Date of Award

1-1-1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

This study is a description of four student teaching experiences. The meanings the student teachers ascribe to their daily experience are portrayed in the work. Everyday interactions and personal recollections are detailed. The voices of the student teachers and cooperating teachers are heard.The methods used in this study were participant observation, interviewing, reflection, and field diary writing. Data were collected over a period of one school year. The researcher observed and interacted with the student teachers at least twice weekly throughout each student teacher's eight week experience. The data are presented in the form of individual portraits of each student teaching experience.Commonalities examined and discussed in the work are the concepts of: (a) student teaching as an introduction into the "real world," (b) student teaching as an intense and all consuming experience, (c) student teaching as a period of mere survival, (d) student teaching as a time to examine the roles of a teacher, (e) student teaching as "cooking in someone else's kitchen," and (f) student teaching as a cloning process.Several implications for teacher education are outlined in the study. It was found that the participants clearly sensed the value of and the need for discussion and reflection upon their experience. The author suggests group placement of student teachers in schools and seminars for cooperating teachers and supervising teachers to meet the need for discussion and reflection. The author also suggests that broad dialogue by teacher educators on the purpose of the student teaching experience is needed. Suggestions for strengthening the connections between university methods classes and student teaching experiences are offered. A need is seen to examine the role of the college supervisor. It is suggested that college supervisors be trained as facilitators of learning. Qualities of effective cooperating teachers are also outlined.

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