A case study was undertaken of a student teaching situation in which the operational behavior styles of the student and the cooperating teacher were quite different. According to the tool used for the study (Gregorc style delineator: A self-assessment instrument), the student teacher tested high in random style categories while the cooperating teacher tested high in the sequential style categories. Data collected throughout the 16-week student teaching experience included original observation documents, transcripts of audio recordings of interviews and conferences, logs, and questionnaires. The cooperating teacher appeared to be well organized and was conscious of the time factor in reaching instructional objectives. The student teacher exhibited behaviors characteristic of his random style: emphasis on relationships, need for positive feedback, variations on the use of time, and devaluing of organizational methods in general and of planning lessons and units in particular. These characteristics were evident during the entire 16-week period, including the time of preparation for the student's solo teaching experience. Among the conclusions drawn from study of this "critical" case is that some effort to match operational behavior styles may mean the difference between a satisfactory student teaching experience and an unsatisfactory one. (AMH)