Student teachers must prepare lesson plans each day. Teacher educators should have students prepare lesson plans several days in advance of actually teaching the lesson. This way, the mentor or professor can look over the plan and give the student suggestions for revision. The student then has time to revise the plan before teaching. Students should have several plans prepared before actually setting foot into the classroom as a student teacher.
Teacher educators must give students an opportunity to practice their lesson plans before using them on real students. Teachers may divide students into small groups and have them teach each other. Teachers may choose to videotape the teaching session and have students watch themselves in the teaching role. Both peers and the teacher should give feedback to the student after the role play.
Some teacher training programs have the resources to provide students with a virtual classroom to practice on before their student teaching. Central Florida's college of education has adapted the TeachME project, which is a real-seeming virtual classroom. The teacher-in-training teaches a screen full of avatar students, which actors control based on studies of typical student behavior. The student avatars can interact with the teacher, ask and answer questions, as well as act out---allowing the teacher the opportunity to think on the spot and implement classroom management techniques.
Before a student teacher enters the classroom, she should observe many different teachers and types of classrooms. This gives the student a variety of techniques to learn and try as she develops her own teaching style. It also allows the student to see professional teachers in action as they interact with real students and their behaviors.
Student teachers must have a good mentor for the student teaching experience to be valuable. Mentors provide clear and honest feedback, suggestions for improvement, and motivation and encouragement for the student teacher. Mentors review lesson plans before they are implemented and observe the student teacher in action to help the student teacher gain experience and confidence in the classroom. Mentors must be involved and attentive with their student teachers and practice effective communication.