In this longitudinal study, we sought to better understand mentor teachers' perceptions of their roles as school-based teacher educators. We studied 11 school-based teacher educators and 123 teacher candidates, and collected data from observations, interviews, and artifacts. Using content and thematic analysis, the six roles of school-based…

The purpose with this article is to amplify the significance of effective mentoring of pre-service teachers in order to address classroom matters and situational issues associated with teaching practice. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 10 pre-service teachers about the ways in which they experienced mentoring during their teaching…

This study aims to better understand the role of mentor teacher-mediated experiences in preservice teachers (PTs)' progress toward the vision of teaching advocated by their programs. Data were collected from multiple cohorts of preservice science teachers at two university-based teacher preparation programs. Employing a qualitative, multiple case…

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…

Cooperating teachers can help student teachers make the most of their student teaching experience. The author has served as an on-site supervisor for many practicum students and interns. She has also worked on the university side, supervising pre-student teachers and school psychology practicum students. Having served in all three of these…

This article reports on the results of a survey of 45 secondary mathematics cooperating teachers' perceptions of the primary purposes of student teaching and their roles in accomplishing those purposes. The most common purposes were interacting with an experienced, practising teacher, having a real classroom experience, and experiencing and…

The purpose of this study was to examine the roles and role perceptions held by members of physical education student teaching triads while engaged in a seven-week elementary student teaching experience. It is believed that knowledge is created through group interactions (i.e., triad) in the environment, and therefore a social constructivist…

A key factor in learning to teach during student teaching is the cooperating teacher, who supports and mentors prospective teachers. In the apprenticeship that is student teaching, the cooperating teacher serves as a gatekeeper to the experiential learning of pre-service teachers. Although several studies indicate the significant influence…

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…

Field experience (junior practicum and student teaching) is considered by many to be the most influential part of a teacher preparation program (Cruickshank & Aramalin, 1986; Tannehill & Zakrajsek, 1988). During field experiences, preservice teachers (hereafter referred to as PSTs) are guided by a cooperating teacher (hereafter referred to as a…

An investigative study sought to identify those factors characteristic of an ideal interpersonal relationship between cooperating teachers and student teachers and to determine if the two groups agree as to the determinants of that relationship. A 110-statement measuring instrument was developed by means of a series of Q technique ratings by 60…

Student teaching often provides prospective music educators with a guided teaching experience that they can refer to throughout their professional careers. In the words of one teacher, the author often thinks back to her student teaching experience for strategies in her current teaching and classroom. She had a great cooperating teacher who…

Author provided suggestions directed to cooperating teachers to assist them in directing a quality student-teaching experience. (Author/RK)

This study examined the effect of the student teacher's perception of and preference for the role of the cooperating teacher and the cooperating teacher's perception of his role on the student teacher's effectiveness and satisfaction with the student teaching experience. Subjects were 98 student teachers and 98 cooperating teachers. Responses were…