This article argues that the instructional scaffolding metaphor may be reconceived as distributed scaffolding when multiple means of influence are provided in a service-learning setting. In the service-learning course described here, the professor's role is largely as designer of activity settings for preservice teacher candidates, through…

This study was conducted to investigate possible barriers to the effective implementation of clinical supervision in Botswana primary schools, junior and senior secondary schools. Since the study sought views, experiences and observations of respondents, it adopted a qualitative approach to data collection. Teacher practitioners on study leave at…

This article presents and discusses the findings of a study which focused on student teachers' evaluation of their practice teaching in the context of a university-school partnership model integrated for the first time into the academic programme of a university teacher education department in Israel. A questionnaire was developed to examine the…

Often secondary mathematics methods courses include classroom peer teaching, but many pre-service teachers find it challenging to teach their classmate peers as there are no discipline issues and little mathematical discourse as the "students" know the content. We will share a recent change in our methods course where pre-service…

As student teachers, authors Emily Clark, Laura Hornsby, Abigail Howard, and Kathryn Pople were aware of what the class had already covered on World War 2 (WW2). It was unclear to them, however, what knowledge the children actually had acquired from the lessons. In this article these student teachers describe their use of concept mapping as they…

As populations in contemporary Western societies grow increasingly diverse, preparing predominantly White middle-class pre-service teachers to better understand and work with difference productively has become increasingly critical. Historically, however, teacher education programs have aimed to address diversity with add-on or piecemeal…

The purpose of this study was to use a phenomenological perspective aimed at description analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the writing attitudes and experiences preservice teacher bring to the student teaching semester. A questionnaire was used to gather information about student teachers at a regional university. Based on the responses…

Current traditional reflective practices in teacher preparation may be failing to address the needs of teacher candidates in terms of their identity formation as teachers. This qualitative study, utilizing a participant group of six graduate students in their student teaching internships at a small public liberal arts university, explored whether…

This paper reports part of a larger phenomenological study of 23 participants (eight pre-service teachers, eight university supervisors, and seven cooperating teachers) specifically focusing on pre-service teachers' issues in the relationship with cooperating teachers and their resolutions. Two questions were used to guide this paper: (1) What can…

Many Hollywood films show the struggles of students with disabilities. More often than not, the struggle involves a clash between family and school. Real life shows that the movies have some of it right. According to MetLife's 2005 Survey of the American Teacher, new teachers often consider working with parents to be their biggest challenge. Both…

Problem Statement: Practice teaching is an important element in teacher education programs and it plays an active role in student teacher's obtaining and improving their teaching skills. However, student teachers have some concerns, since they are observed and evaluated by their supervisors in terms of class management, methods and techniques,…

Woodrow Wilson Senior Fellow James W. Fraser and Audra Watson, the Foundation's Director of Mentoring and Induction Strategy, take a look at emerging trends in clinical preparation for new teachers. This new white paper is based on experience with the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships, and includes observations from some of the colleges and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate middle level preservice teacher self-efficacy beliefs in general, as well as in the domain of reading. The participants were 8 middle school preservice teachers enrolled in a state-mandated reading methods course and student teaching over the course of a year. As part of the yearlong internship, the…

Supporting prospective teachers to enact high quality instruction requires transforming their methods preparation. This study follows three teachers through a practice-based elementary methods course. Weekly class sessions took place in an elementary school. The setting afforded opportunities for prospective teachers to engage in cycles of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which cooperating teachers deem required student teaching skills and activities relevant to the agricultural education student teaching experience. The population for this descriptive study consisted of individuals who served as cooperating teachers in Iowa and South Dakota during the last 5…