Teacher educators worry about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted what and how teacher candidates are able to learn in P-12 field experiences; yet it is possible to view this period as one of opportunity rather than limitation. This commentary argues for a conception of field experience as practice rather than context. When applied across…

This article uses three vignettes to illustrate the pitfalls that must be overcome if classroom experience during teacher preparation is to serve the broad purposes of learning to teach. These pitfalls mislead prospective teachers into believing that central aspects of teaching have been mastered and understood. (MT)

This article discusses prevailing myths about field experiences in teacher education, relates research conclusions on the topic, and makes five recommendations for improving field experience components in teacher education programs. (IAH)

Presents research that questions the effectiveness and necessity of student teaching as part of the teacher education curriculum. Proposes that practice in teaching skills should occur in the college of education program where mistakes and ideas are valuable openings for discussion and where discussion is immediate. (KS)

The subject of this opinion forum is the problem of student teacher placement into increasingly recalcitrant school systems. (LH)

Educational and practical experience are both essential to teacher education, and prospective teachers require a carefully planned curriculum integrating realistic practice in all the activities of teaching with theory and research in pedagogy. (Author/MSE)

In spite of the recent emphasis in preservice teacher education on more and earlier field experiences, studies are challenging the contributions of full-time student teaching to professional growth. Although pragmatic findings favor the inclusion of field experience in teacher preparation programs, the importance of field experience has not been…

Four cultural conditions within universities impede significant reform of field experiences in teacher education: lack of resources, low status, fragmented curriculum, and professional perspectives of teacher educators. Recommendations are made for altering the purpose of field experiences to include more than the acquisition of technical…

Explores the epistemological shift embedded in one preservice program that puts extended teaching experience first in the process of learning to teach. Emphasizes the role and power of experience in learning to teach. It responds to Jones's paper on the 10 dichotomies in teacher education (SP 527 128), relating them to the notion of early teaching…

Critiques papers from a symposium on student teaching placement, agreeing with much of their content (e.g., student teaching is critical to preservice teacher education, and cooperating teachers are key in determining the quality of student teacher learning), and discussing limitations of the traditional structure of student teaching and the…

Presents an introduction by the journal editor to a special issue that features the work of faculty and students at Queen's University of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, who were involved in restructuring their teacher-preparation program. At the heart of the restructuring was the specific goal of emphasizing early fieldwork experiences. (SM)

The importance of orientation programs for international student teachers is discussed in this paper. It is pointed out that schools of education should organize predeparture orientation programs, both for teaching and for cultural understanding, that emphasize five areas: (1) personal awareness and behaviors; (2) the host country and its cultural…

The content and process of teacher education for urban areas must familiarize teachers with urban issues and concerns. Elements of this training should include the following: (1) liberal arts; (2) personal and professional development; (3) philosophical foundations; (4) organizational studies; (5) field experiences; and (6) curriculum and…

The shell game is a metaphor for a selection and retention process that should be established to counsel students as they try to earn a teacher's degree and teaching certification. This process, which involves taking required courses, participating in field work, and self-evaluation, is described. (RM)

Two curriculum development strategies for preservice teachers' field-based experiences are analyzed. It is argued that a "personalized" approach to field-based experiences is misguided, and an "inquiry-oriented" approach is presented as more justifiable. (CJ)