The preservice teacher education program at the University of Western Sydney (Australia) includes in-school experiences intended to address criticisms of the traditional practicum. This article outlines the principles underlying an innovative final semester school-based experience; describes the experiences in practice; and discusses student,…

The Multiple Abilities Program (MAP) at the University of Alabama is a five-semester, competency-based preservice program preparing teachers to teach all students regardless of settings or disability labels. This article outlines the program rationale, organizational framework, and the program feature in which undergraduates spend over 50 percent…

The professional development school (PDS) movement may reflect a paradigm shift in clinical teacher education. By altering power and role relationships in preservice practicums, PDSs provide a way of overcoming conceptual and structural obstacles to student teacher learning in practicums. (IAH)

A case study examined a whole-school model for supervising preservice teachers. The model employs constructivist notions that in a social-cultural context a persons' knowledge is created, examined, and transformed rather than simply transmitted and absorbed. The role of university facilitators changed from monitoring to mentoring, enhancing…

Examined the effect of pairing minority and nonminority student teachers in field-based practicums. Overall, the partnerships broke down racial barriers, tackled sensitive racial/cultural issues, promoted awareness in cross-race domains, and laid foundations for long-term social and professional relationships. Findings uncovered an institutional…

A study examined the experiences of 10 physical education student teachers who completed their student teaching in groups of 5 at two secondary schools. Participants expressed positive responses to the cohort practicum in six areas. Having several student teachers in one department created a supportive learning environment that fostered reflective…

This paper addresses the role of teaching in the preparation of future faculty members. I begin by discussing that graduate students and future faculty do not feel most TA experiences prepare them for the demands of college teaching. Graduate students, as well as other teachers, need various knowledge and skills to be successful, and Shulman's…

"simSchool" is a classroom simulation program funded by the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Teach with Technology (PT3) program of the U.S. Department of Education. Just as a flight-simulator immerses a player in the complexities of flying a plane, "simSchool" immerses novice teachers in some of the complexities of teaching 7th-12th grade…

This is the fourth in a series of four books presenting a variety of field experience program models and philosophies that drive the programs provided to preservice teachers during their undergraduate teacher preparation. This book focuses on critical issues facing teaching education in the future, in particular field experiences. Major themes…

This practicum was designed to enhance the perception of the early childhood professional among parents of children at an on-site child development center in a medical center. A pattern was documented of negative communication and lack of respect for the goals and policies of the child care center. The practicum's goal was to replace the parental…

The practicum reported here involved the design of a hygiene awareness unit to help 30 second-grade students in an inner-city school become aware of and improve their personal and oral hygiene, and to provide necessary knowledge concerning pediculosis. Surveys of students and faculty prior to the program demonstrated the need for such a program as…

A program implemented in a rural elementary school in Florida had the goal of increasing parental involvement of students in grades 1, 4, and 5. The majority of students in the school were black, came from single-parent homes, and were considered low-income. Prior to program implementation, a parent survey revealed that of 53 parents, 21 read to…

This paper describes the school-based internship program developed at the Southern Cross University in New South Wales, Australia. Arrangements are described for interns' time spent in classrooms, collaborative teaching strategies which underpin intern placements, the security which supports interns' practice, and approaches to integrate their…

This paper is a personal interpretation of how two half-year daily teaching assignments in grade 12 physics influenced the career of a science teacher educator at Queen's University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada). The teacher educator felt that this experience helped him speak to his preservice teachers more realistically and convincingly about the…

A comprehensive practicum curriculum was designed with close collaboration between University of Newcastle (New South Wales, Australia) music education staff and experienced cooperating music teachers from area schools. Cooperating teachers and music education staff participated in a weekend seminar to identify practicum problems and determine…