STUDENT TEACHING PROGRAM: EXPERIENCES, ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Abstract

This study looked into the student teaching program of ISAT U during the Academic Year 2015-2016. It
specifically documented the Student Teaching policies and practices of the three campuses, the experiences
of the student teachers and the issues and concerns of both mentors and mentees. Twenty five student
teachers and six deans and supervisors were the sources of data through interview and documentary review.
The study used the case analysis method using a campus as a unit of analysis. Student teachers experiences
were presented in themes.
The study revealed that the policies of the student teaching program of ISAT U are being implemented by
the three campuses. However, they differ in terms of deployment of student teachers. The ISAT U system
has almost similar practices except for the scheduling on the seminar on problems met. The student teaching
experience provides pre-service teachers the space and opportunity to learn how to ask important questions
about teaching and learning, come to know children and adolescents by observing and interacting with them
consistently over time, apply newly acquired knowledge, theories, strategies and models in a variety of
contexts within and across classrooms, and experiment with, design and adapt practices according to
learners’ needs.
Experiences of student teachers were varied, but most of them were learning experiences that contributed to
the development of their teaching competence and personal development. They were given the opportunities
to hone their talents and empower them to really become real teachers. They may have experience
frustrations, difficulties and failures, but these were just part of the episodes of a student teacher’s life.
The issues and concerns of the student teachers include the following; too many reports, forms and other
requirements to be submitted every week and every end of the term. The student teachers could not meet the
deadline due to time constraint. The study designed a unified Student Teaching Manual to be used for the
three campuses.