A lesson that is well-planned in advance will be a better lesson. Candidates who are in the process of learning how to teach should expect to spend a great deal more time, effort, and care in planning lessons than experienced teachers may need to spend.  The first few lessons in each new area should be planned cooperatively with the mentor teacher.  Later, the intern will take sole responsibility for developing the plans. All lesson plans are to be reviewed and initialed by the mentor teacher prior to teaching. Candidates should submit lesson plans to the mentor teacher 48 hours before the scheduled teaching day. All candidates will submit a Long form lesson plan to their University Supervisor 24 hours prior to an observed lesson.  A failure to submit lesson plans by the stated deadlines will indicate a teaching performance concern and the procedures for these issues outlined in the handbook will be followed.   The following lesson plan formats are expected for each level of field experience.

Assistantship:

• Long lesson plan

Internship I:

• Long lesson plan
•  Short lesson plan after mentor and supervisor approval

Internship II:

• Long lesson plan for observed lessons
• Short lesson plan
• Block lesson plan after mentor and supervisor approval

Taskstream should be used for long and short lesson plan forms. Internship II candidates may use the block plan format in this handbook or the accepted form used by his/her mentor.    With approval for the mentor and supervisor, Internship I and II candidates may move to the more condensed form of lesson plans listed above once lesson planning skills have been demonstrated. All lesson plan forms are available in this handbook and on Taskstream.

At the Internship levels, candidates are expected to assume full responsibility for the classroom for a period during the internship. Internship I candidates should teach a minimum of 5 full days with 3 days consecutive.  Internship II candidates are expected to teach a minimum of 10 full days, with 5 days consecutive. From the beginning of the internship, candidates should be working with their mentor and university supervisor to develop a “Release of Responsibility” plan, so that the candidate can gradually assume more responsibility for the teaching and management of the classroom over the field experience period. At the Early Childhood and Elementary levels, candidates and mentors could engage in collaborative planning from the beginning, as candidates develop long lesson plans for each of the content areas.  At the Middle school level, an intern and candidate could co-plan and co-teach during the longer block periods. Modeling by and feedback from the mentor will be critical during this shift and across the field experience.  As the candidate demonstrates greater proficiently in teaching and management, the mentor can allow the candidate more independence. With mentor and supervisor approval, the candidate could move for the more abbreviated lesson plan format ( short lesson plan format for Intern I's; Short or Block plans for Intern II's) for their internship level during this time. Eventually, the intern will assume full responsibility for the classroom during the minimum full teaching days.  As the intern completes the required full days and the field experience is drawing to close, the mentor and intern could collaborate as the mentor gradually regains responsibility for teaching and management in their classroom.