Cooperating Teacher Roles
Teachers in the Columbus City Schools system can be involved with Project ASPIRE in two ways: They can serve as cooperating classroom teachers or participate in an innovative design team project.
Cooperating Classroom Teachers
Project ASPIRE is recruiting high school math, science, foreign language, and middle childhood math and science teachers to serve as classroom mentors to preservice teaching candidates. What makes this unique from other student teaching mentoring experiences is that the cooperating classroom teachers will have more input than they otherwise would in terms of coaching and mentoring their student teachers. In addition, cooperating classroom teachers will:
- Be given the support needed to foster meaningful and lasting relationships with their student intern
- Meet with OSU faculty to discuss new mentoring and coaching strategies as part of a professional development series that meets twice a month
- Receive a stipend of $5,500 per year
- Receive a laptop computer and SmartEd Student Response System (with training) as a way to introduce technology into the classrooms
Innovative Design Teams
Project ASPIRE is also looking for teachers who are interested in taking an integrated approach to how content is delivered in the classroom. Participating teachers will work on a specific lesson with a team of OSU education faculty, OSU arts and sciences content faculty, and, in some cases, a local-area artist. As the lesson is codeveloped and delivered, the design team will document its work and findings and present the results during the urban seminar that the Project ASPIRE teaching residents will take throughout their M.Ed. year.
All high school, math, science, and foreign language teachers are eligible to apply for either of these roles, and the roles can overlap. The Project ASPIRE staff will work with each teacher to determine what role or roles work best for that person. If you have specific questions, please call the Project ASPIRE Columbus City Schools office at 614-365-8600.
