The majority of middle school teachers are prepared in either generalist elementary programs or subject-specific secondary programs, yet researchers and teacher educators have little understanding of the ways in which these divergent pathways prepare teachers for working at the middle school level. In this study, preservice teachers from an…

As a teacher educator in a large public university, the author's methods courses are frequently comprised of both pre- and in-service teachers who are, or will be, working with culturally, linguistically, and cognitively diverse (CLCD) early language learners. It is incumbent upon the author to equip them with skills, strategies, and a sound…

This paper examines the strategies used, challenges faced and lessons learned in meeting the diverse learning needs of graduate initial certification and graduate certified teachers in the same cross-listed early childhood mathematics class. Questions investigated included "How can instructors best meet the learning needs of diverse candidates in…

The author asserts that it is time for social studies teachers to engage students in a review of the rift between historical reality and mythology about Viet Nam, especially in light of recent comparisons that many have made between the Viet Nam War and the current situation in Iraq. Few teachers dealt with Viet Nam at the time of the war, and…

We collected data from 149 graduate teaching assistants at a Midwestern university concerning their classroom duties, experiences with TA training and supervision, sense of self-efficacy toward teaching, preference for supervisory style, and feedback on those modes and skill domains in TA training they felt were most effective and best prepared…

To become a music teacher, an individual must understand music, learning and teaching, and music learning and teaching. In this article, the author discusses how preservice music education students can formulate these understandings and describes a kind of curriculum that fosters these kinds of understandings. She also considers some ideas that…

The purpose of this article is to propose the use of technology integration in elementary and middle level education courses, specifically, the use of WebQuests as vehicles for the infusion of content knowledge in preservice and in-service education courses. Observation in content area teaching methods courses found that teacher candidates often…

A related study found a number of changes in the reflective stance of preservice teachers using a video case curriculum in a mathematics methods course. These included a higher level of reflection, an increased use of evidence, a shift from affective to pedagogical concerns, and increased attention to student thinking (Stockero, 2006). The…

Some students at the master-level viewed research methodology courses negatively. This study investigated six factors that changed attitudes of graduate school students toward research during the course of a semester at a mid-sized university (University X) located in a western state. To facilitate this study, a survey instrument (Student Research…

One of the greatest challenges regularly faced in the teaching of writing methods to preservice teachers is the students' lack of models for process writing. Students in methods courses most often come into the course with no experience with using process writing methods. Process writing is an approach that is very different from traditional…

This investigation traced changes in anxiety for teaching mathematics (ATM) among pre-service elementary school teachers (n=36) enrolled in a mathematics methods course by analyzing their weekly journal entries. Journal entries were coded for high level of ATM (ATM-high) or absence of ATM (ATM-absent) during the first class session, as well as…

This paper discusses "Doing Theory in the Methods Class: Focused Reflection," a chapter from the book "Whole Language Voices in Teacher Education" edited by Kathryn F. Whitmore and Yetta Goodman. The book chapter focuses on guided classroom reflection as a key element in the education of preservice teachers, exploring whether…

As a result of the new era in science education reform, professional associations in science such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have developed science standards for grades K-12. This paper describes a model for utilizing the AAAS Project 2061 benchmarks for these standards in a science methods course. The course…

This study examined 65 preservice teachers' metaphors for describing roles of the mathematics teacher. Previous research suggested that metaphors for teaching typically ascribe three distinct roles of the teacher: teaching, assessing, and classroom management. The findings of this study reveal that student metaphors were not systematic across the…

A study examined students' reactions to the Student-Directed Discussion technique (an attempt to develop a class "text" from the students' joint construction of meaning) as used in a methods course on language development. The students (25 of 27 were present the day of the survey) responded anonymously concerning whether they thought the…