Section archive - Preservice Teachers

For preservice teachers to learn to use science curriculum materials in productive ways, they must develop a conception of themselves as elementary teachers in which the use of science curriculum materials is a valued dimension of science-teaching practice. We define those dimensions of teachers' professional role identities concerned with the use of curriculum materials as curricular role identity. This mixed-methods study examines preservice elementary teachers' development of curricular role identity for science teaching through their use of science curriculum materials. Results suggest preservice teachers articulate important differences between their own and more experienced elementary teachers' curricular role identity for science teaching and make progress toward appropriating the latter.

This study examined perspectives of field experiences among preservice teachers and their cooperating teachers because of debate in the politically charged atmosphere of No Child Left Behind regarding teacher preparation programs. Nine pairs of preservice teachers and their respective cooperating teachers were observed and interviewed over the course of a semester.Results indicated that relationships between the pairs, based on communication and trust, were paramount to preservice teachers' development.

This article explores the impact of an innovative methods course designed around the activity of student teachers’ reflections on their own classroom discourse, for their understandings of the connections between theory and practice. It engages in a foreign language pre-service teacher education in Israel, and a larger study abroad.

This study investigated accommodations provided to teacher candidates with learning disabilities in teacher education programs. Accommodations at the knowledge level were considered acceptable, while accommodations in field experiences were less common and more likely to raise ethical concerns.