TNTP's latest report asserts the need to reconsider the first year of teaching to better support new teachers in this critical period of their development.  Full of practical recommendations including how to focus observation feedback on the "core skills" new teachers need and things to consider when determining who should or should not be recommended for state licensure, it is definitely worth a look.

Even though the report focuses on lessons learned training first year teachers through their alternate route fellows program, we think traditional teacher prep programs could also benefit from the recommendations.  

Several recommendations, like the need to focus feedback on "core skills," would be particularly valuable when thinking about how to best support teacher candidates during their student teaching semesters.  Student teaching experiences also involve real students whose learning is dependent on teacher candidates' skills.  As such it, too, must be considered more than a mere "warm up" and must provide teacher candidates with the structure and feedback necessary to set them and their students up for success.