I just finished a short-term practicum with a fantastic student teacher.  She brought a lot of life experience (she was a former Radio-Canada journalist) and she just had a natural way to connect with students.  In my school, I see how few teachers are willing to take on student teachers as well as some of my teacher friends and I honestly have to wonder why…

HERE IS MY LIST OF REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE ON A STUDENT TEACHER :

1. If you consider yourself a good teacher that engages your students, then why not share your knowledge with someone so that more teachers learn different ways to engage their students ? Start by being a part of the cycle !
2. Remember that really important aspect of being a teacher…the need for lifelong learning ? Bringing in a student teacher is like having professional development every day (and if you are on Twitter, it only becomes that more enriching) !  He/she is learning at university and should have some great ideas about what is being taught.  It’s a great learning opportunity for you.  You can now integrate some of his/her’s great ideas into your own teaching !
3. Even though I have only been teaching a few years, I found that having a student teacher re-energized my own lessons.  I wanted them to be perfect so that she had a good model.  How can we expect our students to learn through formative assessment and scaffolding strategies, if we can’t even do it with adults ? By having a student teacher, I was more aware of my own teaching strategies, and made it so that I took time to reflect.
4. It re-builds relationships with those in the school as you take your student teacher around to introduce him/her to your staff.  When you work in a large school, we are busy, and it is sometimes rare that you walk down a certain  hallway, but when you have a student teacher you are forced to get out more and help him/her build relationships.  It had been quite awhile since I had eaten in the staff room since I would only eat with my friends and/or work with students in my room.  Having my student teacher forced me to change my habits and I realized how much I had missed some of the conversation that goes on in the staff room.
5. Sometimes its a good thing that your students see two different ways of teaching (especially if you have the same classes over and over again like I do in French Immersion).  But in that case, it is also important to make sure that your student teacher does not become you, he/she is his/her own person and will have a particular teaching style.  Being a coach is important for your students, just as much as being one for your student teacher.  Encouragement can go a long way, and that includes encouraging their own way of teaching.  How boring would school be if all your students were taught the same way and by the same person ? 
6. Even if you are a teacher who has been teaching for years and is close to retirement, why not share your knowledge and good practises with the younger generation ?  I share a lot with members of my three departments and I find that I learn a lot from some of these teachers.  I respect them and their teaching practise.  I know that it takes a lot of time to take on a student teacher and you may have been there, done that, but what about leaving behind your legacy ?

These are just some thoughts.  I would love to hear some of your comments.  I really do think that taking on a student teacher is beneficial.  I have had two in two years and while both experiences varied greatly, I don’t have any regrets and look forward to taking on my next one through yet another journey of life-long learning and collaboration for both of us.