A PROPOSAL FOR GUIDELINES FOR COOPERATING TEACHERS WORKING WITH SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA, ZAMBI

The purpose of this study was to prepare sample guidelines for cooperating classroom teachers working with secondary student teachers from the University of Zambia in Zambia. The study focused on the preparation of a plan for improving the classroom teacher's contribution to the preparation of prospective secondary school teachers in Zambia through the provision of appropriate experiences for the teacher candidates.;To conduct this study, the following procedures were utilized: New goals for education, in general, and for teacher education, in particular, in Zambia as stated in published works were examined as a basis for selection of the major goal of the study.;The secondary teacher education program at the University of Zambia, as the main institution training secondary level teachers, was reviewed with particular focus on the following aspects of student teaching: (1) Prerequisite for Student Teaching; (2) Pre-Student Teaching Experiences; (3) Assignments of students to Student Teaching; (4) The Student Teaching Curriculum; and (5) Supervision in the Student Teaching Program.;From the review of the student teaching program, some weaknesses were identified. These were: (1) Lack of active involvement of cooperating classroom teachers in the work of student teachers during the student teaching session. (2) Little communication between the supervising lecturers from the University of Zambia and cooperating teachers before and during student teaching. (3) General inadequacy of supervision of student teachers because of the above two factors. These identified areas of weakness provided a rationale for the proposed guidelines.;From a review of the literature, theories of supervision in preservice teacher education programs were briefly examined. These included the scientific approach, the democratic approach, and the clinical supervision model. A detailed examination of clinical supervision was undertaken and its relevance to the Zambian situations discussed. Thus, clinical supervision was recommended for eventual adoption in Zambia.;Ten topics relating to the functions and role of the cooperating teacher were identified, rationalized, and undergirded by concepts from the clinical model of supervision. The topics were: (1) The Cooperating Teacher and the University Supervisor; (2) Orienting the Student Teacher; (3) Guiding the Student Teacher in Observing Classes; (4) Guiding the Student Teacher in Planning; (5) Guiding the Student Teacher in Independent Teaching; (6) Guiding the Student Teacher in Understanding Pupils; (7) Making Conferences Effective Learning Experiences for the Student Teacher; (8) Acquainting the Student Teacher with Professional Organizations; (9) The Need for Human Relations; and (10) Evaluating the Student Teacher. Practical sample guidelines were derived from the broad topics.;A suggested plan for the implementation of the guidelines in Zambia was developed. Particular problems of implementation were discussed briefly. It is hoped that the sample guidelines formulated in this study will make a change within the traditional structure of supervision of secondary student teachers in Zambia by introducing new concepts of supervision. It is assumed that the new concepts of supervision will result in greater awareness of the functions and roles of cooperating classroom teachers in Zambia. The implementation of the guidelines would also result in new relationships for all the participants in the student teaching program which in turn would result in improvement of supervision of student teachers.