Tammie Schrader's post yesterday about her experiences as a science teacher and a "teacher of future science teachers" hit home the point that the student teaching experience is of immeasurable value both to improve professional skills and as a test of whether teaching is a good professional fit.

All rang true with my own experience as a student teacher, and then as a math teacher and my one mixed experience as a cooperating teacher. 

Because it's so valuable, all the players need to do student teaching smartly:  the student teacher who needs to be well-versed both in content and the beginning skills in classroom management; the cooperating teacher who needs not only to be herself a great teacher, but someone who has been trained in mentoring; and the school district, by only agreeing to accept as many student teachers as there are willing, high-quality teachers to do the training.