Reuben L. Yarmus, Nurun N. Begum

Abstract

The emphasis in U.S. teacher preparation programs is shifting from the college campus to the P- 12 school. But will augmenting the field-based component in teacher education programs result in desired program improvements? Is the field where teacher education candidates learn the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to navigate once they are in their own classrooms? Do field experiences by themselves lead to growth? Does a mere increase in the number of hours of field experience result in the strengthening of desired program competencies? Perhaps not. The authors explore the challenges and possibilities for teacher education field experiences, describe and analyze actual field experience scenarios in P-12 schools at four stages in their own university’s teacher preparation program – observation, exploration, pre-student teaching, and student teaching and then offer suggestions for maximizing the value of field experience.

Keywords

field experience, teacher education candidate (TEC), teacher preparation program components

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References

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Categories: 2013, Articles - JETEN, Reflection/Thinking

Tags: field experience, teacher education candidate (TEC), teacher preparation program components