A description is given of a field-based preservice teacher education program which integrates elementary and special education, infusing theories of effective teaching with practical classroom application for working with pupils who have special needs as they are mainstreamed into the regular classroom. The program consists of three phases:…

A study examined the degree to which certain school phenomena are reported by participants as concerns or activities during their student teaching experience. Particular concerns dealt with included student teachers' problems with curriculum planning, instructional decision making, instructional materials, student assessment and evaluation,…

This study examined the time constraints imposed on teacher interns by the fact that they enter a classroom already established and owned by a cooperating teacher and leave the scene before the actual year-end closure. Participants in the study were eight secondary language arts student interns. Separate case studies were completed for each…

The literature on teacher education indicates that cooperating teachers are significant persons in the professional training of teachers, that student teachers are reinforced for reproducing the kinds of teaching styles they most often experience as students. This paper suggests a model of teacher training that identifies practicing outstanding…

The student teaching program at the University of Northern Iowa places priority on developing a preservice teacher's ability to become a reflective practitioner. As a required field experience for teacher education students, the program provides time for learning, experimentation, critical analysis, and practice. The second major construct on…

A survey was made of student teachers in the Secondary Education Program at Western Kentucky University to determine their attitudes regarding their student teaching experience. Responses to a 25 item questionnaire were obtained from 123 students. The findings showed that: (1) Most student teachers were highly positive in their rating of the…

A teacher educator with an over-sized class describes an experiment with peer teaching. The class of fifteen students was divided into groups of three, defined as "mutual support groups," with each member contributing to and responsible for the performance of others. The first task assigned these "trios" was to identify desirable competencies,…

The personality of the individual admitted into training as a prospective teacher is a key factor in successful training. The person should possess the characteristics of an effective teacher, and admission to a school of education should, in part, be based upon an assessment of these criteria. These personal characteristics include the ability to…

To determine the current role of laboratory schools in the United States, the 123 existing laboratory schools were surveyed. Forty-seven percent completed and returned the questionnaire. They reported that the chief function of their school was instruction, followed, in order of emphasis, by preservice teacher education, research, and inservice…

The most suitable vehicle for preparing preservice teachers for work with exceptional children is clinical experience, which include practica, field experiences, internships, and student teaching. Besides giving preservice teachers practical work experience, a well-planned and action-oriented clinical experience develops and modifies attitudes,…

The need for early field experiences in teacher education is based on four specific needs: (1) the student need to know if he or she likes teaching; (2) the university need to know if the student shows promise of becoming a good teacher; (3) the student need to practice before assuming major classroom responsibilities; and (4) the teacher…

As the third in a four volume final report of a Right to Read preservice competency-based, modular reading specialist project, this volume presents the module outlines for components seven, eight and nine of the classroom program. Component seven, administration and supervision, offers on-the-job practical training where students experience…

This paper describes the sequence of field experiences from the freshman level through graduate experiences in the teacher program at North Texas State University. Four specific areas of the program are outlined: (1) prestudent teaching experiences in early childhood, elementary, and secondary education; (2) undergraduate field experiences…

A junior level field based practicum course involving potential student teachers and their cooperating teachers is described. Students and teachers meet during the first week of the course in an informal, relaxing atmosphere to become better acquainted and to share procedures, expectations, and general information on the course. Student teachers…

TEACHER EDUCATORS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND PURDUE UNIVERSITY IDENTIFIED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE COLLEGE SUPERVISOR TO THE STUDENT TEACHING SITUATION BY MEANS OF THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE. COLLEGE SUPERVISORS, SUPERVISING TEACHERS, AND STUDENT TEACHERS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE STUDENT…