Master Practitioner Flo Barnes, who serves as a liaison in the Shortridge-Butler clinical partnership, says teacher candidates not only provide a valuable second adult in the room but also ask questions that inspire their mentor teachers to remember their values. Professor Shelly Furuness explains that Butler wants to prepare candidates for schools as they should be, and it’s powerful for mentor teachers to work next to these energetic, even idealistic preservice teachers. Mentor teacher Abby Solstis notes that her high school students work harder on presentations for an “outsider” and benefit from interacting with a current college student.

Master Practitioner Flo Barnes, who serves as a liaison in the Shortridge-Butler clinical partnership, says teacher candidates not only provide a valuable second adult in the room but also ask questions that inspire their mentor teachers to remember their values. Professor Shelly Furuness explains that Butler wants to prepare candidates for schools as they should be, and it’s powerful for mentor teachers to work next to these energetic, even idealistic preservice teachers. Mentor teacher Abby Solstis notes that her high school students work harder on presentations for an “outsider” and benefit from interacting with a current college student. [less]