A Faculty of Education dramatically restructured its preservice teacher education program by putting experience first through introducing an extended fall-term practicum of 14 weeks. Focus group interviews were conducted with elementary and secondary teachers and administrators over a 3-year period, prior to and twice during the controversial restructuring. There were 3 sets of focus groups and interviews with 31 teachers. As an evaluation study, the focus groups presented mixed data: praising the thrust of the program and protesting the demands placed on field personnel. As a qualitative research study, predictive validity for focus groups in educational contexts is introduced and substantiated. As a study of collaboration between field practitioners and teacher educators, it suggests a need for thinking about the limits to collaboration that may arise from differing interpretations of professional responsibility. (Contains 44 references.) (SLD)