To grow and sustain field placement experiences, a group of elementary education university faculty members from a small private liberal arts university, examined strategies for teacher recruitment, retention, and recognition. Faculty members compiled and categorized data from cooperating teacher exit surveys, intern exit surveys, field…

This is a phenomenological study exploring student teachers' perceptions of three-way conferences during student teaching. Two preservice student teachers in the stage of pre-practicum and four in practicum (5 females and 1 male; Caucasians; undergraduates) in an early childhood teacher education program were purposefully selected, interviewed,…

This study examined preservice teachers' cultural consciousness and self-efficacy while tutoring diverse students during an initial urban field experience. The 46 participants, enrolled in an introduction to diversity course, completed an 18-hour tutoring requirement in elementary and secondary schools. Paired-sample t-tests yielded statistically…

Pre-service teachers, through early field experiences, are able to be physically involved in real classroom settings providing better preparation for future and independent work with children. This article includes suggestions and strategies for planning or reforming early field experience programs. Information related to school-university…

This study examines early childhood preservice teachers' beliefs about developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and how they define DAP and interpret principles and characteristics of DAP. The study shows that early childhood preservice teachers possess relatively strong beliefs about DAP. Preservice teachers who were further along in the…