Aspiring teachers seeking licensure in New York State are required to prepare a portfolio of materials demonstrating their readiness to teach during their student teaching clinical experience, as per edTPA (a teacher performance assessment developed by Stanford University). This research considered how cooperating teachers in the student teaching placement define their role, how they instruct the student teacher on the practices of teaching, and how they integrate the student teacher into the community of teaching. Through a qualitative multi-case study, using six elementary level (grades 3 through 5) student-teaching cooperating teachers, evidence of cultural exchanges and modeling of teaching practices via situated learning legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) were considered and explored using interviews, artifacts, and a focus group procedure. Looking to LPP as a method for viewing the role of the cooperating teacher offered an alternate lens to measure the influence of that relationship on effective teacher preparation programs. In the end, the data showed that the participants in this study consider the role of the cooperating teacher to be one of honor where they actively share as an instruction expert, professional networking broker, community socialization coach, and practical pedagogy insider. Implications of this study include the relationship shared between the cooperating teacher and the student teacher, leveraging the pride cooperating teachers have for their role to be professionally transformative, and the socialization practices used to integrate student teachers into the community of teaching. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]