Many K-12 independent schools feature introductory teaching programs, like teaching fellowship or assistant teacher programs, as part of the faculty and school structure. The benefits of these programs for assistant teachers or pre-service teachers are well researched and documented in public school settings. Little, though, is known about the…

Challenges new teachers face as they transition from their preparation program into their own classroom are well documented, however, the field struggles to retain those in the earliest phase of their career. Social support and teacher self-efficacy development both have been found to play a role in teacher retention. The purpose of this…

The purpose of this study was to describe the construction of knowledge that takes place for the student teacher and cooperating teacher while working together during the student teaching experience. The presence of highly effective teachers in the classroom is essential for student learning. For this reason, it is critical that teacher…

Cooperating teachers and student teachers share a unique internship that allows the development of skills for both individuals. The literature states that cooperating teachers can grow from student teachers; however, there are a few sources that state the areas in which this growth occurs. The purpose of this study was to determine if growth or…

As students in the United States are increasingly diverse in terms of culture, ethnicity, race, language, immigration status, geographic considerations, religion, sexual orientation, abilities, and socioeconomic status. Despite efforts to diversify the teaching force, teachers continue to be White, female, middle class, monolingual English…

During clinical experiences, in-service teachers provide models of instruction for pre-service teachers to learn. With the inclusion of students with special needs in general education settings, these models of instruction often include co-teaching. It is vital for pre-service teachers to see productive co-teaching models since co-teaching is a…

This research study examined the experiences of Black and Latino/a pre-service teachers who are enrolled in the BS/MS Teacher Preparation Programs within Florida State University's School of Teacher Education. Students within this study described their experiences in courses, how they navigated their clinical field experiences, and how their CTs…

Mentor teachers have a significant impact on pre-service teachers. Unfortunately, mentors are often underprepared for their role, and thus, the potential learning from a student teaching experience is not maximized. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University provides training to mentors who host pre-service teachers during their…

This study investigated the perceptions of three alternative and three traditional route participants of their experiences prior to receiving teacher certification. It further investigated whether their experiences proved to be educative, mis-educative, or a combination of the two. Observations, interviews, and lesson plans were analyzed according…

The purpose of this study was to obtain the perceptions of cooperating teachers in beginning and middle school instrumental music regarding their student teachers' skills and knowledge both at the beginning and at the end of the student teaching experience. The related research has focused primarily on two areas of music teacher education. Program…

The student teaching experience plays a significant role in teacher education programs by providing pre-service teachers with an opportunity to work directly with students in actual school settings. Recent reform movements in teacher education have emphasized mentoring and models of student teacher fieldwork such as partnerships and professional…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine (a) the role of the cooperating teacher in relationship to his or her assigned student teachers, (b) the cooperating teachers' training and preparation for those roles, and (c) the cooperating teachers' perceived needs regarding training and support. Ten cooperating teachers from different…