having well defined roles for supervising teachers will avoid the college possible contradiction between what is taught in education course and student teaching program through contacting the real world of teachers.
Finally, these suggested roles for supervising teacher will be a great help to the Director of the student teaching office in his position as a decision maker in this vital portion of teacher preparation. The assistance is occurring when he plans to construct new students teaching program regarding hiring new supervising teachers or organizing workshops for new supervisors and other actions.