University Supervisors & Cooperating Teachers
If you are interested in becoming a WSU University Supervisor or Cooperating Teacher, please contact our office.
University Supervisors
University Supervisors are knowledgeable of the expectations of WSU to offer support and intentional feedback throughout the student teaching experience.
They facilitate communication among the University, School Partners, and the Teacher Candidate. The Teacher Education Handbook (PDF) has information that is also useful for University Supervisors.
University Supervisors must meet one of the following qualifications:
- Holds or held a professional license aligned to either the licensure scope or field sought by the candidate
- Has at least 3 years of experience as a teacher of record
- Is or was an E-12 administrator with documented experience in teacher evaluation (holding an administrator’s license is not required)
A University Supervisor must complete:
- Professional development in coaching strategies for adult learners
- Training on program requirements and evaluation procedures for candidates
- Student Teaching Midterm & Final Evaluations assess teacher candidates’ performance in their student teaching experiences (results will be sent via email once submitted)
- Dispositions Survey (results will be sent via email once submitted)
- Student Assistance Plan Form (DOCX)
- Teacher Candidate Disposition and Performance Concern (PDF)
Cooperating Teachers
Cooperating Teachers are important partners in preparing our future educators. Through your mentorship and guidance, teacher candidates learn:
- best practices in curriculum
- how to effectively work with the needs of diverse learners
- how to create a positive partnership with the families of your students
Cooperating Teachers must meet the following criteria:
- Be licensed in the area for which they provide supervision
- Cooperating Teachers for Clinical Experience must 2 years of successful teaching experience
- Cooperating Teachers for Student Teaching and Practicum must have 3 years teaching experience as a teacher of record in the licensure area
- Special Education teacher caseload should include 3-5 students in Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) or Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD)-MN/ Cognitive Disabilities (CD)-WI licensure areas
- Professional development in coaching strategies for adult learners
edTPA
edTPA is an assessment process that requires teacher candidates to demonstrate the skills needed to enter the classroom ready to teach and help all students learn.
As a “real world” assessment, each teacher candidate will work with licensed teachers in Minnesota classrooms as they complete the edTPA process for their initial teacher license.
Evaluations & Surveys
Every semester, cooperating teachers must assess how students are performing during their student teaching experiences.
These surveys take between 5-10 minutes to complete and help us improve education programs and maintain accreditation.
- Student Teaching Midterm & Final Evaluations assess teacher candidates’ performance in their student teaching experiences (results will be sent via email once submitted)
- The Dispositions Surveyevaluates how well students are applying the professional dispositions to their student teaching experience (results will be sent via email once submitted)
- The Demographic Survey measures the diversity of the students served by WSU Education majors (results will be sent via email once submitted)